Banh Mi Buddha Bowl

Here’s the Buddha bowl version of a banh mi sandwich made with fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, quinoa, and Asian vinaigrette. This plant-based Asian salad is perfect for meal prep and will quench your body’s deepest nutrition cravings.

Buddha bowl version of the Vietnamese sandwich

Our local Vietnamese sandwich shop makes a mean banh mi with fried tofu, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapenos on a super crusty, French loaf with mayo and sriracha.

You probably have a favorite spot for this where you live. I hope you do!

I have eaten that sandwich many times, but sometimes I want to enjoy it salad-style, so I came up with this banh mi buddha bowl.

It’s ridiculously healthy, easy to make, and crazy delicious!

To convert my favorite sandwich to a buddha bowl salad, I left out the bread, mayo, and fish sauce used in traditional banh mi, and added grilled mushrooms, quinoa, purple cabbage, and pickled red onions.

This makes it vegan, and gluten-free, both of which I like to rock sometimes.

How to make a Banh Mi Buddha Bowl

Step 1. Make Quick Pickled Carrots And Daikon, which is ready in under 30 minutes. I make mine a day or two before, to build up those heavenly sweet and sour flavors!

Step 2. Next, the mushrooms are marinated in garlic, lime juice, sugar, and GF tamari (or soy sauce). Marinate for 30 minutes, up to a day ahead…oh the flavors!

Step 3. Grill those mushrooms, or pan sauté if you prefer, and cool ‘em down.

Step 4. Build the Banh Mi Bowls by piling the juicy mushrooms in with lettuce, cooked quinoa (or rice), pickled carrots and daikon, pickled red onions, and cucumber.

Step 5. Top with shredded cabbage, cilantro, and jalapeño slices.

Step 6. Whisk together the Asian vinaigrette.

Step 7. Pack everything into lunch containers, or sit down and devour!

* See full recipe below

Meal prep Buddha bowls to enjoy during your busy week. You’ll be waiting in anticipation for this lunch break when you have this bowl chillin’ in the fridge.

Love Buddha Bowls? Check these out!

Turmeric Chickpea Buddha Bowl

50 Buddha Bowls To Reboot Your Plant-Based Routine

My fav things about the banh mi Buddha bowl

• vegan and gluten-free…boom!
• uses everyday ingredients, so it’s super budget-friendly
• has ALL the flavors…sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy
• packed with nutrients
• SO easy to make…ninja cooking skills not required
• perfect for meal prep

Yeah, you want these in your life!

This Buddha bowl is inspired by my Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Sliders.

Banh Mi Bowl Ingredients

For the mushroom marinade:

• garlic
• lime juice
• sugar
• tamari or soy sauce
• mushrooms

For the salad:

• romaine lettuce
• cooked quinoa
• quick pickled carrots and daikon
• cucumber
• cilantro
• jalapeño pepper or Serrano pepper
• purple cabbage
• pickled red onions

For the vinaigrette:

• extra virgin olive oil
• rice vinegar
• sugar
• salt

Recommended tools

• mixing bowl and whisk (for mushroom marinade)
• outdoor or indoor grill and tongs (if grilling the mushrooms)
• conventional oven or countertop oven (if baking the mushrooms)
• 11″ skillet (if sauteeing the mushrooms)
• mandoline slicer (for the thinnest cucumber slices ever)
• salad bowls
• glass food storage containers

More plant-based meal prep salad recipes

Asian Slaw Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Turmeric Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad

Print REcipe

5 from 16 votes

Vietnamese Banh Mi Buddha Bowl

Here's the Buddha bowl version of a banh mi sandwich made with fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, quinoa, and Asian vinaigrette. This plant-based Asian salad is perfect for meal prep and will quench your body's deepest nutrition cravings.

Course Salad

Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 1-cup servings

Calories 143kcal

Author Traci Antonovich

Ingredients

For the mushroom marinade

• 3 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 Lime zested and juiced
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or tamari for GF option
• 1/2 lb Mushrooms thick sliced

For the salad

• 4-6 leaves Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 cup cooked Quinoa
• 1/2 cup Pickled Carrots and Daikon
• 1/2 small English Cucumber thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
• 1 Jalapeño Pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Purple Cabbage shredded
• 1/2 cup Pickled Red Onions

For the Asian vinaigrette

• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt

Instructions

• Prepare marinade by whisking together GARLIC, LIME JUICE, SUGAR, and SOY SAUCE; pour over MUSHROOMS; set aside to marinate 30 minutes minimum (or overnight).

To cook the mushrooms

• Saute stovetop Instructions:

  Heat a bit of OLIVE OIL in an 11" skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and saute until lightly browned and cooked through, tossing as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.

  Baking instructions:

  Preheat oven to 400°. Remove mushrooms from the marinade and place them on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, 10-12 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

  Grilling instructions:

  Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill MUSHROOMS in a basket over medium-high heat until tender and slightly browned, tossing as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Asian vinaigrette

• Whisk together OLIVE OIL, RICE VINEGAR, SUGAR, and SALT; set aside.

To assemble the buddha bowls

• Distribute ALL vegetables evenly into salad bowls; drizzle with the Asian viniaigrette; serve chilled.

RECIPE NOTES

Yield: 4 cups salad

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are estimates based on unbranded ingredients acquired from a nutrition database. For accurate calculations, please refer to brand packaging information and consult your nutritionist.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vietnamese Banh Mi Buddha Bowl

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 143 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 218mg9%

Potassium 398mg11%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 2710IU54%

Vitamin C 19.7mg24%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Traci Antonovich

Recipe author and food photographer at The Kitchen Girl

I'm on a mission to help you eat healthy AND save money through simple, everyday recipes, product reviews, and budget-friendly kitchen tips.

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