Mediterranean Buddha Bowl Meal Prep (Printable)

Nutrient-packed bowls featuring bulgur pilaf, roasted vegetables, kale, chickpeas, and tangy tahini dressing for healthy weekly meal prep.

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

# How To Make It:

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 25–30 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 12–15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and stir in pistachios. Season to taste.
04 - Steam kale for 2–3 minutes until just wilted, or sauté with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt for 3–4 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Warm chickpeas in a small skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for 2–3 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 serving bowls. Arrange roasted vegetables, steamed kale, and chickpeas on top. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day when all the flavors get cozy together in the container.
  • You can literally prep it once and forget about lunch decisions for the next four days.
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy it feels indulgent, but it's actually just chickpeas in fancy clothes.
02 -
  • Tahini can seize up and get thick and weird if your lemon juice is too cold, so let everything sit at room temperature first or you'll end up whisking forever.
  • The bulgur will continue to absorb moisture as it sits, so if you're meal prepping, keep your dressing separate until you're ready to eat or the whole thing gets mushy.
03 -
  • Mince your garlic fine for the dressing and let it sit in the lemon juice for a minute before whisking, it mellows out and blends better.
  • If your tahini dressing feels too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time while whisking, because adding too much at once will make it break and separate.
Go Back