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This broccoli power bowl is a protein-packed, plant-based meal you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. It brings together charred broccoli, cheesy butter beans, quinoa, lentils, and crispy chickpeas. The mix of textures and flavors makes each bite satisfying and flavorful.
The recipe comes from Soph’s Plant Kitchen, a vegan cookbook by Sophie Waplington. Her bowl layers a lentil-quinoa base with a creamy cheese-style sauce made from silken tofu, nutritional yeast, and spices. It’s filling, high in protein, and easy to prep ahead for the week.
The charred broccoli adds a smoky edge, while sun-dried tomatoes and fresh coriander keep things bright. Roasted chickpeas on top add crunch and extra plant protein. The bowl also delivers fiber and a variety of nutrients, making it a smart option for anyone trying to eat more whole plant foods.
Whether you meal prep or serve it fresh, this broccoli power bowl keeps well in the fridge and comes together in about 40 minutes. It’s a great way to pack variety, taste, and nutrition into a single dish.
Read more: These Tofu Scramble Tacos Are The Ultimate Plant-Based Brunch
Put together your broccoli power bowl
Ingredients
- 700 g (1lb 9oz) butter beans from jars or cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small/medium head of broccoli florets sliced through the stems
- Olive oil
- 30 g (1oz) sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- Fresh coriander
For the ‘cheese’ sauce with beans
- 280 g (10oz) silken tofu
- 3½ tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
For the roasted chickpeas
- 480 g (1lb 1oz) chickpeas from a jar or can, drained and rinsed
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 5–6 twists of black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the quinoa/lentil base
- ½ onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 200 g (7oz/1 cup) quinoa rinsed and drained
- Vegetable stock to cover
- 240 g (8½oz) cooked brown lentils
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Rinse and pat dry the chickpeas. Add the spices, salt and pepper, then roast for 15–20 minutes, or until crispy.
- While the chickpeas are roasting, start the quinoa base. In a medium saucepan on a medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes with a small pinch of salt until translucent, then add the garlic.
- Fry for a further 2 minutes, then add the quinoa and cover in the onion and garlic mixture. Add vegetable stock so it covers the mix by at least 1cm (½in). Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10–15 mins, or until the water has evaporated and the quinoa is cooked. If the spiral has not separated from the grain, add a splash more water and cook until it does. Once cooked, add the lentils and stir to combine.
- In a blender or bullet blender, blend all the ‘cheese’ sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Season to taste, then add the butter beans and gently heat through – it won’t need long, 2 minutes at most.
- Lightly fry the broccoli in olive oil and a little salt, cut- side down, for 5–7 minutes until lightly charred. Set aside.
- Divide into bowls or meal prep containers, quinoa/ lentils first, then the cheesy beans and the broccoli. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, some fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle the chickpeas and Omega-3 seed mix over the top.
Excerpted from Soph’s Plant Kitchen by Sophie Waplington, published in 2025 by Yellow Kite, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton. Photography by Lizzie Mayson.
Read more: High-Protein Sweet Potato Salad Jar With Tofu ‘Cheese’
