Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
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Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
This Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl is the next best thing for the colder season! Absolutely comforting, easy to make, and the perfect dairy-free + meatless weeknight meal option that comes full of nutrients.
Made with roasted Jerk butternut squash, brussels sprouts, baby potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, along with quinoa and a quick stew red peas, there are plenty of toppings on this tasty Jamaican bowl. To add more flavor, there's a homemade garlic dressing that is truly amazing. With all of that, you can’t go wrong with this Jamaican vegan recipe for dinner!
Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl Recipe
I don't even know where to begin when talking about this Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl. It's literally one of the best bowls I've made in a long time and it's loaded with flavors and textures. Plus, the recipe is pretty flexible so you can easily add your favorite power bowl toppings and make a perfect meal, customized just for you.
When it comes to making bowl recipes, I'm super big on getting the most nutrients and enjoyment out of every bite. Vegetarian Jamaican food often does the trick! It is packed with vegetables, grains and the perfect blend of spices to keep things interesting. And of course, I've included a ton of roasted veggies for heightened flavor and nutritional benefits.
For this dish, I used my Roasted Herb Tomatoes recipe and my Garlic Herb Smashed Potatoes (minus the smash) because---why not? Putting a little extra love into each ingredient will ensure your vegan Jamaican power bowl recipes turn out fantastically!
Jump to:
- Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl Recipe
- Ingredients for Jamaican Vegetarian Power Bowl
- How to Make a Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
- Recipe Tips
- Top Reasons Why You’ll Love This Bowl Recipe!
- Optional Toppings for Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
- Common Q + A's for Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
- More Easy Meatless Weeknight Meals
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
Ingredients for Jamaican Vegetarian Power Bowl
Here is a quick look at the ingredients you will need for this healthy power bowl recipe. The exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below but this sneak peak will give you a good idea of what goes into each bowl.
- Small butternut squash
- Olive oil
- Jerk seasoning - You can find my incredible Jerk seasoning recipe here, but the herbs and spices are also listed on the recipe card below with detailed instructions on how to make this tasty blend.
- Baby Yukon potatoes - Baby red potatoes also work well in this recipe.
- Brussels sprouts
- Mini sweet peppers
- Kidney beans
- Carrot
- Coconut cream - You can also use canned coconut milk to cut back on all the fat coconut cream has.
- Vegetable stock
- Garlic
- Onion
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers - They are extremely spicy peppers that add a really nice kick of heat to the power bowl recipe.
- Quinoa - Any type of cooked quinoa will work. I like to use multi colored quinoa which looks gorgeous on the plate.
- Herb roasted tomatoes - Find my easy roasted tomatoes recipe here! Try these once and you will want to use these in so many other recipes.
- Lemon garlic dressing - Make a double batch of this dairy free lemon garlic dressing- you will want extra!
- Avocado - Choose an avocado that gives slightly when squeezed. This is a sign of a ripe avocado that is ready to eat!
You will also need a variety of herbs and spices for this recipe. Vegan Caribbean recipes always use a lot of spices! The more flavor, the better.
How to Make a Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
This Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl can be made in a matter of seconds once all of the ingredients have been cooked and/or roasted to perfection. All you need is a large platter or plate and section each ingredient into a spot until everything is laid out.
I like to roast the jerk butternut squash and veggies first. Then I make the quinoa, roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes and light stew peas. Once all of the toppings are ready, the bowl is very easy to assemble. Yes, it does take a little bit of time in the kitchen to prep for this power bowl but almost everything can be done in advance.
Power bowls are fantastic for meal prepping and you can make everything days before you plan to eat this Jamaican vegan food. Make everything one day then you will be enjoying vegan Caribbean food all week long! No need to go to a vegan Jamaican restaurant when you have this incredible power bowl recipe on hand!
Recipe Tips
Here is a little more detail about some of the ingredients listed in this recipe. Hopefully these tips will help you master the power bowl meal prep recipe in no time!
Perfectly Roasted Potatoes
Knowing how to roast all vegetables (in general) perfectly is definitely a learned skill. All veggies are different and they all have vast cooking times.
The most common rule of thumb is to roast thicker vegetables at a higher temperature because they can handle the heat. For example, potatoes or sweet potatoes can roast at a higher temp because of their thickness. Broccoli, on the other hand, lends well to a lower heat when cut into florets.
Other common rules when roasting is to use lots of extra virgin olive oil and a rimmed baking sheet. The oil flavors the veggies and prevents them from sticking to the pan. You can also use a heavy pinch of salt and pepper for perfectly seasoned vegetables. In this recipe, I chose to use melted vegan butter in place of oil.
How to Make Herb Roasted Tomatoes
The key for this recipe is to start with great-quality tomatoes. Choose a mix of large and cherries, and several different colors if you can find them.Cut the tomatoes in half and spread them on a lined baking sheet with lots of olive oil. Follow the recipe and roast the tomatoes until the skin starts to brown and wrinkle.What is Jerk Seasoning?
Jerk seasoning is a flavorful spice blend from Jamaica. It has a uniquely complex flavor profile that’s a bit nutty, a bit spicy, and full of rich umami flavors, which makes it especially tasty in this vegan power bowl recipe.It is traditionally used as a dry rub on chicken, but I love spicing up all sorts of dishes with jerk flavor.
