A seriously satisfying plant-based bowl, this fall harvest buddha bowl with creamy cashew apple cider dressing is the perfect grounding dinner to comfort you on a chilly fall night. A seriously satisfying plant-based bowl, this fall harvest buddha bowl with creamy cashew apple cider dressing is the perfect grounding dinner to comfort you on a chilly fall night. Remember when I was all like fall, I love you. You with your red and yellow and orange foliage, you with your chilly-enough-for-flannel weather, you with your abundance of apples and winter squash and warm, grounding foods. Fall Harvest Buddha BowlK. Profession of love over.

But really though, my love affair with fall doesn’t happen right away. I always have a hard time with seasonal transitions (and life transitions in general) – call me a sensitive soul but I kind of have to grieve what we’re losing (long, warm summer days) before I can totally embrace what is coming. The good news is once I get over that awkward hump where I’m hanging onto the very last tomato the summer has to offer, I’m 100% in for apple picking, carving pumpkins and trips to Vermont to eat apple cider donuts hike. Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl with Creamy Cashew Apple Cider DressingWhen I heard that the theme for Recipe Redux was plant-based protein bowls, I knew I would need to create a dish that helped me to LOVE on the season. I also really like the concept of Buddha bowls – plant protein, leafy greens, root veggies and a creamy, plant-based sauce. And if we’re being real, I just like the name of them :). I made an Immunity-Boosting Buddha Bowl with Turmeric Tahini Dressing for my e-book, Nourish Your Namaste, and was dying to make another one for the blog. Enter my Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl complete with maple cinnamon roasted butternut squash, chickpeas, apples and kale, topped with a creamy cashew apple cider dressing. Fall Buddha Bowl with Creamy Cashew Apple Cider DressingI’ve made this dish twice now and I seriously can’t get enough. I also have the leftover dressing in the fridge right now and I literally want to put it on EVERYTHING. It’s that good. It’s really easy to make too – just toss all your produce with cinnamon and maple syrup and roast it in the oven. Throw it on top of quinoa and volia! It’s packed with plant-based protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals and grounding foods, which are not only seasonal but also beneficial for us right now from an Ayurvedic standpoint. Harvest Buddha Bowl with Cashew Apple Cider Dressing

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Fall Harvest Buddha Bowl with Creamy Apple Cider Cashew Dressing


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  • Yield: Serves six 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Buddha Bowl:

  • 3 cups chopped butternut squash (about 1/2 large butternut squash)
  • 3 cups chopped apples (about 2 large apples)
  • 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 cups quinoa
  • 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

For the Cashew Apple Cider Dressing:

  • 1 cup cashews, soaked for at least one hour
  • 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon minced)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Buddha Bowl:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, toss butternut squash, apples and chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  3. Transfer to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until squash and apples are tender and chickpeas are crispy, tossing halfway through.
  4. Cook 2 cups quinoa according to package instructions.
  5. Add kale to the large mixing bowl and toss with remaining olive oil and salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread kale out in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves are slightly browned but still mostly green.
  6. Divide quinoa evenly between bowls. Add chickpeas, squash, apples and kale. Drizzle cashew apple cider dressing over top and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

For the Cashew Apple Cider Dressing:

  1. In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend or pulse all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over fall harvest buddha bowls.

Notes

If you’re vegan and don’t consume honey, replace with maple syrup.

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26 Comments

  1. Cheryl

    Would this salad keep in the fridge?

    • Hi Cheryl! Yes, this salad would keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. I would store the dressing in a separate airtight container.

  2. Dawn

    This recipe is perfect! I have made it several times for my family and every time they say “This just FEELS good.” The flavors of the bowl read as comfort food. I always make a double batch of the dressing just because it SO delicious and we are happy to use any leftovers on another salad or veggies the following day. We add some cranberries and use half the shallot (just because I don’t tolerate a lot of shallots). Thanks so much Kara for the great recipe!

  3. Stephanie

    How long will the dressing last and can it be frozen? It’s so yummy but it made a ton and don’t want it to go bad

  4. This dressing sounds fantastic and very interesting. Can’t wait to try it.

  5. Heather

    I didn’t make the dressing but the roasted veggies were delicious! Planning to make again and again this fall.

  6. Kathy Olson

    I made this last night with 3 of my friends. The dressing was a little too tangy for me so I adjusted with more honey and made sure I let it sit to marry the flavors. I also saved some cashew liquid in case i needed a dressing thinner. Other than the small changes I made for my taste this recipe IS AMAZING!
    Thanks,
    Kathy Olson

  7. Stephanie

    What’s the nutritional content? Sounds like a yummy recipe I’m definitely going to try!

  8. Karen

    Looks great, but…for the cashew dressing, the directions are “1 cup cashews, soaked for at least one hour”. I assume you mean soaked in water? How much water? And do you drain the cashews before mixing into the dressing?

  9. Katie

    Made this today. Is so tasty and perfect for the changing weather! Thanks Kara!

  10. So much wonderful in one bowl! This is definitely one I’ll be making soon 🙂

  11. Autumn in a bowl! This looks so good and that dressing.

  12. Sara @ sarahaasrdn.com

    Some of my favorite foods are in here Kara! Lovely! And that dressing sounds amazing!

  13. This looks amazing!! I love this month’s theme so much – so many great combos!

  14. Oh my gosh, that dressing sounds amazing!! I’m not a big fan of drinking apple cider, yet my husband always buys a gallon of it every fall. . .now I have a better use for it 😉