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This vegan meal plan will help make healthy plant-based eating easy, tasty, and fun!
If you’re trying to do right by your body at meal times, committing to a full week of vegan eating is a good start. Consumption of animal products is linked with 14 of the top 15 causes of death in the United States. So a vegan meal plan is a healthy meal plan! It allows you to skip the food that makes you sick.
But if you eat a beautifully balanced vegan meal plan, you can go above and beyond skipping out on bad food.
Avoiding harm? Smart 👌
Replacing poison with the antidote? Genius 🤓👏
One of the most amazing things about plant foods is that they support your health in so many different ways. Different plant foods are abundant in different nutrients. The healthy fats in tahini and avocados, the calcium and iron in dark leafy greens, the beta carotene in sweet potatoes, the folate in beans.
This is where the magic of the Buddha bowl comes in. The central concept of the Buddha bowl is balance. Each bowl features grains, beans, greens, healthy fat, and starchy vegetables, topped with a tasty sauce. In other words, you nourish your body in the most balanced and delicious way possible.
Sound good? Check out the vegan meal plan and download the shopping list. And watch the video! (See above.) This is the easiest way I know of to make sure you’re nourishing your body as well as possible and still making that mouth water every time you sit down to eat 😋
THE VEGAN MEAL PLAN
(vegan meal plan prep guide & recipes below. click here to download the shopping list)
☀ MONDAY
lunch: Tangy Noodle Bowl
dinner: Mediterranean Bowl
☀ TUESDAY
lunch: Ginger Miso Noodles
dinner: Classic Beets Bowl
☀ WEDNESDAY
lunch: Sweet Potato Falafel Bowl
dinner: Tangy Noodle Bowl
☀ THURSDAY
lunch: Mediterranean Bowl
dinner: Ginger Miso Noodles
☀ FRIDAY
lunch: Classic Beets Bowl
dinner: Sweet Potato Falafel Bowl
Need ideas for breakfast? Check out this post: Gluten-free Breakfast Recipes or my Breakfast Playlist on Youtube.
Vegan Meal Plan Prep Guide | Sauces & Base Ingredients
Ingredients
Roasted Veggies
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, cubed 1⁄2-inch thick (peeling is optional)
- 1 medium sweet potato, whole
- 2-3 tablespoons grapeseed or coconut oil
Steamed Veggies
- 5 beets, peeled & cubed
- 5 bunches baby bok choy or 2 bunches large bok choy, chopped (white part too)
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 packs of vermicelli rice noodles
Raw Veggies
- 2 5- oz bags of spinach
- 1-2 5- oz bags arugula
Sweet Potato Falafel
- 1 medium sweet potato, the one you just roasted, skin removed
- 1-15 oz can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Tofu Marinade
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
- 1 package extra-firm tofu
Tangy Almond Sauce
- 1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice + more to taste
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Miso Ginger Broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 chopped shallots
- 3 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 chopped jalepeño, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup sweet or mellow miso paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce + more to taste
Simple Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup water, more to thin if necessary
Instructions
Roasted Veggies
- To roast the sweet potatoes preheat oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet (or 2) with parchment paper.
- Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 1-2 tbsp of oil and spread them evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes until tender.
- For the baked whole sweet potato, Poke a few holes in the potato, and coat with a thin layer of oil. Bake for 45 minutes (along with the roasting potatoes), or until tender. It could take up to 60 minutes.
Steamed Veggies
- Prepare a steam basket, and steam beets for 20 minutes.
- Once the beets are tender, remove them from the steam basket, and replace with the bok choy. Steam for 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat.
- While the veggies steam, cook your quinoa and noodles.
- Toast the quinoa in a dry pot for 3 minutes, or until you can smell it toasting, then add 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes with the lid ajar. Remove from the heat, and cover completely. Allow it to sit and steam for at least 8 minutes before removing the lid. This makes the perfect quinoa.
- Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the package: usually boil for 4 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
Raw Veggies
- Take this time to wash your raw veggies, if necessary. If you are washing them, keep them fresh for the week by drying them completely in a salad spinner, then storing them in a bag or container with 2 sheets of paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- If you prefer cooked spinach, do that now. I recommend sautéing it in water (just about 3-4 tablespoons) and adding 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt.