This Caribbean power bowl recipe uses jerk roasted squash but you could also make jerk tofu to make a tofu power bowl or jerk roasted chickpeas to keep the bowl vegan. You can buy store-bought jerk seasoning or you can make your own. It is very easy to create your own jerk seasoning blend using my recipe.
Top Reasons Why You’ll Love This Bowl Recipe!
Once you make and eat this Vegan Jamaican power bowl, you’ll fall in absolute love. Need more convincing? Here are just a few more reasons why you’ll love it:
- It’s ALL Vegan + Plant-based.
- Super easy to make and quick So many nutrients in one bowl.
- Great for meal prepping and make aheads for the week!
- Full of warm flavors, hints of sweetness/spiciness + savoriness (The best reason!)
- Perfect for any time of day—Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast (if that’s your that's your thing. Haha.)
Optional Toppings for Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
Other excellent toppings for this Jamaican power bowl are:
- Black beans
- Lentils
- Green peas
- Farro
- Asparagus
- Sweet potatoes
- Broccolini
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Chickpeas
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
Common Q + A's for Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
Place any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For an extra kick, you can always substitute Yukon potatoes with baby red potatoes, sweet potatoes (sliced in rounds), etc.
Nope. If you'd like to use an alternative to olive oil, you can also use melted vegan butter, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
Yup! Full-fat coconut cream makes things nice + creamy; If using the canned full-fat coconut milk instead of canned coconut cream, be sure to refrigerate overnight to make it thick and solid so that it acts more as a "creamy" base.
Absolutely! All ingredients can be made and individually stored in airtight containers and refrigerated as meal prep and assembled when ready to serve. You can make them up to 2 days prior and the dressing as well. Just heat ingredients individually prior to assembly.
More Easy Meatless Weeknight Meals
- BBQ Cauliflower Tacos
- Cajun Sweet Potato Grits with Crispy Chickpeas
- Spicy Jamaican Vegan Patties
- Easy Spicy Curry Chickpea + Potatoes
- Meatless Buffalo Ranch Kettle Chip Nachos
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
Vegan Jamaican Power Bowl
Ingredients
ROASTED JERK BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled + cubed (About 1 lb.)
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsps Homemade Jerk Seasoning
HOMEMADE JERK SEASONING:
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tsps cayenne pepper
- 2 tsps salt + black pepper
- 2 tsps dried thyme
- 2 tsps brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground clove
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
ROASTED VEGGIES:
- 2 lbs. baby yukon potatoes (See Notes!)
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, halved
- 8-10 mini sweet peppers, halved
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ Tbsps sea salt
- 1 ½ Tbsps black pepper
- 1 ½ Tbsps dried oregano
- 1 ½ Tbsps dried basil
- 1 ½ Tbsps garlic powder
- 1 ½ Tbsps dried parsley
- 1 ½ Tbsps smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
LIGHT STEW PEAS:
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained + rinsed
- 1 carrot, peeled + chopped
- 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut cream or milk
- 2 Tbsps organic vegetable stock
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, left whole!
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground all-spice
Instructions
TO ROAST THE JERK BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare TWO baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, add the butternut squash along with the olive oil and jerk seasoning, gently mixing everything together until the squash is fully coated.
- Add the butternut squash unto one of the baking sheet (in a single layer) and and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are charred, tender, and crisp.
TO ROAST THE VEGGIES:
- Add the brussels sprouts, potatoes and sweet peppers in a bowl with olive oil + herb seasonings, mixing everything together until veggies are fully coated. Place veggies unto the other prepared baking sheet separately grouped and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the brussels sprouts and sweet peppers are golden, wilted, and crisp.
TO MAKE THE LIGHT STEW:
- Add 1-2 Tbsps of olive oil to a medium 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in the garlic, onion, and carrot and Sauté for 1-2 minutes until slightly tender and fragrant. Stir in the seasonings.
- Next, add the beans, veggie stock, and coconut cream/milk, stirring everything together and bringing it all to a boil. Once it begins to boil, add the scotch bonnet peppers and reduce heat to low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat once done.
ASSEMBLY:
- To assemble: in a bowl or a large platter---evenly spoon the ingredients side by side as follows: cooked quinoa, roasted potatoes, roasted tomatoes, roasted sweet pepper, light stew peas, roasted jerk veggies and top with diced avocado and a drizzle of lemon-garlic dressing.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Place any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- DRESSING (STORAGE): Leftover dressing can be kept in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- HERB ROASTED TOMATOES: To make this, see my recipe here.
Nutrition
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This was SO good. I ate it without quinoa or sauce. The stewed beans were absolutely amazing, I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow now. Found you recently on Instagram! I’m excited to try out more recipes. We also love your jerk chicken wings!
Hi Renee! WOW----I'm SO happy that you enjoyed this dish! It's definitely a staple in my house! I'm happy to have you here and can't wait to see what other recipes you enjoy! 🙂
This was terrific! My spice cabinet got a workout, but it was worth it. Served it room temperature (my timing was off) and everyone loved it.
Hi Kevin! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! It's definitely a special occasion one with the amount of herbs + spices. Haha. Thanks so much for choosing to make it! 🙂