Quinoa Power Salad (Print Version)

Fluffy quinoa combined with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and a creamy tahini-lemon dressing for a wholesome dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 ounces) 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and 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 halfway through, until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and water or broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or 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, garlic, salt, and water in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
06 - In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and parsley. Drizzle with tahini-lemon dressing and toss gently to combine.
07 - Serve warm or chilled, garnished with additional parsley if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It actually tastes good cold the next day, which means lunch prep becomes something you'll actually want to repeat.
  • The tahini dressing is so versatile it'll make you wonder why you haven't been drizzling it on everything.
  • You get to roast vegetables until they're caramelized and slightly charred, which is honestly half the pleasure of cooking.
02 -
  • Rinsing quinoa before cooking isn't optional—it removes the bitter coating and changes everything about how good it tastes.
  • Don't overcrowd your baking sheet with vegetables or they'll steam instead of roast, and steamed is sad.
  • Make the dressing while everything else cooks so it's ready when you need it, and taste it before you commit—tahini varies brand to brand.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the tahini dressing and keep it in a jar—it'll stay good for a week and you'll find endless uses for it.
  • Prep all your vegetables the night before and store them in containers, then roast them fresh the morning you want to eat; this tastes better than pre-roasted and makes your morning simpler.
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