Delicious Paleo Recipes: Paleo Buddha Bowls

The internet loves Buddha Bowls right now—and for good reason! No matter which way you mix it, these deliver with laser focus a healthy, creative and healthy meal. Chances are you’ve seen these beauties with your own eyes: a compilation of all the nutritious foods we love in one flavor-packed bowl.

For most, this is going to look like vegetables, whole grains, jazzed-up legumes and bright dressings. For Paleo, we need to tweak the traditional bowl just a touch. Though — spoiler alert — I’ll bet you’ve actually been doing this for a while now and didn’t realize it.

Cause is it the actual “Buddha Bowl” we’re after or the concept? The concept being a collection of tasty, nutritious ingredients lovingly placed together in an oversized bowl each tucked in separate, but knowing how wonderfully complimentary they’ll be as one. So serendipitous. So balanced. So… easy!

Prepare to learn yet another way you are awesome.

You guys! We’ve been doing this for a while now in Paleo, but instead of bowls we’ve been using plates! By now you have a copy of Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan, right? (*And everyone nods yes*). Know her approach to easy meal prep called “hot plates”? Well it’s essentially the same thing.

Choose a variety of meats, vegetables, crunchy things for texture, and a killer sauce. Organize the items on a plate (or bowl) and enjoy! In true “hot plates” spirit, we do this a lot with our leftovers.

Here are some examples of how we rock the same concept of a Buddha Bowl and make it Paleo.

Paleo Fiesta Buddha Bowl

You can make this at home with the following recipes:

Salsa Chicken
Spicy Lime Sweet Potato Mash
Roasted cauliflower
store-bought plantain chips

Paleo Ranch Buddha Bowl

Toss this one together with the following:

Mixed greens
Fresh broccoli florets
2 hard-cooked eggs sliced into wedges
Preferred meatballs
Paleo-approved Ranch dressing (I used Tessemae’s Creamy Ranch, but you can always make your own like this one from my friend over at Meatified.com)

Paleo Breakfast Buddha Bowl

You know how you like to use dinner leftovers for breakfast the next day? This is how I turned that Paleo Fiesta Buddha Bowl into a breakfast Buddha Bowl!

leftover roasted cauliflower
leftover Spicy Lime Sweet Potato Mash
handful of mixed greens
store-bought salsa
two sausage patties (I tend to buy my bulk sausage from Whole Foods)
two fried eggs

Paleo Pork Breakfast Buddha Bowl

How about another breakfast option? Cause leftovers for breakfast is pretty much our super power these days.

leftover tomatillo braised chicken (2 pounds chicken thighs + 12 oz tomatillo salsa + 6 hours low in slow cooker)
crispy smashed potatoes
two scrambled eggs
handful of mixed greens

So when you’re setting out to build a Paleo Buddha Bowl, use this check list:

Start with veggies

Paleo is allll about the veggies (but you already know this). Load your bowl (or plate) with roasted squash, dark leafy greens, shredded cabbages or Brussels sprouts, pickled green beans, sautéed carrots, top-not sauerkraut, mashed cauliflower or sweet potatoes… it’s a beautiful thing.

Add protein

While the traditional Buddha Bowl leans vegetarian, if not vegan, for a Paleo version we will need to add one or two animal-based protein items. Head’s up: this is an excellent want to remix dinner leftovers! chicken, shrimp, egg, pork or beef.