Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Meal Prep (Printable)

Nutrient-packed bowls with bulgur, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and tahini for easy weekly meals.

# What You 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, or more as needed
22 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
23 - Salt to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallot until translucent. Stir in bulgur and cumin, toast for 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12 to 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and stir in pistachios. Season to taste.
04 - Steam kale for 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted, or sauté with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Warm chickpeas in a small skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but keeps you energized for hours, like you're treating yourself while also treating your body right.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, and you get four meals that feel fresh all week, not like you're eating the same sad lunch four days running.
  • The tahini dressing is secretly the star—creamy, tangy, and rich enough that you'll want to drizzle it on everything.
02 -
  • If your tahini dressing breaks or looks grainy, you've likely added the water too quickly or the tahini was old—start fresh with new tahini and whisk the lemon juice in first, then add water drop by drop.
  • The vegetables taste best eaten within three days but the dressing separates after about a day, so store it separately and dress each bowl as you eat it for maximum flavor.
03 -
  • Don't skimp on the roasting temperature—425°F is hot enough to actually caramelize the vegetables rather than just soften them, and that difference is everything.
  • Make extra tahini dressing and keep it in a jar; it keeps for a week and transforms salads, roasted vegetables, or even toast into something memorable.
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