Protein-Packed Veggie Bowl
This high-protein veggie bowl is a simple, nourishing plant-based meal made with wholesome grains, beans, fresh vegetables, and a creamy avocado dressing. It’s hearty, satisfying, and perfect for meal prep, lunch, dinner—or even breakfast!
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 876kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked (about 1/3 cup dry quinoa)
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 cup carrots, grated
- 1/4 cup purple onion, diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach , chopped
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 cup white cannellini beans, cooked
- 1 cup avocado dressing (below) or see lower fat options above
Avocado Dressing
- 1 avocado (approx 3/4 cup)
- 3 tablespoons lemon/lime juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 small shallot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste preference)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. I like to use vegetable broth instead of water for extra flavor, and sometimes I’ll sauté a little chopped onion first and let it simmer before adding the quinoa—but that step is completely optional. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy, then set it aside to cool.
- Gather and prep all of your ingredients. You'll need to slice the vegetables. I use canned beans that are already cooked, but you can cook your own in your Instant Pot if preferred.
- While the quinoa is cooking is a great time to make the avocado dressing. I've listed a lot of other oil-free dressing options in the article, including ones for creamy, tangy, and umami flavors. Be sure to take a look.For this avocado dressing, simply blend all the ingredients (except cilantro) in your blender until creamy, and then add the minced cilantro.
- Build your bowl by starting with a layer of your cooked grain as the base. From there, add your toppings as desired.
- I like to toss the chopped spinach, onions, cucumbers, and carrots in a medium bowl with a little dressing first—this helps the veggies soak up extra flavor before adding them to the top.For a prettier presentation, you can arrange each ingredient in sections as shown in the photo above. But when I’m making this just for myself, I usually keep it simple and layer everything together—it all ends up mixed in the end anyway!
- Finish by drizzling your dressing over the top, and serve right away. Enjoy!An additional option is to serve this in a wrap, which is also delicious! See some of my other substitutions, variations, and FAQs in the article. I go into a lot more detail there, even serving suggestions.
Video
Notes
Helpful Tip: Step-by-step photos are included above to guide you through the recipe and make it easier to follow. More dressing options, grain substitutions, and FAQ are also available in the article about this recipe.
Before we dive in, it’s worth mentioning that this particular recipe isn’t a low-fat bowl. With ingredients like avocado and seeds, it does contain a higher amount of healthy fats. That said, these are nutrient-dense fats paired with plenty of fiber and plant-based protein, which makes this bowl incredibly satisfying and nourishing.
If your goal is to reduce fat or calories, don’t worry—this recipe is very flexible, and I’ll share some simple ways below to lighten it up while still keeping it delicious. If you want to go really low-fat, these vegetable poke bowls and this sweet potato brown rice bowl are great low-calorie veggie bowls to try.
If weight loss is your goal, you don’t necessarily have to avoid this bowl completely, but you may want to be a little more mindful with portions—or even leave them out sometimes.
For example:
- Use ½ an avocado instead of a whole one (or skip it occasionally)
- Go lighter on nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds
- Choose oil-free dressings (like this simple oil-free vinaigrette)
- Focus more on beans, lentils, and whole grains, which are filling but less calorie-dense
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 876kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 52g | Sodium: 390mg | Fiber: 26g | Sugar: 9g