Mediterranean Eggplant Quinoa Bowl (Printable)
Roasted eggplant and fluffy quinoa tossed with crisp vegetables, herbs, and tangy feta crumble.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 large eggplant (about 1.1 lb), diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves
→ Grains
07 - 1 cup quinoa
08 - 2 cups water
→ Feta and Garnishes
09 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
12 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
→ Dressing
13 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
16 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
17 - 1 tsp dried oregano
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Roasting
19 - 2 tbsp olive oil
20 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
21 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Place diced eggplant, red bell pepper, and sliced red onion on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until vegetables are golden brown and tender.
03 - While vegetables roast, rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified and well combined.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the fluffy quinoa, roasted vegetables, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and baby spinach. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
06 - Divide the mixture among four serving bowls. Finish each bowl with a generous crumble of feta cheese, scattered fresh parsley and mint, and toasted pine nuts if desired.
07 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 20–30 minutes for a refreshing chilled grain bowl.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted eggplant gets so golden and creamy inside that you will want to eat it straight off the pan before it ever reaches a bowl.
- Everything cooks while the quinoa simmers, so dinner lands on the table in under an hour with almost no stress.
02 -
- Eggplant acts like a sponge and will drink up every drop of oil you give it, so measure rather than pouring freely or you will end up with greasy pieces.
- Letting the quinoa rest covered off the heat for those 5 extra minutes is the difference between slightly crunchy grains and perfectly fluffy ones.
03 -
- Slice the eggplant into uniform pieces so every cube roasts evenly and you never end up with some burnt and some underdone.
- Taste the feta before adding salt to the finished bowl because some feta is quite salty and you cannot undo it once it is in there.