Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl (Printable Version)

Seasonal roasted vegetables layered on fluffy quinoa, finished with a bright lemon-tahini dressing for a wholesome dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, sliced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 cups broccoli florets
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Quinoa

11 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
12 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon-Tahini Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons tahini
15 - Juice of 1 large lemon
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - 1 clove garlic, minced
18 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

21 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
22 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli florets. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
03 - Spread the vegetables evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
04 - While the vegetables roast, bring quinoa, vegetable broth, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and water until smooth and pourable.
06 - Divide quinoa between serving bowls, top with roasted vegetables, drizzle with lemon-tahini dressing, and garnish with chopped parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It clears out your produce drawer and still feels like you planned something special.
  • The dressing pulls everything together with a creamy tang that makes plain quinoa exciting.
  • You can eat it warm, cold, or somewhere in between, and it tastes good every time.
02 -
  • Rinse your quinoa before cooking or it will taste bitter and weird, I skipped this once and regretted it immediately.
  • Do not overcrowd the baking sheet or your vegetables will steam instead of roast, use two sheets if you need to.
  • The tahini dressing thickens as it sits, so whisk in a splash of water before serving if it has been sitting for more than a few minutes.
03 -
  • Taste your tahini before you make the dressing because some brands are more bitter than others, and you might need extra lemon juice to balance it.
  • If your dressing seizes up and looks grainy when you add the lemon juice, keep whisking and add water slowly until it smooths out again.
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or two until they smell nutty, it makes a bigger difference than you would think.

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