If you are simply craving something filling and flavorful - this dish is for you!! These Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Tahini sauce are packed with some of my favorites - sweet potatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, avocado and feta cheese (omit for vegan)! But as with most of my recipes, this is a chance to take what I share and make it your OWN! Naturally vegan and gluten free makes them a great choice for guests and casual dinner parties.
The older I get the more I crave veggies and whole grains - but don't get me wrong I still love a good cookie! This bowl is PACKED with delicious flavor and the best part is it can all be made ahead of time so it's the perfect meal prep dish. I think of a bowl kind of like a salad - this particular bowl doesn't have to be enjoyed piping hot, honestly I love it all at room temperature or even cold.
I've packed gluten free fluffy quinoa as our base with some of my favorite roasted veggies: sweet potatoes (or yams) and cauliflower, similar to my arnabeet recipe. Along with fresh cucumbers, spinach, avocado, beans, feta cheese and a delicious tahini sauce.
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Ingredients
I love all these ingredients but as always, you can certainly substitute to make your own! Check out some of my ideas below.
- Quinoa - If you have never had quinoa before it's quite lovely. Similar to rice but a bit lighter and fluffier with a slightly nutty flavor. We're spicing ours up with a bit of Arab mixed spices.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Yams) - Whether you choose sweet potatoes or yams - they are both incredible roasted! I'm using these Japanese sweet potatoes which are so sweet and just have a lovely flavor. A few spices and they are the perfect snack.
- Roasted Cauliflower - Roasted cauliflower is one of our household favorites! I will often make on the Blackstone. A quick oven roast with some spices will have your house smelling incredible. Snack on it all week long!
- Beans - I love hearty and rich cannellini beans but any bean would work, or sub with your favorite protein: chicken, salmon or steak.
- Fresh Greens - A combination of fresh spinach, cucumbers and avocado brighten the bowl.
- Feta Cheese - Tangy, creamy and packs a bit of flavor - feta is a favorite on this bowl. (omit or sub vegan cheese to keep vegan)
- Tahini - We're using tahini as our dressing base, it gives the bowl richness and creaminess without using dairy.
- Other essentials + spices - mixed/7 spices (or allspice), cinnamon, Aleppo pepper (or paprika), olive oil, honey (or maple syrup for vegan), lemon, toum (or fresh garlic), shallot, salt & pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
I love these Mediterranean Quinoa bowls because you can make all the components ahead of time then enjoy when you are ready. It makes meal planning super easy and enjoyable.
Be sure to fully rinse your quinoa before cooking - this is a crucial step, otherwise you will be left with a bitter taste due to a natural chemical that coats the seeds. Once rinsed, cook your quinoa according to package instructions - I am using 2 cups quinoa to 4 cups water. Add in butter, mixed/7 spices and salt for extra flavor. Bring everything to a boil, then allow to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Fluff when done.
Prep your sweet potatoes by washing, you can peel if you'd like, I prefer to keep the skins on. Trim the ends and then cut into ½" rounds (or half circles). Toss with salt, black pepper, olive oil, cinnamon, Aleppo pepper and toum (or garlic powder). Roast in the very most upper rack for 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, flip then for another 10 minutes until soft and golden around edges.
Prepare your cauliflower to roast with your sweet potatoes. Begin by cutting your cauliflower in half then remove the core and leaves. Once removed, slice the cauliflower into "steaks" for thinner cut pieces. Cut again into small individual pieces/florets. Repeat for the remaining half. Coat in the same spices as the sweet potatoes: salt, black pepper, olive oil, cinnamon, Aleppo pepper and toum (or garlic powder). Place a rack at the VERY bottom of your oven and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, toss then roast for another 10 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
Prepare your sauce while your veggies are roasting. In a small bowl combine your tahini sauce ingredients: tahini, honey, olive oil, toum or minced garlic, minced shallot, lemon juice and water Whisk together and finally salt to taste. The sauce should be a little thick but drip easily off a spoon. The water is ESSENTIAL to thinning the sauce and give it a lighter, brighter feel. Add more water if you'd like a thinner sauce. This is a play on a traditional taratore sauce found in many Lebanese dishes.
Once your quinoa is cooked, veggies are roasted and sauce is made - the rest is up to you! Assemble your bowl to your liking. I love adding fresh cucumber, spinach, white cannellini beans, avocado and feta cheese. In the summer months I will more than likely add in fresh tomatoes (they just aren't great right now so no need to include), maybe some fresh green beans or radishes? Whatever you have on hand and want to include to make special. Top with your tahini sauce and ENJOY!!!!
The true components of this recipe are the quinoa and tahini sauce, the rest is up to you! You can add in whatever fresh or roasted veggies you have on hand and I know it will taste amazing!
Other Ideas
I love the variations you can do with this recipe, here are a few things that you can swap out seasonally or based on what you have in your fridge:
- Protein - Add some grilled chicken or salmon to your bowl to change it up.
- Other roasted veggies - I think roasting carrots and zucchini would be lovely in the summer, maybe even some corn for a variation.
