Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl (Printable Version)

Colorful roasted vegetables meet fluffy quinoa in this vibrant bowl topped with creamy tahini sauce for a satisfying Mediterranean-inspired meal.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Quinoa

11 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
12 - 2 cups water
13 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Tahini Sauce

14 - ¼ 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 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Garnishes

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

# How to Make It:

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 baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until 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 enough water to reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa 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 -
  • The vegetables get caramelized edges that taste almost candy-like, but then the tahini sauce brings everything back to earthy, savory reality.
  • You can make this with whatever produce is sitting in your crisper drawer, so it never feels like a chore to prepare.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and somehow feels fancy enough to serve to people you want to impress.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa—that bitter coating is real and will make the whole bowl taste slightly off if you ignore this step.
  • The tahini sauce will thicken as it sits, so make it slightly looser than you think it should be because it'll firm up in the bowl.
  • Roasting at 425°F instead of lower temperatures is what gets you those caramelized edges that make this taste restaurant-quality instead of just steamed vegetables.
03 -
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for just a few minutes until they smell nutty—it takes almost no time but makes them taste twice as good.
  • If you don't have a tahini base and want to try this anyway, a combination of hummus and lemon juice with a little water makes a surprisingly good substitute sauce.
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