Roasted Root Vegetable Bowl (Printable Version)

Caramelized root vegetables over fluffy quinoa with creamy tahini drizzle.

# What You'll 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 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary

→ Quinoa

09 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
10 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
11 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Tahini Sauce

12 - ⅓ cup tahini
13 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

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.
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, garlic, salt, and maple syrup in a small bowl until smooth. Add more water as needed for desired consistency.
06 - Divide quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with roasted vegetables. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with parsley and seeds.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasted vegetables develop this deep, almost nutty sweetness that makes you forget you're eating something this wholesome.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, but hearty enough that nobody at the table will miss meat or feel like they're on a diet.
  • Everything except the garnish can be prepped while the oven does the heavy lifting—genuine comfort food that doesn't demand your constant attention.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa—the first time I didn't, the whole bowl tasted slightly bitter and I couldn't figure out why until a friend pointed it out.
  • The tahini sauce thickens as it sits, so make it looser than you think you want it and taste it right after whisking, not ten minutes later when it's set.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables as uniformly as possible so they finish roasting at the same time—uneven pieces either burn or stay undercooked, which throws off the whole experience.
  • If your tahini sauce breaks or seems grainy, whisk in cold water one teaspoon at a time rather than adding more oil, which will only make it worse.
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