This healthy mango chickpea buddha bowl is the perfect power lunch between meetings or adventures. It's sweet, tangy, protein packed, and only takes 15 minutes!
This plant-based buddha bowl is a great summer lunch on the go, and also works well for meal prep. Enjoy it cold on the beach, or warm for something a little heartier.
This bowl is perfect with this coconut lime rice. For dressing, try either this spicy peanut sauce, tangy lemon tahini dressing, or cilantro lime dressing.
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Ingredients
- Coconut lime rice (rice, coconut milk, water, salt, lime)
- Mango
- Chickpeas
- Edamame
- Avocado
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- Hummus (optional) - can be used in lieu of dressing in a time crunch 🙂
- Spicy peanut sauce, lemon tahini dressing or cilantro lime dressing
*Note on choosing ripe fruit: mango and avocado should both feel slightly soft when lightly squeezed.
If you can't find ripe avocado or mango, put unripe fruit into a paper bag with some bananas for 12-24 hours to speed up the process.
If your mango or avocado is almost too ripe, refrigerate until ready to use to extend its life.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
First, prepare coconut lime rice. Warm coconut milk and water in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, rinse rice until water runs clear. I usually change the water 3-4 times.
When it boils, add rice and simmer for 12-15 minutes covered, until all the liquid has absorbed. Add lime zest and lime juice, then fluff and serve!
Meanwhile, prepare your dressing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. This peanut sauce is fantastic, but if you prefer something else, lemon tahini and cilantro lime dressings also work.
Pro tip: taste the dressing and adjust according to what YOU like.
If needed, defrost edamame in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp of water for every ½ cup of edamame. Or blanch in water for 2-3 minutes or until warmed thru.
Drain and rinse canned chickpeas.
To cube mango, place on the bottom so it stands tall, and cut the sides away from the pit (like an avocado, except into thirds instead of halves).
Without cutting thru the skin, score a criss-cross pattern in the mango to make cubes.
Then turn mango inside out by pushing up on the skin. Gently slice thru the cubes to remove from skin.
To slice avocado, cut into half lengthwise (like a hotdog bun). Carefully remove the pit with your knife.
Scoop avocado flesh out of skin and place flat-side down on cutting board.
Slice thinly lengthwise.
Finally, assemble buddha bowl. Start with rice, mango and avocado.
Then add edamame, chickpeas and sesame seeds for protein.
Top with dressing of choice & enjoy hot or cold!
Pro tip: if you're not a big fan of dressing or don't have time to make one, use hummus instead!
Substitutions
This mango chickpea buddha bowl is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free.
To make it nut (or coconut) free, prepare your favorite rice according to package instructions. Use lemon tahini dressing instead of peanut butter sauce.
While this recipe is gluten free, the peanut dressing contains soy sauce, so substitute with tamari or coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are soy, wheat and gluten free. Alternatively, choose another dressing (see choices on recipe card).
For soy free, nix the edamame, and see gluten free note above for dressing. Though worth noting - the reason many avoid soy is because of how much it's processed. Edamame is the soybean in its purest form.
If you have issues with mango, try apple instead! It still pairs well with the peanut sauce.
Variations
There are tons of little tweaks that will change the vibe of this mango chickpea buddha bowl.
- Extra flavor - garnish with green onion
- Extra crunch - add cucumbers and/or chopped peanuts
- More savory - use lemon tahini dressing instead of peanut sauce
- Extra spice - add an extra ½ tsp of sriracha to peanut sauce
Looking for something a little less tropical and a little more cozy? Check out this butternut squash couscous salad. Or try this beet poke bowl if you're feeling adventurous!
Equipment
While the equipment for this recipe is pretty basic, it's important to note that stainless steel pots and pans (such as all clad) retain heat better than other materials. So, use a slightly lower heat than you would for nonstick or ceramic pan.
This recipe is written with a stainless steel pan in mind, so you may need to use higher heat if your equipment is another material. Above all, trust your nose.
Storage
Refrigerate the ingredients separately in sealed containers. Reheat rice separately in the microwave or in a saucepan on low-medium heat. Use 1 Tbsp of water per serving.
The microwave method takes ~2-3 minutes, stirring every minute or so. The saucepan method takes 4-5 minutes once the pan is warm.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Frequently asked questions
A buddha bowl has a slight Asian influence, whereas a grain bowl covers a broad range of cuisines and influences. This buddha bowl leans toward Thai influences with its peanut sauce.
Here are a few dressings or sauces to amp up a buddha bowl:
- Peanut sauce for a buddha bowl with Thai influences
- Lemon Tahini for something that tastes light and nutty
- Cilantro lime for a light and fresh dressing
- Hummus if you don't have time to make a dressing
Top tip
If you don't have time to make a dressing, use some store bought hummus instead. It'll taste great AND save time.
Leaving these handy recipes here for you!
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Mango chickpea buddha bowl
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 3 bowls 1x
- Category: Lunch and dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy mango chickpea buddha bowl is the perfect power lunch between meetings or adventures. It's sweet, tangy, protein packed, and only takes 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Bowl:
- Coconut lime rice or grain of choice
- 1 small ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 ripe mango, cubed
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 cups edamame beans
Dressing choices:
Optional toppings:
- Hummus
- Sesame seeds
- Cucumber slices
- Carrot shreds
Instructions
1. First, prepare coconut lime rice or rice of choice. Warm coconut milk and water in a small saucepan. When it boils, add rice and simmer for 12-15 minutes covered, until all the liquid has absorbed. Add lime zest and lime juice, then fluff and serve!
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare your dressing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. This peanut sauce is fantastic, but if you prefer something else, lemon tahini and cilantro lime dressings also work.
Pro tip: if you're not a big fan of dressing or don't have time to make one, use hummus instead!
3. Now prep the proteins. If needed, defrost edamame in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. 1 Tbsp of water for every ½ cup of edamame works well. Or blanch in water for 2-3 minutes or until warmed thru. Drain and rinse canned chickpeas.
4. To cube mango, stand up on its bottom, and cut the sides away from the pit. Think about the way you'd cut an avocado, except into thirds instead of halves. Without cutting thru the skin, score a criss-cross pattern in the mango to make cubes. Then turn mango inside out by pushing up on the skin. Gently slice thru the cubes to remove from skin.
5. To slice avocado, cut into half lengthwise (like a hotdog bun). Carefully remove the pit with your knife. Scoop avocado flesh out of skin and place flat-side down on cutting board. Slice thinly lengthwise.
6. Finally, assemble buddha bowl. Start with rice, mango and avocado. Then add edamame, chickpeas and sesame seeds for protein. Top with dressing of choice & enjoy hot or cold!
Notes
*Can use hummus in lieu of dressing in a pinch
Keywords: chickpea buddha bowl, buddha bowl, mango buddha bowl, healthy buddha bowl, plant-based buddha bowl, nut-free buddha bowl
Food safety
Safety first!
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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