Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Meal Prep (Printable)

Nutritient-packed bowls featuring roasted vegetables, fluffy bulgur pilaf with pistachios, and silky tahini dressing for easy weekly meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bulgur Pilaf

01 - 1 cup bulgur wheat
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth
03 - 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Roasted Vegetables

08 - 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
09 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
10 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Kale and Chickpeas

14 - 4 cups kale, stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
15 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - Pinch of salt

→ Tahini Dressing

18 - 1/3 cup tahini
19 - Juice of 1 lemon
20 - 1 garlic clove, minced
21 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
22 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
23 - Salt to taste

# How to make it:

01 - Heat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallot until translucent. Stir in bulgur and cumin; toast for 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, bring to boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12 to 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork, stir in pistachios, and season to taste.
04 - Steam kale for 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted, or sauté with 1 tablespoon olive oil and pinch of salt for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Warm chickpeas in small skillet with drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup or honey, and salt. Add water gradually until smooth and pourable.
07 - Divide bulgur pilaf among meal prep containers or bowls. Arrange roasted vegetables, steamed kale, and chickpeas on top. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing.

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything roasts or simmers at once, so you are never stuck waiting around doing nothing.
  • The nutty bulgur with pistachios tastes rich enough to feel indulgent but keeps you full for hours without the afternoon slump.
  • Each container stays fresh for days, and the tahini dressing actually gets better as it soaks into the kale.
02 -
  • Do not skip turning the vegetables halfway through roasting, or you will end up with one side charred and the other side pale and sad.
  • If your tahini dressing seizes up and gets thick and clumpy, do not panic, just whisk in more water a little at a time until it smooths out again.
  • Let the bulgur rest covered for a few minutes after cooking so it finishes absorbing the broth and becomes perfectly fluffy instead of gummy.
03 -
  • Toast the bulgur with the cumin for a full minute before adding the broth, it deepens the flavor and makes the grain taste almost nutty.
  • Use a high quality tahini that is smooth and runny, the cheap stuff can be bitter and gritty no matter how much lemon you add.
  • If your kale stems are thick and tough, slice them thinly and sauté them with the leaves so nothing goes to waste.
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