Sweet Potato Falafel (makes 12 falafel)
- Place all of the falafel ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until the ingredients are combined.
- Be very careful not to over blend or puree. The ingredients should hold together, but maintain their texture. Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp) to scoop falafel balls or patties, and place directly onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 35 minutes at 375°. They should be crispy on the outside and softer on the inside.
Marinated Tofu
- Place the marinade ingredients in a medium sized jar with a lid or in a small mixing bowl.
- Shake or stir until the sauce ingredient are combined.
- Place the tofu cubes in a container or ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over, and make sure it is all coated.
- Set aside to marinade for at least an hour.
- Sauté the marinated tofu with 1 tsp oil until browned.
Tangy Almond Sauce
- Place all of the ingredients into a sauce pot, and warm on medium heat.
- Whisk vigorously until the sauce is smooth, and begins to simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Season to taste with more lime juice, then store in a heat safe jar.
Miso Ginger Broth
- Place the ingredients (excluding the miso) into a sauce pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the miso to dissolve.
- Taste, and season with more soy sauce if necessary. Strain 3/4 of the solids through a mesh strainer, then store in a heat safe jar.
Simple Tahini Sauce
- Place the tahini sauce ingredients in a medium sized jar with a lid or in a small mixing bowl.
- If using a jar, shake the ingredients until they are creamy. If you’d like it thinner, add more water––just 1 tbsp at a time.
- If using a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients until creamy using a whisk or fork.
- NOTE: Using a jar with a lid to shake the sauces is easier, and you can store them in that jar.
Fast & Easy Buddha Bowl Vegan Meal Plan
Ingredients
TANGY NOODLE BOWL
- 1 cup vermicelli rice noodles, or other rice noodles
- 1/2 cup marinated tofu
- 1/2 cup sweet potato
- 1/2 cup bok choy
- 1 cup Thai almond sauce
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped peanuts or almonds
MEDITERRANEAN BOWL
GINGER MISO BOWL
- 1 cup vermicelli rice noodles, or other rice noodles
- 1/2 cup marinated tofu
- 1/2 cup sweet potato
- 1/2 cup bok choy
- 1 cup miso ginger broth
CLASSIC BEETS BOWL
Instructions
TANGY NOODLE BOWL
- This bowl is good warm or cold.
- Place vermicelli noodles, tofu, sweet potato, bok choy, and tangy almond sauce into a bowl.
- Garnish with cilantro and chopped nuts.
MEDITERRANEAN BOWL
- I like this bowl best cold/room temperature.
- Place quinoa, beans, beets, and spinach into a large bowl.
- Top with olives, tomato, cucumber, and parsley.
- Add the olive oil or tahini, and toss to combine.
GINGER MISO BOWL
- Place vermicelli noodles, tofu, sweet potato, bok choy, and miso ginger broth into a bowl.
- Warm in the microwave; or if you'd prefer, warm the ingredients in a pot on the stove all together then pour it into the bowl.
CLASSIC BEETS BOWL
- This bowl is good served hot or room-temperature.
- Place quinoa, beans, beets, and spinach into a large bowl, and top with tahini sauce and fresh herbs.
SWEET POTATO FALAFEL BOWL
- Place the arugula at the bottom of your bowl. Add 1 tbsp of tahini sauce, and toss well.
- Top with cucumber, sweet potato falafel, pita, and more tahini sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Note: Warm the falafel before adding it to the bowl, or eat it room temperature.
I’ve been plant based for about 18 months and just came across your site. These Buddha bowls looks very nourishing for me as I live alone and am 84 yrs old so perfect. Thank you I’m starting tomorrow.
Have no idea where to star-nice and slow, while I continue to cook non vegan style for for my hubby!
Are there any meals you can make vegan that he’ll still enjoy?
Hi Jenne, this looks awesome! I’m having trouble downloading the meal plan and shopping list (links aren’t working) – would you mind sending them to my email address? [email protected]
Thanks so much!
I teach an online course called “The 4-Week Negativity Detox” and I referred your site to my students and they LOOOVED it!!! I just wanted to say Thank You !! – Rhoni Le
Thank you so much, Rhoni!!!!!