Inspired by Caesar salad, these high protein vegetarian grain bowls feature seasoned quinoa, herby tofu, and crispy chickpeas. Great for meal prep or weeknight dinners!
I love salads and grain bowls equally, and they often blur the lines between each other, so why not combine a Caesar salad with a quinoa bowl?
As the newest addition to my higher protein vegetarian meals series, this recipe provides 25+ grams protein per serving from a combination of baked tofu and crispy chickpeas.
It also features a simple seasoned quinoa base, crisp chopped romaine, and store bought Caesar dressing. Because I'm all about keeping meals approachable, and there's no shame in using pre-made dressing on homemade meals.
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Quick look at the recipe
- Takes just under an hour (about 25 active minutes)
- Makes 3-4 servings providing 25-35 grams of protein each
- Uses a mix of canned, fresh, and pre-made ingredients
- Sheet pan tofu and chickpeas bake in the oven while quinoa cooks on the stove
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Ingredients
- Quinoa: Any variety of quinoa works. Time saving tip: Grab a packet of frozen quinoa at the store for a super quick grain.
- Chickpeas and tofu: The main proteins. I use extra firm tofu. Make sure to press it for at least 10 minutes, as this makes the tofu crispier. Super firm tofu also works and does not need to be pressed.
- Seasoning blend: I use my go-to tofu seasoning blend for the chickpeas and tofu. It's a mix of dry herbs (though feel free to use fresh herbs!) and staple seasonings like onion and garlic powder.
- Caesar dressing: I do have a homemade vegetarian Caesar dressing that would work well here, but for convenience sake I've been using Simple Truth Caesar Dressing (plant-based) or Brianna's Asiago Caesar Dressing, which is delicious but a bit too rich for me for every day use.
- Croutons: Another store-bought ingredient to keep things easy, croutons are roughly chopped and tossed with the quinoa for a quick addition of herby flavor and crispy texture. Or try my homemade air fryer croutons!
- Almonds: I use pre-sliced almonds, but chopped almonds also work. If the almonds are raw, which the ones I use are, I recommend toasting them on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes to deepen their flavor.
- Romaine: I buy hearts of romaine (the most crispy inner parts) and roughly chop, but a pre-chopped bag of salad mix also works here.
- Nutritional yeast: This is scattered throughout the Caesar bowls. It packs in a lot of flavor, so it's best not to skip it.
- Parmesan is the classic Caesar salad cheese, but I find this goes really well with the saltiness of feta too.
Step-by-step photos
The cubed tofu and chickpeas are tossed with oil and seasonings before spreading out on a sheet pan and roasting until golden. I use parchment paper for easy clean-up and to keep the tofu from sticking to the sheet pan.
The quinoa will appear fluffy when fully cooked. Toss it with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, almonds, and roughly chopped croutons.
Storage and meal prep notes
- If making these bowls for meal prep, keep the roughly chopped croutons separate from the quinoa to maintain their crispy texture.
- If meal prepping or making in advance, keep the Caesar dressing separate to keep the grain bowls from becoming soggy.
- I serve leftover grain bowls cold. If you prefer a mix of warm and chilled ingredients, just pan-fry the tofu and chickpeas over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and warmed through.
More vegetarian grain bowls
Recipe
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Caesar Salad Bowls
Caesar salad in grain bowl form! Made with a seasoned quinoa base, crispy chickpeas and tofu, and Caesar dressing. Makes 3-4 servings.
Ingredients
For the tofu and chickpeas
- 14 ounce block extra firm tofu
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons dry parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon white sugar
Assembly
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- pinch or two salt
- 1 cup herby croutons
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 medium cucumber chopped
- 3-4 handfuls chopped romaine lettuce
- grated vegetarian Parmesan to taste; feta is good here too
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Caesar dressing to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Press the tofu for at least 10 minutes using a tofu press or by weighing it down with a heavy skillet. Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- Add the cubed tofu and chickpeas to a large bowl. Toss with the oil, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
- Transfer the tofu and chickpeas to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Bake at 400F for 35 to 40 minutes, shaking halfway through. When ready, the chickpeas should be crisp and the tofu golden.
- Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh sieve. Transfer to a small pot with 1 cup vegetable broth (or water) and a pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Cover and simmer until cooked, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, roughly chop the croutons. The pieces don't need to be uniform in size. You can also transfer them to a Ziploc bag and smash with a tenderizer or potato masher.
- Optional: Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.
- When the quinoa is fully cooked, fluff it with a fork. Stir in ¼ cup nutritional yeast, the juice of ½ a lemon, and the almonds. If serving immediately, stir in the croutons. If meal prepping, keep the croutons separate and add just before eating to keep them crunchy.
- Make the bowls by dividing quinoa, tofu, chickpeas, chopped cucumber, romaine, and a sprinkle of cheese between 3 servings. Serve with a slice of lemon from the second half of lemon.
- Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with Caesar dressing just before serving. If meal prepping, keep the Caesar separate until just before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Makes 3-4 servings, but calculations are for 3 bowls. Nutrition calculations are an estimation and will vary based on ingredients used. Caesar dressing is not included because it varies widely based on brand and whether it is vegan or not.
- Also goes well with feta instead of Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 729kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 35gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.003gSodium: 359mgPotassium: 1096mgFiber: 15gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 178mgIron: 8mg
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