- Fresh veggies - Tomatoes in the summer months are a MUST, fresh watermelon radish, maybe even some fresh or roasted fennel. Beets in the fall.
- Grains - Quinoa is naturally gluten free so this is a great option for vegan and gluten free friends. You can also make with wild rice or even farro.
Equipment
- Nordic Half Sheet Pans - One of my most used tools in the kitchen are my sheet pans - here are some great ones if you're looking for some. Half sheet pans are the ideal size for traditional home ovens.
- Whisk - Whisks and spatulas are used HEAVILY in my kitchen, I love this one by GIR - they make really great, sturdy products. This smaller size is perfect for sauces and dressings.
Storage & Reheating
Everything is safe to store for 4-5 days in the fridge, keep separated and assemble when ready to enjoy.
Cooked quinoa can be packaged and frozen for up to 3 months. Tahini Sauce is great in the fridge for 2-3 weeks in a sealed container.
You can reheat your quinoa, cauliflower and sweet potatoes in the microwave or warm in the oven before enjoying. I also don't mind just heating the quinoa and everything else cold or room temp. Add your fresh ingredients and enjoy together.
Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Tahini Sauce {vegan and gluten free}
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 bowls 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These power packed Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Tahini Sauce will keep you full and satisfied. All the components come together easily and married with the most delicious sauce! Perfect for weekend meal prep. Naturally gluten free and can be made entirely vegan.
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 2 cups dry quinoa, fully rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons mixed/7 spice, you can also sub allspice or cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, half if using table salt
Roasted Veggies
- 3-4 sweet potatoes or yams, cleaned and sliced into ½" rounds
- 1 large head of cauliflower, core removed and sliced into florets
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, half if using table salt
- 5-6 grinds of black pepper, divided
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper, divided
- 4 heaping teaspoons toum, divided (sub 4 teaspoons garlic powder, divided)
Bowl Add-Ins
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 ripe avocados, cubed
- handful of fresh spinach, as needed
- 1 large English cucumber or several persian cucumbers, diced
- ½ cup feta cheese per bowl, or as much as you'd like (omit for vegan)
Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup tahini, be sure you mix well
- 4 Tablespoons honey, use maple syrup to keep vegan
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heaping teaspoons of toum, or 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ⅔ cup lemon juice, about 3 lemons
- ½ cup water, add more as needed
- salt to taste
Instructions
Quinoa
- Begin by rinsing your quinoa in a colander. Quinoa must be rinsed prior to cooking due to a natural chemical that coats the seeds and gives a bitter taste.
- Prepare your quinoa according to package instructions. Add 2 cups of rinsed quinoa to a pot along with 4 cups of water, butter, salt and mixed/7 spice and cook on high heat. Allow to come to a boil then reduce to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until fluffy.
- 2 cups dry quinoa, fully rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons mixed/7 spice, you can also sub allspice or cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, half if using table salt
- Allow to cool and set aside.
Roasted Veggies
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place one rack on the highest shelf and one on the very bottom lowest.
- Begin by trimming and cutting your sweet potatoes and cauliflower.
- Clean your sweet potatoes well, trim the ends and cut into ½" rounds or half circles. You can remove the skin if you'd like - I like to keep on. Toss the sweet potatoes onto a half sheet pan.
- 3-4 sweet potatoes or yams, cleaned and sliced into ½" rounds
- Cut your cauliflower in half then remove the core and leaves from both sides. Cut again into quarters and begin cutting slicing the cauliflower to achieve ¼" thin slices. Once sliced, cut into small florets and place on a 2nd half sheet pan.
- 1 large head of cauliflower, core removed and sliced into florets
- You are going to add the following spices to EACH sheet pan -
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, half if using table salt
- 2-3 grinds of black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 2 heaping teaspoons toum, divided (sub 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided)
- With clean hands, mix each sheet pan veggie with your spices and oil until all pieces are fully coated. Take some time to arrange them so they have enough room to roast without overlapping.
- Place your sweet potato tray on the top tier of the oven and your cauliflower on the bottom rack, roast for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, flip your sweet potatoes and shimmy your cauliflower. Pop back into the oven for another 10 minutes until golden brown, caramelized and slightly charred.
- Set aside to make bowls.
Tahini Sauce
- In a bowl whisk all your ingredients together except your water and salt.
- 1 cup tahini, be sure you mix well
- 4 Tablespoons honey, use maple syrup to keep vegan
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heaping teaspoons of toum, or 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ⅔ cup lemon juice, about 3 lemons
- Once fully whisked, add your water, adjust as needed to make the consistency you'd like your sauce. Salt to taste, about 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 of table salt.
- ½ cup water, add more as needed
- salt to taste
Assemble
- Place a layer of cooked quinoa in a shallow bowl.
- Add some fresh spinach leaves, I like to tear mine apart.
- Add your sweet potatoes and cauliflower
- Finally the rest of your add-ins:
- cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ripe avocados, cubed
- English cucumber or several persian cucumbers, diced
- crumbled feta, (omit for vegan)
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