Roasted Carrot Quinoa Grain Bowl (Printable)
Roasted carrots and lemon quinoa topped with creamy herb tahini sauce for a nourishing, colorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Roasted Vegetables
01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into batons
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Lemon Quinoa
04 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
05 - 2 cups water
06 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Fresh Vegetables
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 2 cups baby spinach
10 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
11 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Herb Tahini Sauce
12 - 1/3 cup tahini
13 - 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
18 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
19 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
20 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
21 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
22 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (optional)
23 - Extra fresh herbs for topping
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Toss the carrot batons with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and fork-tender.
03 - While the carrots roast, combine the rinsed quinoa, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, parsley, mint, dill, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a pourable drizzling consistency.
05 - Divide the lemon quinoa evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange roasted carrots, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, cucumber slices, and red onion over each portion of quinoa.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with the herb tahini sauce. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta if using, and additional fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The herb tahini sauce alone is worth making this recipe and it keeps in the fridge for days to drizzle over absolutely everything.
- It manages to feel like real comfort food while still being the kind of meal that makes your body genuinely happy afterward.
- You can prep every component ahead and assemble in minutes which makes it a quiet hero for weeknight exhaustion.
02 -
- Tahini brands vary wildly in thickness so never skip the step of adjusting water until the sauce reaches pourable consistency.
- If you crowd the carrots on the pan they will steam instead of roast and you will lose that deeply caramelized flavor that makes this bowl special.
03 -
- Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about three minutes until they begin to pop transforms them from an afterthought into something people will actually notice and ask about.
- A tiny pinch of salt in the tahini sauce brings every other flavor into sharper focus so do not be shy about seasoning it boldly.