Roasted Veggie, Chickpea & Pesto Quinoa Salad
User Reviews
4.9
Roasted Veggie, Chickpea & Pesto Quinoa Salad
Description
The recipe starts by roasting chopped red onion, bell pepper, sweet potato, baby bella mushrooms, and rinsed chickpeas tossed in olive oil and seasoned with garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Roasting at 400 degrees Fahrenheit caramelizes the natural sugars in the vegetables and crisps the chickpeas, adding depth of flavor and a textural contrast. Flipping halfway ensures even cooking and browning.
Quinoa is cooked simply by boiling in water, then fluffed for a light, fluffy texture. The basil pesto is made by processing fresh basil leaves, roasted or raw cashews (with options for seed substitutions), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt until smooth but thick enough to coat. Water is added to adjust consistency if needed. This pesto lends a fresh, tangy, and slightly nutty layer of flavor to the salad.
Once roasted vegetables have cooled slightly, they are combined with the quinoa and pesto for a balanced salad that can be served warm or at room temperature. This dish stands well on its own or pairs nicely with grilled or roasted meats and fish. Nut-free variations are available by substituting seeds for cashews.
Ingredients
- For the roasted veggies & chickpeas:
- 1 red onion cut into chunks
- 1 bell pepper red, cut into chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 8 ounces baby bella mushroom sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- For the quinoa:
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 cup water
- For the pesto:
- 1 cup basil fresh leaves
- ⅓ cup cashews roasted or raw, or sub roasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds to make it nut free
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons water to thin pesto as necessary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chopped veggies and chickpeas on parchment paper.
- Cook veggies: Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over veggies, then sprinkle on garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Gently toss with your hands then spread veggies out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are tender and roasted, flipping over halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While the veggies are roasting, make the quinoa: add quinoa and water to a medium pot and place over high heat; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork and transfer quinoa to a large bowl.
- Make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, add basil, cashews, oil, lemon juice, garlic clove and salt. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, adding a tablespoon or two of water to thin pesto, if necessary. Pesto should be on the thicker side.
- Once veggies are done, add them to the bowl with the quinoa. Then fold in the pesto. Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 servings.
Notes
- To make this recipe nut-free, substitute cashews with roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds in the pesto.
- This salad can be served by itself as a vegetarian main or alongside grilled or roasted chicken and honey lemon salmon for added protein.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 324 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving (based on 4) | |
| Calories | 324cal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 44.1g | 15% |
| Protein | 14.2g | 28% |
| Fat | 13.5g | 21% |
| Saturated Fat | 2.3g | 12% |
| Fiber | 8.9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 3.7g | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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