This colorful Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad is nutritious, hearty, and satisfying! Featuring a simple homemade tahini dressing, this flavor-packed salad is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
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Why you will love this recipe
- Flavorful: Roasting the vegetables takes them to a whole new level by enhancing their flavors and bringing out their natural sweetness.
- Nutritious: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, this recipe for quinoa with roasted vegetables is a healthy meal idea.
- Easy to Make: All the components of this quinoa roasted vegetable salad come together easily for a simple meal that's great for weeknight cooking.
For more easy salad recipes, check out my Tomato Spinach Quinoa Salad, Pear Almond Salad, Spiralized Cucumber Strawberry Noodle Salad, and Cucumber Noodle Blueberry Salad next. Or for some quinoa recipes try my Vegan Sloppy Joe's and Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make this vegan quinoa salad recipe. Be sure to check the recipe card for the full list and quantities you will need for each item.
- Quinoa: This pseudo-cereal is a plant-based powerhouse! It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source! It's also naturally gluten-free. You can use white, black, red, or tri-color quinoa in this quinoa and roasted vegetable salad.
- Veggies: A combination of red onion, sweet potato, zucchini, red bell pepper, and cauliflower are seasoned and oven-roasted for a delightful flavor and texture.
- Olive Oil: I recommend a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor when roasting the vegetables.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper work together to perfectly season the veggies.
- Greens: I used fresh spinach but feel free to swap the spinach for a spinach-arugula mix, baby arugula, or baby kale.
- Dressing: Tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, and water are whisked together to create a flavorful dressing for this warm quinoa salad. If you aren't a fan of tahini, feel free to swap it out for almond butter instead.
Variations
- Switch up the veggies: Mix things up by using different veggies such as butternut squash instead of sweet potato, eggplant instead of zucchini, or broccoli instead of cauliflower. Mushrooms, carrots, and Brussels sprouts are also great options.
- Add more protein: Add chickpeas, black beans, tofu, or tempeh to boost the protein in this roasted vegetable salad.
- Add some toppings: Top your quinoa with vegetables with some vegan parmesan, vegan feta, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, or toasted sesame seeds.
How to Make Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Step 1: Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
Step 2: Add the chopped veggies to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add the seasonings. Use your hands to toss until the veggies are well coated. Roast the veggies in the preheated oven, flipping them halfway through cooking.
Step 3: Make the dressing by whisking together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and water in a small bowl.
Step 4: Add the spinach to the bottom of a bowl and top with the cooked quinoa.
Step 5: Add the roasted vegetables on top.
Step 6: Drizzle on the dressing and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Rinse the quinoa: I highly recommend rinsing your quinoa because doing so helps to remove its naturally bitter flavor. Use a fine-mesh strainer and rinse the quinoa under cold water for best results.
- Repurpose leftovers: Turn your leftovers into a wrap for the next day's lunch! Enjoy cold or give everything a quick saute before stuffing it inside your favorite whole wheat or gluten-free wrap. You can throw on a slice of vegan cheese too if you'd like.
- Serve with a side: This recipe for quinoa and vegetables pairs well with this Chickpea Tuna Salad Sandwich or this Baked Falafel. It's also great with a refreshing glass of my Lemon Lime Spritzer.
- Store separately: The quinoa, roasted vegetables, and dressing should be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
Cooking the quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water is a great way to add more flavor to it. I recommend using low-sodium broth so that it's not too salty.
It's totally up to you! While it's not necessary to soak quinoa, doing so is believed to help improve digestion. If you do decide to soak it, rinse it first and then soak it in water. Be sure to drain and rinse the quinoa again before cooking.
Quinoa salad can last in the fridge for 2-3 days if the dressing is stored separate from any leafy greens in the dish.
No, you do not need to stir quinoa while it is cooking if you are cooking it according to most packages. Cooking just quinoa with water or broth as the liquid is brought to a simmer and then the heat is reduced and the lid is put on the pot to finish cooking and absorb the water.
Yes, quinoa is great to eat the next day. Either cold as part of a salad or heated back up.
More Quinoa Recipes
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- Cutting board
- Sharp Knife
- Baking sheet
- pot
- whisk
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ cup dry quinoa rinsed well and drained
- ⅓ cup red onion chopped
- 1 large sweet potato chopped
- 1 zucchini
- ½ red bell pepper
- ½ cup cauliflower fresh or frozen
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups spinach
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons tahini or sub almond butter
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- water to thin about 3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 420°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse and drain the quinoa. Place the ½ cup quinoa in a pot with 1 cup water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Chop the onion (thick about ½ inch otherwise it will just burn), sweet potato, zucchini, bell pepper and cauliflower and place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and toss together with your hands until everything is coated. Put in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes flipping halfway through at 20 minutes.
- While everything is cooking, make the dressing by mixing the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup and water in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Chop the spinach (optional) and place on the bottom of a bowl. Add the cooked quinoa on top.
- Add the roasted vegetables on top.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve.
Kerry
This looks great! I've been trying to find some alternatives to breakfast and this may be worth a try! Nice and simple, thank you.