Vegan Pesto Roasted Vegetables and Tofu Buddha Bowl

This bowl of vegan pesto roasted vegetables and tofu is such a delicious meal and an easy recipe to throw together. It's full of healthy plant-based protein from the crispy tofu and chickpea pasta, and it's packed with nutrients and flavor from roasted vegetables and a homemade vegan pesto sauce.

Eating a bowl-style dish like this pesto tofu bowl is such an easy way to balance protein, fats, carbs, and vegetables for a complete meal, and it can easily fit into any fat loss or health goals you may have.

I also have a vegan buddha bowl recipe made with tofu, quinoa, veggies, and a tahini sauce if you're looking for more buddha bowls to try out as well as a super easy sheet pan tofu and veggies meal prep recipe.

And make sure to check out these high protein vegan salads if you're wanting to increase your veggies and protein with flavorful and healthy plant-based salads.

Ingredients You'll Need

To make this bowl of pesto roasted vegetables and tofu, you'll need these ingredients.

• Super Firm Tofu (using super firm tofu instead of extra firm tofu takes away the need to use a tofu press to remove excess water and results in a more crispy baked tofu; it also has extra protein compared to extra-firm tofu)
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Potato
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Iodized Salt (I always use iodized salt in cooking because iodine can be a nutrient that some vegans don't get enough of)
• Chickpea Rotini Pasta (I've found that the Barilla brand holds up a little better than the Banza brand in my experience)
• Fresh Basil
• Lemon Juice
• Nutritional Yeast
• Garlic
• Avocado

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions For Pesto Roasted Vegetables and Tofu Recipe

Here's how you'll make this tofu pesto roasted vegetable bowl in just four simple steps.

Pre heat oven to 450℉. Chop potato, block of tofu, and zucchini into pieces about ½-1 inch thick and spread onto parchment paper-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Spread broccoli onto a second baking sheet in a single even layer. Coat everything in 2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt total. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium heat and add chickpea pasta. Cook according to package directions or for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta water and rinse under cold water and set aside.

Meanwhile, for a simple pesto dressing, add washed basil, garlic cloves, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to a food processor and process until smooth. You can add 1 tablespoon water to thin it out more if you prefer.

Combine pasta, cubed tofu, potatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and pesto sauce in a large bowl. Portion into bowls and top with diced avocado. Enjoy!

I prefer to make a homemade pesto sauce rather than get one from the store for a few reasons. First, most of the store-bought pesto you'll find will not be vegan due to parmesan cheese in the product. Second, even if you were to find a vegan basil pesto, making it from scratch is more fresh and delicious.

Lastly, with this specific recipe, I chose to forgo pine nuts or walnuts in the pesto because there are already plenty of healthy fats from avocado and olive oil. The overall texture of the bowl is also better with a thinner dressing rather than a thick paste (which would make it more dry).

Is This Tofu Pesto Roasted Vegetable Bowl Healthy?

Absolutely, yes!

Each serving is only 436 calories but provides 19g of protein from chickpea pasta and protein-rich tofu. It's also full of healthy fats from the avocado and olive oil that will help keep you full and satisfied for hours. It's low in saturated fat, moderate in carbs (45g), and high in fiber (14g!). This breakdown makes this meal perfect for those who are trying to lose weight, lower cholesterol, or manage blood sugar.

Eating a variety of vegetables at your evening meals (like this bowl of pesto veggies!) is a great way to start eating a more heart-healthy diet.

The sodium is moderate at 934mg but you can make it less sodium if needed by reducing the salt you add to the recipe. It's also high in potassium, which will replenish electrolytes and help balance out the sodium for your blood pressure.

Lastly, one serving provides 24% of the daily value for iron, 22% of the daily value for calcium, 13% of the daily value for vitamin A, and a whopping 124% of your vitamin C needs for the day!

Variations and Substitutions for Any Tofu Buddha Bowl Recipe

If you're wanting to change up the roasted veggies or ingredients in this bowl, there are endless options. You could try cauliflower florets instead of broccoli, sweet potatoes instead of potato, or whole wheat pasta, white rice, or fluffy quinoa instead of chickpea pasta.

You could also try adding in different fresh vegetables or plant-based foods like leafy greens, purple cabbage, red cabbage, red bell pepper, white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, green bell peppers, yellow squash, red onions, green onion, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or pumpkin seeds for extra flavor or crunch. The list goes on!

There are so many different ways to make a tofu buddha bowl. My favorite way to make buddha bowls is with a pesto sauce or a tahini sauce, but really you can make a buddha bowl taste any way you like with a different sauce. You could do a Mexican buddha bowl with salsa and guacamole or asian bowls with a spicy peanut sauce. 

Whether you try the recipe as written or change something up, let us know in the comments how it turned out!

Equipment

You'll need a couple of baking sheets for this sheet pan dinner (with parchment paper!) and a small pot to boil the chickpea pasta. You'll also need a food processor or blender to make the homemade pesto sauce.

Storage

Serve this tofu and pesto vegetables bowl fresh for best results. It's not ideal for bulk meal prep, but I still eat it for up to 3 days in the fridge. Store the ingredients mixed together (except for the avocado) in an airtight container and add the avocado in just before serving to keep it from turning brown.