Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients in Roasted Veggie Quinoa Pesto Bowls

This is a really, really easy dish to prepare! It's got just a handful of simple ingredients that combine to pack a delicious punch:

• Perfectly Cooked Quinoa - Quinoa is the base for this delicious dinner and offers a complete source of plant-based protein. If you have an Instant Pot, you can make quinoa in minutes with my Instant Pot method.
• Hemp Seed Pesto - Most traditional pesto recipes are made with pine nuts and parmesan cheese, which do not lend well to vegans or those with tree nut or dairy allergies. This nut-free, dairy-free pesto is a perfect alternative without compromising any of the wonderful flavors of traditional pesto. Instead of pine nuts, the main ingredient here is hemp hearts which provide a complete source of plant-based protein.
• Roasted Vegetables - The veggies are seasoned perfectly with olive oil and some basic spices that you are sure to already have in your pantry. This recipe is pretty flexible and you can use any vegetables you have on hand.
• Crispy Chickpeas - This is an optional ingredient but I love to add it when I have the time. One of my favorite ways to prepare chickpeas is to make them crispy and crunchy. They make for the perfect topping for these plant-based bowls.

I love the addition of the chickpeas in these bowls because of their wonderful health benefits. They add plant-based protein, dietary fiber and complex carbs. They are also an excellent source of folic acid. Chickpeas digest slowly (keeping you fuller longer) and are satisfying without making you feel stuffed. Plus, they offer a hearty texture that goes well with this dish.

How to Cook Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an incredible base for so many of my meals and is very easy to prepare. I always make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot since it takes just a couple minutes and produces fluffy quinoa every time! Quinoa is filling and nutritious; it's loaded with fiber (over five grams in one serving!) and is considered a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. It actually has more protein than any other grain, which is so important for vegans. Quinoa is also a good source of folate, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, and many phytochemicals in addition to containing calcium, potassium, copper, and zinc.

If you prefer the stovetop route, be sure to check out my Perfectly Cooked Quinoa: Stovetop Method here. It is total magic and you will never cook it any other way once you try it!

How to Make Hemp Seed Pesto

I absolutely swear by making this easy homemade nut-free and dairy-free pesto from scratch in your own kitchen! You can perfectly adjust and fine-tune the flavors so it is exactly how you like it. You can prep it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it! My hemp seed pesto recipe requires only four ingredients and is so addictive. It makes this dish!

If pesto isn't your thing, check out my other sauce and dressing recipes such as a creamy roasted garlic dip!

If pesto is your thing but you don't have hemp seeds, any pesto version will do such as classic basil pesto, pistachio pesto, kale pesto or even parsley arugula walnut pesto!

How to Roast Vegetables

Roasting vegetables is actually really easy! All you need to do is chop each vegetable into roughly ½-inch chunks and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil overtop and season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss the veggies to make sure they are evenly coated, and then spread the vegetables across the baking sheet in one layer. Then pop it in the oven for 30 minutes (tossing halfway) and you're done!

Pro Tip:

When roasting the vegetables, do not overcrowd the baking sheet. If the vegetables are too close together, they will steam and get soggy rather than crisping up. Use a second baking sheet if necessary.

More Quinoa Bowls

All of these quinoa recipes are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free and refined sugar-free too.

• Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma Quinoa Bowls
• Crispy Quinoa Falafel Bowls
• Roasted Beet Noodles Over Quinoa with Parsley Pesto
• Moroccan Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Veggies & Crispy Chickpeas over Quinoa with Garlic Maple Tahini Sauce
• One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad
• One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans
• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Quinoa Salad
• Mexican Quinoa Casserole with Black Beans
• Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

For more recipes featuring quinoa, see a roundup of some of my favorites: Pantry Staples That Do It All: Quinoa.

Let's make these quinoa veggie pesto bowls!

This recipe is so satisfying and offers complete sources of plant-based protein from the quinoa and the hemp seed pesto.

My ten year old daughter loves this meal as is with everything served together but my five and eight year old prefer everything served separately as a component-based or deconstructed meal. Either way, it is one meal the entire family can enjoy on busy weeknights.