I imagine Buddha is holding a Trimazing! Sushi Salad Bowl over his head with that big grin!

Buddha Bowls are named for the big, round shaped bowl they are served in, like Buddha’s tummy. But fear not, this one dish meal is kind to your waistline—no Buddha belly for you! Buddha bowls emphasize lower calorie dense foods (see my post on calorie density for more on this), full of veggies, greens, fruit, whole grains, and beans to fill you up. And they’re not just salads, these delectable bowls can be main dish grains, pasta, and even soup! So let’s grab a big fork, spoon, and bowl and dig right into what Buddha bowls are. And I have a recipe for my Sushi Salad Bowl at the end that you can make for dinner tonight!

Trimazing! Sushi Salad Bowl, recipe at the end.

Buddha bowls generally consist of a grain, greens, protein, 2-3 colors of vegetables and/or fruits, a healthy fat, and flavor. What makes it great is that you can prep all the components in advance (Refrigerator Salad Bar idea) and build bowls quickly. This is an excellent way to prep for lunches or dinners all week long. You can mix and match from any of these six categories and come up with endless Buddha Bowl options! I use a big 40-ounce Asian noodle soup bowl, like this one from Amazon, to build my Buddha Bowl in.

You don’t have to include something from each category, but it’s a helpful guideline!

Grain (Choose 1)

Use any kind of grain you want, not just rice.

• Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Millet
• Sorghum
• Whole Grain Pasta
• Steel Cut Oats
• Farro

Green (Choose 1 or Mix!)

A mix of greens is great, or you can just stick to one.

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Spinach
• Chard
• Mustard Greens
• Arugula
• Beet Greens
• Radicchio

Protein (Choose 1)

Baked marinated tofu is a great addition.

• Beans, Lentils, Legumes
• Tofu, Edamame
• Tempeh
• Jackfruit
• Seitan

2-3 Colors of Vegetables/Fruit (At Least 2-3!)

Choose colorful fruits and veggies.

This is a great way to eat the rainbow!

• Red: Tomato, Peppers, Radish
• Orange: Tomato, Peppers, Orange Segments , Persimmon, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Squash
• Yellow: Tomato, Peppers, Carrots, Beets, Sweet Potato, Zucchini, Corn
• Green: Peas, Edamame, Snap Peas, Celery, Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Sprouts, Asparagus
• Blue: Blueberries, Blackberries
• Purple: Beets, Cabbage, Grapes
• White: Cauliflower, Potato

Healthy Fat (Optional)

Avocados and nuts are whole, plant-based fats.

If you’re trying to keep calorie density low, just omit this. Odds are, you won’t even miss it with all the other goodies in your bowl!

• Avocado (1/3 per serving)
• Olives
• Nuts/Seeds (1/4 cup per serving)

Flavor

Experiment with oil-free dressings, salsas, pesto, and more!

• Dressings
• Vinegar, Soy Sauce
• Salsa
• Oil-free Pesto, like my Garlic Scape or Carrot-Top pestos
• Herbs
• Citrus Juices
• Nutritional Yeast
• Kimchi, Sauerkraut
• Furikake Rice Seasoning

Examples

Burrito Bowl

Quinoa, Greens, Black or Pinto Beans, Red Peppers, Corn, Zucchini, Avocado, Pumpkin Seeds, Salsa

Mediterranean Bowl

My Mediterranean spin on the classic Buddha Bowl!

Whole-grain Pasta, Kale, Chard, Raddichio, Roasted Red Pepper, Sauteed Fennel and Sweet Onion, Tomatoes, Sun-dried Tomatoes (not in oil), Artichoke Hearts, Zucchini, White Beans, Mushrooms, Pesto (Carrot-Top, Garlic Scape, or any of your favorites), Olives, Red Wine Vinegar

Thai Bowl

Brown Rice, Spinach, Cilantro, Thai Basil, Shredded Carrots,  Green Onions, Purple Cabbage, Mango, Peanut Sauce

Asian Noodle Bowl

Buddha Bowls don’t have to be a salad! Try a brothy Buddha Bowl!

