Quinoa Power Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa mixed with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and a creamy tahini-lemon dressing for a nutritious bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Roasted Vegetables

03 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, chopped
06 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Base

10 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
11 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Tahini-Lemon Dressing

13 - 1/4 cup tahini
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
18 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin
19 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine diced red bell pepper, zucchini, chopped red onion, and sliced carrot with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Roast the vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and water or vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, salt, and water in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
06 - In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley.
07 - Drizzle the tahini-lemon dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually keeps you full for hours, not thirty minutes like most salads.
  • You can make it once and eat it three different ways throughout the week.
  • Everything caramelizes together so it tastes like someone who knows what they're doing made it.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa unless you like a slightly soapy taste—I learned this lesson exactly once.
  • The vegetables need to actually brown, not just soften, so don't crowd the baking sheet and don't peek too much.
03 -
  • Spread your vegetables out on the baking sheet with some space between them; crowding them steams them instead of roasting them, which is the whole point.
  • Make extra tahini dressing and keep it in the fridge—it's good on roasted vegetables, grains, or even as a dip for bread.
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