The buddha bowl structure
Every buddha bowl has the same architecture:
- Base (50% of bowl):Grains or legumes — quinoa, brown rice, farro, lentils, freekeh. Cooked warm but cooled to eating temperature (<60°C food safe; below 40°C for phycocyanin if spirulina is stirred into the grain rather than the dressing). Most recipes use a cold dressing poured over, which is the simpler approach.
- Vegetables (30%):Roasted or raw. Roasted vegetables develop umami and sweetness that balance spirulina’s mineral flavour in the dressing.
- Protein (20%):Chickpeas, edamame, tofu, tempeh, eggs, salmon, chicken. These carry haem or non-haem iron alongside spirulina’s iron.
- Dressing (spirulina vehicle):Cold, oil-based or tahini-based. Spirulina is always added to the cold dressing, never to hot components.
The spirulina dressing base
Two dressing types that work with spirulina:
- Tahini base:3 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove (grated), 2–3 tbsp cold water to thin, 2 g spirulina. Whisk until smooth — the fat in tahini disperses spirulina without clumping. Lemon provides vitamin C for iron absorption.
- Citrus-oil base:3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, 1 tsp Dijon mustard (emulsifier), salt and pepper, 2 g spirulina. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. The mustard lecithin stabilises the emulsion and disperses spirulina evenly.
Recipe 1: Mediterranean bowl (iron-optimised)
Serves 1. Designed to maximise non-haem iron absorption: vitamin C in dressing, lemon throughout, no tea or dairy.
- 150 g cooked quinoa (cooled)
- 100 g roasted chickpeas (seasoned, cool before assembling)
- 80 g roasted red pepper strips
- 60 g cucumber, sliced
- 40 g kalamata olives
- Handful rocket/arugula
- Tahini-spirulina dressing (above, with extra lemon)
Assemble all room-temperature and cold components. Drizzle dressing over everything. Quinoa provides complete protein alongside spirulina; chickpeas provide non-haem iron (2 mg/100 g cooked). Vitamin C in the lemon dressing and red pepper (190 mg/100 g) enhances all non-haem iron 3×.
Recipe 2: Asian-inspired bowl (anti-inflammatory)
Serves 1. Combines phycocyanobilin (spirulina) with ginger (gingerols) and edamame iron.
- 150 g cooked brown rice or soba noodles
- 100 g edamame, cooked and cooled
- 1 carrot, julienned or spiralised
- 80 g purple cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- Sesame seeds
Spirulina miso ginger dressing:
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 g spirulina
Whisk all dressing ingredients — miso disperses spirulina without clumping. Assemble bowl and drizzle. Note: miso is high-sodium — reduce if on a sodium-restricted diet (Menière’s, heart failure, CKD).
Recipe 3: Mexican bowl (protein-forward)
Serves 1. High protein from black beans and eggs; warm spiced flavours that complement spirulina.
- 150 g cooked brown rice
- 120 g black beans (tinned, rinsed), warmed and cooled
- 80 g corn kernels (tinned or fresh)
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 egg, soft-boiled and halved
Spirulina lime dressing:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 g spirulina
- Salt to taste
Assemble all cool/room-temperature components. Drizzle with spirulina lime dressing. The cumin and paprika flavours dominate; spirulina adds a green depth to the dressing colour. Black beans provide iron (2.5 mg/100 g cooked); lime vitamin C enhances absorption.
Recipe 4: Green goddess bowl (full cold)
Serves 1. All components are cold — no warm grains. Maximum phycocyanin from both base and dressing.
- 150 g cold cooked quinoa (refrigerated overnight)
- 100 g cucumber, diced
- 80 g peas, defrosted
- 80 g spinach
- 50 g hemp seeds
- Fresh basil and mint
Spirulina green goddess dressing:
- 1 avocado
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- Fresh basil, large handful
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 g spirulina
- 3–4 tbsp cold water to thin
Blend dressing until completely smooth — avocado fat disperses spirulina perfectly, creating an intensely vivid green creamy dressing. Assemble cold bowl and dress. This is the most visually striking spirulina format: the natural avocado-basil green amplified by spirulina produces a neon green that is entirely natural.
Recipe 5: Warm salmon bowl with cold spirulina sauce
Serves 1. Salmon provides haem omega-3 fatty acids; the spirulina sauce is cold and poured over after plating.
- 120 g salmon fillet, pan-seared
- 150 g roasted sweet potato, cooled to room temperature
- 80 g steamed broccoli, cooled
- 80 g edamame
- Sesame seeds
Cold spirulina yogurt sauce:
- 100 g Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dill
- 2 g spirulina
Plate salmon and vegetables at room temperature. Mix spirulina yogurt sauce cold and pour alongside or drizzle over. Salmon’s EPA/DHA omega-3 provides additional anti-inflammatory activity via COX-2 pathway — complementary to spirulina’s GLA/DGLA pathway and phycocyanobilin NOX2 inhibition.