Low Sugar Mediterranean Buddha Bowl
This bowl is a full-on flavor celebration — fluffy quinoa, crispy spiced chickpeas, creamy avocado, and a punchy lemon-tahini dressing that ties every component together. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of added sugar, which means you get a deeply satisfying, restaurant-worthy meal without having to scrutinize a single label. The dressing is the real star: tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic whisked together into something silky and bright, with zero sweeteners needed to make it sing. Patting the chickpeas completely dry before roasting is the move that gets them genuinely crispy — golden and fragrant with cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric straight from the oven. The bowl itself is endlessly colorful, with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and red onion fanned out over the quinoa in a way that looks as good as it tastes. It's the kind of meal that feels indulgent and nourishing at the same time, which is a rare and wonderful thing to pull off on a weeknight.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the roasted chickpeas
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salt
For the lemon-tahini dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 2–3 tbsp water, to thin
- ¼ tsp salt
For the bowls
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- 2
While the quinoa cooks, spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and pat thoroughly dry — the drier they are, the crispier they will roast. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and toss with the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly coated.
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