Protein Bowl Recipes Vegetarian
Try these protein bowl recipes with vegetarian options. They are built-in layers and a delicious one-dish meal option that includes everything you need to feel comfortably full. They are jam-packed with a combination of flavors and a powerhouse of nutrition.
Meals created in a bowl are often displayed in a way that makes them colorful and even an art form. Many of them are creatively designed with patterns, designs, and textures.
I love the flexibility of serving the ingredients and having my family build our bowl with the portions they need and the options they want to include. Some of these ingredients can be prepped ahead of time for an easy-to-assemble meal!
One of our all-time family favorites that we make at home is “The Tofu Buddha Bowl’ inspired by two of our favorite vegetarian restaurants here in Asheville, Rosettas Kitchen and The Laughing Seed. This tasty bowl is a quick supper for my family, but it makes a great leftover lunch the next day!
I have included a breakfast smoothie bowl and a salad bowl for lunch to inspire you to make some meals in the bowl. So now you have a plant protein bowl for every meal! I hope these ideas inspire you to create many bowls in the future with simple, whole-food ingredients that you put together at home!
Protein Bowl Recipe Vegetarian Ingredients
Your protein bowl recipes are only as delicious as the ingredients you use. Here are some ideas for delicious combinations.
- Roasted vegetables such as sweet potatoes and broccoli
- Plant-based proteins such as roasted tofu, tempeh, or cooked beans
- Whole grains such as rice, quinoa or millet
- Raw vegetables like shredded carrots, thinly sliced cabbage, chopped tomatoes or sprouts
- Nuts or avocado to top your power bowl
- It’s a yummy dressing. I love a tahini dip on top of mine, but there are many delicious options!
Meal Prep for Vegetarian Protein Bowls
A great meal prep tip is to cut up vegetables and plant-based proteins, toss them in a little oil and seasonings, and place them on a sheet pan to roast.
3 Plant Protein Bowl Recipes
In addition to being plant-based and vegetarian, these bowls are also gluten-free. Plus, they can also be easily made vegan using plant-based yogurt and cheese in the recipes. They can also be low fodmap by limiting the amount of high fodmap ingredients like garlic powder, high fodmap vegetables, fruits, nuts, and most beans.
The Tofu Buddha Bowl
To make this vegetarian protein bowl, use seasonal ingredients, when possible, from the farmers’ market and vary it depending on the season. For fall, I used kale, carrots, and cabbage for my roasted veggies, but you can also include roasted beets, turnips, fennel, and winter squash. Vary the greens to include collards, chard, spinach, and arugula! Think of all the possibilities when spring and summer are here!
Makes four bowls.
- Marinated, roasted tofu (See recipe below)
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 4 cups kale
- 1 cups carrot
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 cup cabbage
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cups steamed brown rice
To make brown rice, measure 1 cup of rice into a medium saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Heat on medium heat on the stove until the rice begins to boil, then turn down to low and let simmer for about 35 minutes or until the water has absorbed. Remove the pan from the stove and allow it to continue to steam.
Stem the kale, tear it into bite-size pieces, and wash well in a colander. To steam the kale, put a tablespoon of water in a skillet over it. Heat the stove to medium, put a lid on the skillet, and let the kale steam until it gets a little soft.
Julienne the carrots and slice the cabbage and onions thin. Saute the carrots, onion, and cabbage in a little olive oil until they start to brown and caramelize. In four bowls, layer the rice and sauteed carrots, onions, and cabbage.
Divide beans between the bowls. Top with steamed kale and tofu. Drizzle ginger tahini dressing over the bowls.
Ginger Tahini Dressing
- One tablespoon of tamari sauce
- One clove-pressed garlic
- One tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- One tablespoon tahini
- Water
Combine tamari, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, cayenne and tahini. Mix well. It will become thick, so water can be added with a whisk to get it to the desired thickness.
Marinated Roasted Tofu
Tofu has a mild flavor and takes on whatever seasonings you add. In this recipe, the marinade turns tofu into a tasty bacon! This bacon is one of the main ingredients for my breakfast salad!
One block of tofu
Marinade:
- One tablespoon of tamari sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- One tablespoon sorghum
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Below, here are some pictures of how to make the baked, marinated tofu:
Fall Apple Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl
This yogurt bowl is the perfect breakfast! It has a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, along with a burst of flavor. I love the fact that I can throw it together with whatever fruit, cooked grain, or nuts I have on hand. Use whatever seasonal fruit is available, or you can even throw in some frozen fruit.
Makes one smoothie bowl
- 1/2-1 cup cooked oatmeal (you can also use cooked quinoa, buckwheat, millet, farro)
- One sliced apple or pear
- One tablespoon of almonds, walnuts, pecans or seeds
- One teaspoon of honey to drizzle over the bowl (I also love maple syrup and brown sugar in place of honey)
- 1/2-1 cup Greek yogurt
Layer oatmeal, sliced fruit, nuts, and yogurt. Drizzle over the top with honey.
Tempeh Cobb Salad Bowl
A cobb salad inspired this Mexican quinoa bowl! Tempeh bacon made at home is a great plant-based alternative to meat bacon in this salad bowl. Everything needed for this delicious vegetarian protein bowl can be packed up to work!
Tempeh bacon is so tasty! Here is my super easy recipe to make it!
Makes four servings
- 1 batch of tempeh bacon (see the link on how to do it above)
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, rinsed, drained and torn
- One thinly sliced avocado
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cooked and drained fresh or frozen corn
- 1 cup cooked pinto beans
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup freshly toasted pumpkin seeds
Salad dressing
- Juice from one lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- One teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1/4 cup medium salsa
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss.
Directions for the bowl
To make 2 cups of quinoa, measure out 1 cup of dry quinoa. Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan and heat over the stove on medium. When the water starts boiling, add the quinoa and stir.
Turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water has absorbed. Please remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for about five minutes. Divide the tempeh bacon, quinoa, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, corn, beans, and cilantro among four bowls.
Garnish with pumpkin seeds. Lightly drizzle salad dressing over the bowl.
Make Some Protein Bowl Recipes
I hope you enjoy these vegetarian protein bowl recipes as much as my family and I do! In addition, I hope they are just the beginning of whetting your appetite to create many new one-dish meal options! I would love for you to share all the delicious creations that you have made! I enjoy being a registered dietitian in Asheville, helping make healthy eating taste delicious! You can find out more about me here! And you can find more bowl ideas here!
I am sharing some additional planted-based bowl creations from some of my registered dietitian friends from Recipe Redux! I would love it if you shared my bowl recipe ideas and theirs with your friends!