Buckwheat Soba Noodles, Asian Broth, Mung Bean Sprouts, Bok Choy, Mushrooms, Carrots, Onions, Sea Vegetables, Tofu, Sesame Seeds, Soy Sauce

California Bowl

Avocado, Sprouts, Segmented Oranges, Wheat Berries, Asparagus, Green Peas, Sunflower Seeds, Cucumber, Red Cabbage

Korean Bowl

Kimchi,  Brown Rice, Sauteed Kale, Mung Bean Sprouts, Shredded Carrot, Sliced Cucumber

Savory Breakfast Bowl

Steel-cut Oats, Sauteed Spinach, Cooked Lentils, Red Bell Peppers, Onions, Zucchini

Breakfast Buddha Bowl

Breakfast Buddha Bowl

Cooked Grains, Berries, Bananas, Coconut Shreds, Granola, Vegan Yogurt.

Waldorf Bowl

Wheat Berries, Mixed Greens, Chopped Celery, Celeriac, Red Apple, Grapes, Baked Tofu or Tempeh, Walnuts, Vegan Coleslaw Dressing

Hash Bowl

Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Red Bell Peppers, Onions, Beet Greens, Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

Trimazing! Sushi Salad Bowl

Trimazing! Sushi Salad Bowl.

Brown Rice, Kale, Lettuce, Edamame, Purple Cabbage, Green Onions, Cucumber, Tofu, Red Bell Pepper, Avocado, Pickled Ginger, Furikake Rice Seasoning (or crumbled Seaweed Snacks or Nori), Soy Sauce, Wasabi

I hope this gives you some inspiration to try making some Buddha Bowls of your own. As you can see, the options are only limited by your imagination! Try my Sushi Salad Bowl recipe to get started, it’s a great one for lunch or dinner, quick and easy to make.

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Sushi Salad Bowl

You won't miss out on sushi with this amazing bowl! It has all the flavors of traditional sushi without the worry of going out or trying to roll your own.

Course Main Course, Salad, Snack, Un-Seafood

Cuisine Asian, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Sushi

Servings 4

Calories 624.6kcal

Author Cindy Thompson, MS, NBC-HWC | Trimazing! Health & Lifestyle Coaching

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Sushi Salad

• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice can use quinoa or sushi rice
• 8 cups Mixed Greens shredded (lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, whatever you like)
• 3 cups Shelled Edamame or frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 Cucumber peeled and cubed
• 1 cup Red Cabbage shredded
• 1 cup Carrots grated
• 1/2 cup Scallion (Green Onion) sliced
• 4 Radishes sliced
• 1 Avocado diced
• 1 14 oz. package Firm Tofu drained and cubed
• 1/4 cup Furikake Rice Seasoning or shredded sheets of nori mixed with sesame seeds

Miso Dressing

• ½ cup Water
• ½ cup Soy Sauce
• ¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Miso paste
• 2 tbsp Pickled Ginger with juice
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 4 cloves Garlic finely minced

Condiments

• Pickled Ginger
• Wasabi

Instructions

Make Dressing

• Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Assemble Sushi Salad Bowls

• Add rice to 4 large Buddha bowls and top with mixed greens, edamame (or peas), cucumber, cabbage, carrots, scallion, radishes, avocado, and tofu. Sprinkle liberally with Furikake rice seasoning.

Serve

• Serve with dressing, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side.

Notes

Furikake is a rice seasoning found in the Asian aisle of some supermarkets and at most Asian markets. Make sure to check the ingredients to pick one without bonito (smoked fish flake), shrimp, egg, sugar, or MSG. 

Mix Up the Veggies!

Any combination of veggies will do! Add what you like or have on hand.

Want Marinated Tofu on your Salad?

Marinated tofu is super easy. Make extra Asian dressing and marinate your tofu cubes in it for at least 15 minutes, or overnight, in a shallow baking dish. Bake in a 350°F oven (in the marinade in the same baking dish) for 40 minutes, flipping the cubes halfway through. Serve hot or allow to cool and refrigerate in a covered container until ready to use.

Nutrition

Calories: 624.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 88.3g | Protein: 27.1g | Fat: 20.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 2010.1mg | Potassium: 1635.7mg | Fiber: 17.7g | Sugar: 14.9g | Vitamin A: 6817.8IU | Vitamin C: 54.3mg | Calcium: 282.5mg | Iron: 7.6mg