Roasted Sweet Potato Pesto Bowl (Printable)

Roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, pesto, greens and avocado tossed with lemon zest for a bright, nourishing bowl.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Roasted Sweet Potatoes

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Quinoa

05 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
06 - 2 cups water
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Pesto

08 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
09 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
10 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 garlic clove
12 - 1/2 cup olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Bowl Toppings

15 - 4 cups mixed greens such as spinach, arugula, or kale
16 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - 1 avocado, sliced
18 - Zest of 1 lemon
19 - 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Arrange evenly on prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and tender.
03 - Place quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork.
04 - In a food processor, combine fresh basil leaves, pine nuts or walnuts, Parmesan, and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. With processor running, stream in olive oil and lemon juice until creamy. Season with salt to taste.
05 - Divide fluffy quinoa and mixed greens evenly among four serving bowls. Arrange roasted sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and avocado slices on top. Finish each bowl with a generous spoonful of pesto.
06 - Sprinkle each bowl with lemon zest and pumpkin seeds if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Layered textures and punchy pesto turn an everyday grain bowl into something you’ll crave all week.
  • Packed with color, this meal always leaves me feeling energized and a little bit proud of my lunch game.
02 -
  • Rushing the sweet potatoes means missing out on caramelized edges that give every bite a hit of sweetness.
  • Letting quinoa rest with the lid on after cooking makes it fluffy instead of gummy—I learned that the hard way.
03 -
  • Using freshly squeezed lemon juice in the pesto cuts through the richness and brightens every bite.
  • Spreading the sweet potatoes in a single layer ensures crisp edges instead of sad, steamed chunks.

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