Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl (Printable)
Vibrant bowl featuring roasted seasonal vegetables and fluffy quinoa topped with creamy lemony tahini dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
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 smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Quinoa
10 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Tahini Dressing
13 - 1/4 cup tahini
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin
19 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Toppings
20 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
21 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
22 - 1 avocado, sliced
23 - Lemon wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and carrot on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tender and golden.
04 - Meanwhile, combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and water until smooth and pourable.
06 - Divide quinoa evenly among 4 bowls. Top with roasted vegetables and drizzle with tahini dressing.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley, toasted sesame seeds, avocado slices, and lemon wedges as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's a complete meal that tastes indulgent but feels genuinely nourishing, one of those rare dishes that satisfies both your body and your cravings.
- Everything comes together in under an hour, and the components don't demand constant attention while you're cooking.
- It transforms ordinary weeknight vegetables into something that makes you pause between bites and actually taste what you're eating.
02 -
- Never skip rinsing your quinoa; the coating left behind tastes bitter and will make the whole grain seem less appetizing than it deserves to be.
- The dressing thickens as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, thin it with a splash of water just before serving.
- Roasting vegetables at a high temperature creates those caramelized edges that make this dish taste restaurant-quality, so resist the urge to lower the heat.
03 -
- Prep your vegetables the night before and store them in containers; roasting them fresh takes just 30 minutes, making weeknight assembly nearly effortless.
- The bowl tastes equally good warm, at room temperature, or even cold from the refrigerator, which means one recipe feeds you multiple ways across several days.