This hearty and healthy Buddha bowl is full of tender farro and roasted winter vegetables like fennel, sweet potatoes and beets with crisp apple, crunchy almonds and sweet & tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
I have a tiny confession - I didn't actually know what a "Buddha bowl" technically was until I had made this recipe and was trying to figure out what to name it.
Turns out that I had made my own variation of a dish that has been gaining popularity for the past couple years! From a little bit of online research, I deduced that Buddha bowls are essentially a one-bowl meal loaded with healthy vegetables and grains and topped with things like nuts and dressing for more texture and flavor. Which perfectly describes this dish!
This Buddha bowl is perfect for this time of year because it really highlights vegetables that are in season during winter like beets, fennel, sweet potatoes and onions. The crisp bite of apple adds a fresh pop, and the sweet tang of the balsamic vinaigrette pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of the produce. And I love the tender chew of the farro and the crunch from the sliced almonds!
Buddha bowls are wonderful because they're super versatile - you can use just about any combination of veggies, grains and dressing to make a great one-bowl meal!
If you can't find farro, you can substitute brown rice or barley, or really any grain you like. I like the farro because it has a lightly nutty flavor and a nice chew to it, cooks relatively quickly and it's good for you - it's a great source of iron and high in fiber!
There is a little trick that makes the sweet potatoes SO nice and crispy, - just tossing them in a little bit of cornstarch! The difference that this small step makes is actually kind of amazing. Just make sure you spray the baking sheet well with nonstick spray, and when you go to flip them don't force it...they will release from the pan on their own when they've developed a nice crispy layer.
I prepare the beets for this Buddha bowl recipe roughly the same as for these roasted beets with goat cheese and balsamic reduction, which I highly recommend if you have any left over after this dish!
I tested this recipe on my mother- and father-in-law and they both went back for seconds, so I think it's safe to say that it was a winner.
Yummy noises await you!
Winter Vegetable Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 cup pearled farro, uncooked
- 1 large sweet potato (about 12 oz.), peeled and diced into ½ in. pieces
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 medium beets (about 12 oz.), peeled and diced into ¾ in. pieces
- olive oil, to taste
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 medium fennel bulb, diced into ¾ in. pieces
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced into 1 in. pieces
- 3 oz. baby spinach
- 1 medium honeycrisp apple, diced into ½ in. pieces
- 3 tablespoon sliced almonds
For the dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Add sweet potato pieces to a large bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch, toss well to coat. Drizzle with olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and toss well to coat. Line a sheet pan with foil, spray well with nonstick spray and spread sweet potatoes over half of the pan. Toss beets with olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and spread over the other half of the pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes, stirring about halfway through the cooking time, until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and crisp on the outside and the beets are tender.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil in a small pot. Rinse farro in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear, and add to the boiling water along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until water is absorbed and farro is tender.
- Line another sheet pan with foil and spray well with nonstick spray. Toss fennel with olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and spread over half of the pan. Toss onion with olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and spread over the other half of the pan. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring about halfway through the cooking time, until the fennel and onions are tender.
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine.
- In a bowl, add cooked farro and about ⅓ of the dressing. Stir well to combine. Divide farro, roasted veggies, spinach and apple evenly between individual serving bowls. Drizzle with remaining dressing and top with almonds.
Notes
Very cute trick with the sweet potato! Love this!!
Looks delish! I'll eat it if someone else makes it!
Thanks Patricia!
Having been one of the gunnea pigs, I can highly recommend this recipe! It’s truly a priveledge to test one of Rachel’s recipes prepared by her personally. I’m sure you will enjoy this one as much as we did.
Looks hearty, healthy and delicious!