This warm quinoa salad is packed with flavor from roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and kale. The creamy toasted sesame dressing on top makes this the perfect comforting and healthy dinner you will love.
How to make a warm quinoa salad with roasted vegetables
- Combine chopped broccoli and sweet potato and mix with oil and spices.
- Roast your vegetables for 20-25 minutes.
- Add the roasted vegetables along with kale and carrots to the cooked quinoa and warm over the stove.
- Drizzle with sauce and toppings.
- Enjoy!
Tips to Make the Best Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa: Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin that can make it taste bitter. To remove this coating, be sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking it.
- Use the right ratio of water to quinoa: The general rule is to use two parts water to one part quinoa. This will help to ensure that the quinoa is cooked perfectly and not too mushy or crunchy.
- Toast your quinoa: Before adding the water, toast your quinoa for a few minutes to bring out the nutty flavors.
- Reduce the heat and simmer: Once you've added the quinoa to the boiling water, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed.
- Fluff the quinoa before serving: Once the quinoa is cooked, use a fork to fluff it and separate the grains. This will help to prevent the quinoa from clumping together.
Substitutions
- You can swap out the broccoli, sweet potatoes, and kale with other vegetables such as potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, cauliflower, and more!
- Instead of quinoa you can use barley, brown rice, or wild rice mix.
- Try out different nuts instead of pumpkin seeds: sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and more!
- Add beans: garbanzo beans, white beans, or whatever you want.
Serving Suggestions
- Drizzle on extra creamy toasted sesame sauce on top and add avocado and sesame seeds.
- Enjoy right after heating. Can easily be reheated in the microwave or on stoptop.
Try out these other easy 30 minute meals:
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Warm Roasted Veggie Quinoa Salad with Creamy Sesame Dressing
This warm quinoa salad is cozy and nourishing with roasted vegetables including kale, broccoli, sweet potatoes and chickpeas, with a delicious homemade vinaigrette drizzled on top.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa See above for tips to make the best quinoa
- 1 small bunch kale stems and ribs removed, chopped (~ 2 cups)
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- 1 medium size head broccoli chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato chopped into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds roasted and salted
- ¼ cup vegan feta crumbled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
Creamy Toasted Sesame Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon water add more if needed for desired consistency
- pinch salt
Instructions
Roast Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
- Pre-heat oven to 425F.
- Start by making your broccoli and sweet potatoes. Chop sweet potatoes into 1 inch pieces and broccoli into small bite sized pieces. In a bowl combine sweet potatoes and broccoli and add olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until combined.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring half-way through. Broccoli and sweet potatoes should be browned and crispy.
Make Creamy Toasted Sesame Dressing
- In a small bowl whisk together tahini, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, salt, lemon, and water. Add extra water if needed for desired consistency.
Combine Quinoa Bowl
- In a large pan or pot add cooked quinoa, chopped kale, carrots, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli and warm over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, covered and stirring every few minutes until kale is wilted.
- Add in feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, and ½ of sauce and mix until combined.
- Serve right away and drizzle more sauce on top. Add salt, pepper, more feta, or pumpkin seeds as desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 19gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 524mgPotassium: 1227mgFiber: 13gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 14940IUVitamin C: 170mgCalcium: 275mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Comment below & tag @naturallieplantbased on Instagram!
CJ says
Delicious Buddha bowl!!
Jeremy Janowiak says
Really enjoyed this recipe! Thank you!