Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl (Printer View)

Vibrant bowl with roasted vegetables, fluffy quinoa, and creamy tahini sauce

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
03 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Quinoa

11 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
12 - 2 cups water
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Tahini Sauce

14 - 1/4 cup tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water
19 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Garnishes

20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
21 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and carrot on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated and spread in a single layer.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
04 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, salt, and water until achieving a smooth, pourable consistency.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one pan while the quinoa cooks itself, so you can actually sit down for a few minutes.
  • The tahini sauce is creamy and tangy enough to make even the simplest vegetables taste like something special.
  • It tastes just as good cold the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
  • You can swap in whatever vegetables are lurking in your crisper drawer and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the vegetables on the pan or they will steam instead of roast and you will miss out on those crispy, caramelized edges.
  • The tahini sauce will seize up and look grainy at first when you add the lemon juice, but keep whisking and adding water and it will smooth out into a silky drizzle.
  • Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water before cooking, otherwise it can taste bitter and soapy from the natural saponins on the seeds.
03 -
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes until they start to pop, it brings out a nutty flavor that plain seeds just don't have.
  • Make a double batch of the tahini sauce and keep it in the fridge, it's perfect for drizzling over salads, grain bowls, or roasted anything throughout the week.
  • If your quinoa turns out mushy, you added too much water, use a two to one ratio and resist the urge to peek under the lid while it cooks.
Return