These Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Cilantro Tahini Dressing are officially my go-to weeknight dinner. It all starts off by roasting together mushrooms, brussel sprouts, and chickpeas and making the vegan tahini sauce. Pair it with quinoa & arugula for an easy & healthy plant-based meal!
As you can probably tell from the many quinoa recipes I have on SGTO, I kind of have a thing for quinoa. From using it in warmer dishes like my favorite Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili to Summer favorites like my Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers, it's one of those ingredients I never get tired of cooking with. This recipe is made even better with the addition of a show stopping, yet super simple, cilantro lemon tahini sauce!
Ingredients & Substitutions:
- QuinoaL I used Kirkland Organic Quinoa, but any brand works
- Vegetable broth: I used Pacific Foods. You can also sub for a mix of water & Yondu for a more umami flavor like I used in my Carrot Lentil Ginger Soup.
- Brussel Sprouts
- Mushrooms
- Chickpeas
- Avocado/Olive Oil: Can be subbed with any oil 1:1, though it's best to use ones with a high smoke point like avocado or sunflower oil.
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
- Cilantro
- Lemon juice: Sub 1:1 for lime juice for a tahini lime dressing instead!
- Tahini: HIGHLY recommend Soom Foods Tahini, it's the best! It's really important to use a high quality tahini that is "runny" and smooth for the best results.
- Garlic cloves: Can sub 1 garlic clove for ¼ tsp garlic powder, though it won't have quite the same flavor.
- Water (to thin the sauce as needed)
- Avocado (optional)
- Arugula
How to make vegan quinoa bowls
Cook the quinoa
The first step to making these roasted veggie quinoa bowls is making the quinoa!
To do this, add 1 part quinoa and 2 parts vegetable broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the quinoa is cooked through, fluffy, and chewy.
The quinoa will expand in size and all the broth will be absorbed when it is done cooking!
Roast the veggies and chickpeas
While the quinoa is cooking, chop and prep the veggies and chickpeas. Then, bake until they are nice and crispy.
Here are a few of my favorite tips for crispy roasted vegetables every time:
- Always use a little oil when roasting.
- Make sure the vegetables & chickpeas are completely dry before adding to the pan and seasoning.
- Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Cook at a high temp (we are cooking at 400F).
- Mix the veggies halfway through for even cooking.
Make the cilantro lemon tahini dressing
While the veggies are roasting, make the tahini sauce! This quinoa bowl sauce is SO easy to make and honestly so good.
Just add everything to a blender and mix. I put water as an optional ingredient because you may need it, but you can also skip it if you want a thicker & creamier sauce.
What does tahini taste like?
If you've never had tahini before it has a nutty, savory, and slightly bitter profile. The bitterness of the tahini depends on the quality of the sesame seeds and the roasting process.
That's why I 100% recommend Soom Foods Tahini. It's pretty much the only tahini I use for dishes and you can also use it in my favorite Vegan Tahini Brussel Sprout Pasta next!
Assemble the vegetarian quinoa bowl
Once everything is cooked, add arugula to the bottom of a bowl followed by ½ cup of the cooked quinoa.
Then, layer on the roasted vegetables and chickpeas, a few slices of avocado, and finish with a healthy drizzle of the cilantro tahini sauce. YUM!
FAQ & Substitutions:
This really depends on how you define healthy. I will say, these bowls are certainly a nutritious meal full of healthy fats (like tahini and avocado), healthy carbs (like quinoa and chickpeas), and plenty of vegetables and greens like arugula and cilantro!
Of course! You may need to adjust the cooking time for this recipe if you add in different vegetables, so just keep that in mind.
It's also really important NOT to overcrowd the pan. So, if you add more vegetables to this dish, you will likely need to use more than one pan for roasting.
Leftovers can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
It's best to store the quinoa and vegetables together and the arugula and sauce in separate containers since they don't need to be reheated. I also don't recommend cutting up the avocado until you are ready to eat it as it browns quickly and will not last as long as the other ingredients.
Of course! You can definitely prep this sauce is advance. Better yet, make extra so you can add it to different dishes throughout the week.
I truly hope you love these Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Cilantro Tahini Sauce! They are one of our favorite filling vegan meals to make when we want something healthy & packed with nutrients. Enjoy!
-TSG
More veggie quinoa recipes you will love:
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Veggie Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
Quinoa Bowl Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 ½ cups brussels sprouts quartered
- 15 ounces can chickpeas strained and rinsed, about 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt add more if desired
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cups arugula loosely packed
- 1 large avocado sliced
Cilantro Lemon Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup cilantro packed- mostly leaves
- 3 Tablespoons tahini make sure it's runny and smooth!
- 1 clove clove
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice about ½ lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt add more if desired
- 2-3 Tablespoons water add as needed, more for a thinner sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Next, add the quinoa and vegetable broth to a saucepan and stir together. Bring to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through. Make sure to stir every few minutes while cooking. The quinoa is done when you see white spirals on the outside of the quinoa and the quinoa is chewy but not hard. If desired, season the quinoa with a little salt and pepper, then set aside for later.
- While the quinoa is cooking, chop up the mushrooms and brussels sprouts and rinse and strain the canned chickpeas. Make sure the vegetables and chickpeas are COMPLETELY dry, then add them to a baking pan. Add the oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the vegetables and toss together until evenly coated.
- Next, add the marinated vegetables and chickpeas to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, remove the tray from the oven and toss the vegetables with a spatula so they cook evenly. Then, add the tray back in for the remaining 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are browned and crisping, but not burnt.
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the cilantro lemon tahini sauce. Add the cilantro, tahini, garlic clove, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor or blender and blend together until smooth. Depending on the consistency of your tahini, you may need to add 2-3 Tbsp of water for a smoother and thinner sauce. Add the water 1 Tbsp at a time as needed until the sauce is the desired consistency. It should be thick, but pourable.
- Once everything is cooked, assemble the bowls. Fill each bowl with 1 cup arugula, ½ cup cooked quinoa, a large scoop of vegetables, and a slice or two of avocado. Then, add a drizzle of tahini sauce on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Depending on preference, you may have some leftover tahini sauce. It can be stored in the fridge in a closed container up to 1 week.
- If you prefer more sauce, feel free to double the recipe!
- When storing leftovers, quinoa and vegetables can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. The dressing and arugula should be stored in separate containers in the fridge and should not be frozen.
- If you're not a huge fan of lemon, it can be substituted for lime juice or use 1 Tbsp and replace the other 1 Tbsp with water
Denise says
This recipe is so good and the dressing is now my favorite. I didn't have enough cilantro so used spinach to complete the recipe and it was yummy. I make it every week for salad and veggies. Last time I added some fresh ginger and it was delicious. Thank you!
Megan says
Love hearing that! Ginger sounds like such a perfect addition to the cilantro dressing too 🙂