Artificial Food Coloring Free Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time30 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

Bright, fresh, and deeply satisfying, this bowl layers fluffy quinoa with crispy roasted chickpeas, creamy avocado, and a punchy lemon-tahini dressing that ties everything together beautifully. Every single ingredient here is whole and recognizable — grains, legumes, fresh vegetables, spices, and a squeeze of real lemon — so there's no need to squint at a label hunting for synthetic dyes or artificial additives. The golden color on those chickpeas comes entirely from turmeric and smoked paprika, not a drop of anything artificial, which makes the bowl as visually stunning as it is clean. Patting the chickpeas completely dry before roasting is the small but game-changing step that gets them genuinely crispy rather than soft, and that texture contrast against the cool cucumber and buttery avocado is absolutely worth the extra minute. The tahini dressing comes together with just a whisk and a few pantry staples, delivering a rich, nutty, garlicky finish that makes the whole bowl feel restaurant-worthy. It's the kind of meal that looks impressive enough to photograph but is genuinely easy to pull off on a weeknight.

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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
Goya Peas Chick Garbanzos Can - 15.5 Oz Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzo Beans - 16 Oz S&W Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz Hanover Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz O Organics Organic Beans Garbanzo - 15 Oz
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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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