Roasted Root Vegetable Bowl (Printable)

Caramelized root vegetables over fluffy quinoa with creamy tahini drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ Root Vegetables

01 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 2 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (optional)

→ Quinoa

09 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
10 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Tahini Sauce

12 - 1/3 cup tahini
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional)

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
19 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the carrots, beets, turnips, and parsnips with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs if using.
03 - Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.
04 - Combine quinoa, water or broth, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, salt, and maple syrup (if using) in a small bowl until smooth. Add more water for a thinner consistency if desired.
06 - Divide quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with roasted vegetables. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with parsley and seeds.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tahini sauce is so creamy and bright that even skeptics forget they're eating vegetables.
  • Everything roasts at once, which means you can actually relax instead of hovering over the stove.
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it a weekday lunch superhero in a container.
02 -
  • Don't skip the halfway stir during roasting, because the vegetable pieces touching the pan will caramelize while the ones on top barely cook.
  • If your tahini sauce breaks or looks grainy, a splash more lemon juice and a vigorous whisk usually brings it back together into creamy submission.
03 -
  • Make extra tahini sauce because you'll find yourself drizzling it on other things all week and wondering why you ever bought bottled dressing.
  • If you're batch cooking for the week, roast the vegetables and store them separate from the quinoa so the quinoa doesn't get soggy from sitting with warm vegetables overnight.
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