5.0 from 27 votes
Quinoa Bowls with Creamy Pesto Dressing
Quinoa bowls are an easy make-ahead meal that you can assemble straight from the fridge! The creamy pesto dressing takes the flavor over the top.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 386 kcal
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts , trimmed and sliced in half
- 1 pound cauliflower florets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt
Cooked Quinoa
- 1 ½ cups dry quinoa
- 2 ¼ cups water
Bowl Assembly
- 12 ounces mixed greens
- 1 pound assorted chopped veggies (i.e. cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, etc.)
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (or other cooked beans/protein)
Creamy Pesto Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Tahini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small shallot (about 2 tablespoons minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the brussels sprouts and cauliflower to a large rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss well, and make sure the brussels sprouts are arranged cut-side-down, to brown nicely. Season generously with salt, then place the pan in the oven to cook until they are tender, about 20 minutes.
- While the veggies are cooking, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under running water. This will help remove any bitter flavor. Add the drained quinoa and water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat completely but keep the lid on for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to serve.
- While the quinoa and veggies are still cooking, add the dressing ingredients to a blender, along with ¼ cup of water, to help with blending. Blend until very smooth, and adjust any flavoring as needed. (This dressing will thicken when chilled, FYI, so you can thin it out with a splash of water later, if needed.)
- To assemble the quinoa bowls, add a scoop of cooked quinoa (I use ¾ cup per bowl) to a serving bowl, along with a big handful of leafy greens, a scoop of warm roasted veggies, a scoop of cooked chickpeas, and any chopped raw vegetables you have. Drizzle generously with the dressing, and serve right away. Leftover components can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days, and served cold again for any easy packed lunch.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 bowls, assuming you evenly divide all of these components among 6 servings. (Including all of the dressing.) This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
- *The cooking time above assumes you are multi-tasking! The quinoa cooks while the roasted vegetables are in the oven, and the dressing can be blended while you wait on the two cooked components to finish.
Nutrition Information
Calories
386kcal
(19%)
Carbohydrates
53g
(18%)
Protein
16g
(32%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Sodium
461mg
(19%)
Potassium
1121mg
(32%)
Fiber
12g
(48%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
1577IU
(32%)
Vitamin C
121mg
(134%)
Calcium
129mg
(13%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 386kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Sodium | 461mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 1121mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1577IU | 32% |
| Vitamin C | 121mg | 134% |
| Calcium | 129mg | 13% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.