Winter Buddha Bowl with Maple Tahini Dressing

By Alexandra Caspero on December 7, 2022
A winter buddha bowl packed with roasted vegetables, farro, tofu and the best tahini dressing.
Makes 4 bowls

Weeknight dinner, coming up! This Winter Buddha Bowl is packed with seasonal favorites: roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts, tofu, carrots, farro and a maple mustard tahini dressing.

You know I love a good buddha bowl. My peanut tofu buddha bowl is one of my absolute favorite recipes and they are an easy way to eat with the seasons. For example, my sweet potato buddha bowl and squash tahini bowls are two of my favorite fall vegan bowl recipes.

This Winter buddha bowl version is packed with seasonal favorites, like roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts, tofu, carrots, hearty farro and a drinkable maple mustard tahini dressing.

If you haven’t roasted vegetables before, they are one of my favorite ways to enjoy vegetables. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the squash– it’s almost candy like. It’s hard for me not to eat the entire pan as I prep this recipe! Yes, it’s that good!

Buddha Bowl Ingredients

Like most bowl recipes, this one is incredibly customizable to what you have on hand. At the bare minimum, you’ll need:

  • Vegetables
  • Protein, like tofu
  • Whole grain
  • Dressing

For this winter buddha bowl version, I’m using roasted butternut squash, carrots and brussels sprouts along with protein rich tofu.

Farro is my favorite whole grain, and it’s especially lovely in this buddha bowl recipe. It’s nutty, chewy and the basis for some of my favorite farro salad recipes and of course, my farro bean soup. If you want a gluten-free version, then wild rice, quinoa millet or brown rice would work.

Vegan Winter Buddha Bowl

Variations and Substitutions

In place of the roasted butternut squash, other roasted veggies like broccoli or cauliflower florets, sweet potatoes and beets will also work. Any hearty vegetable is a good choice in this recipe.

This recipe is really a bowl recipe, but you can also make it more of a salad by adding in leafy greens like arugula or chopped kale.

Roasted tofu is my favorite protein option for this recipe, but other protein options will also work like tempeh, white beans or chickpeas.

Lastly, if you want some more crunch, then I recommend adding in some nuts on top or even some pumpkin seeds. That’s really the beauty of a bowl recipe like this one, incredibly customizable!

Vegan Winter Buddha Bowl

How to make the Maple Tahini Dressing

Once you make this maple tahini dressing, you’ll want to make it over and over again. Not just for this Winter buddha bowl recipe, but really– for any salad. It’s creamy and sweet.

If you are new to working with tahini, then know that it will likely stiffen as you start to stir it. This is totally normal, just continue to whisk the dressing until it thins. The dressing should be pourable, but if it’s too thick then you’ll want to thin it with a little more water.

I love the lemon juice in this tahini dressing recipe, but you can also use apple cider vinegar if you’d like.

Season to taste, then drizzle over the roasted vegetables, tofu and farro. Yum! So incredibly good, I hope you try this one soon.

More Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipes

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Winter Buddha Bowl with Maple Tahini Dressing

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Winter Buddha Bowls
  • Method: oven, stove top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Weeknight dinner, coming up! This Winter Buddha Bowl is packed with seasonal favorites: roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts, tofu, carrots, farro and a maple mustard tahini dressing.


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Winter Buddha Bowls
  • Method: oven, stove top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Winter Buddha Bowls
  • Method: oven, stove top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

For the Winter Buddha Bowl: 

  • 1/2 cup farro
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 2 cups quartered brussels sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 (14 ounce) container, extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed

For the Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing: 

  • 4 tablespoons tahini
  • 23 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Make the farro. Bring 1 1/2 cups to a boil (or vegetable broth– so much more flavorful!) then add the farro; reduce heat to low and cover and cook until tender. Remove from heat until ready to enjoy.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the carrots, squash, sprouts with the olive oil, salt/pepper and seasonings until well coated. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (may need 2 depending on size) and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  3. Add in the tofu and gently stir again, then return back to the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender and tofu is warmed through.
  4. While the vegetables are cooking, make the dressing. Whisk together the tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, water and salt. Taste, adding more salt/lemon juice as desired.
  5. Spoon the cooked farro into 4 bowls, then top with cooked vegetables and dressing.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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    1. Vince
      December 27, 2022 AT 8:34 pm

      i’m really trying to eat more plants. Very good recipe. I’ll be checking out more of her recipes.