Warm Quinoa Roasted Vegetables (Printable)

Nutritious quinoa paired with roasted root vegetables and a zesty lemon dressing for a warm salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Root Vegetables

01 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
02 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
03 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
04 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Quinoa

09 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
10 - 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Salad Additions

12 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional, omit for vegan)
13 - ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
14 - ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

15 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
19 - ½ teaspoon salt
20 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
02 - Toss the diced carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and red onion wedges with olive oil, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper on a baking sheet. Spread evenly and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until caramelized and tender.
03 - Combine rinsed quinoa, vegetable broth, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork afterward.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Combine the cooked quinoa, roasted root vegetables, crumbled feta (if using), toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Drizzle with the lemon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
06 - Serve the salad warm, optionally garnished with extra parsley or feta cheese.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
  • You can swap in whatever root vegetables are sitting in your fridge and it still works.
  • The quinoa soaks up the vinaigrette in a way that makes every bite satisfying.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels virtuous but doesn't taste like punishment.
02 -
  • If you don't rinse the quinoa, it can taste soapy or bitter from the natural coating called saponin.
  • Roasting at a high temperature is essential, anything lower and the vegetables won't caramelize properly.
  • Don't dress the salad until right before serving or the quinoa will soak up all the vinaigrette and dry out.
03 -
  • Let the quinoa cool slightly before tossing it with the vegetables so the feta doesn't melt into a puddle.
  • If you want the pumpkin seeds extra crunchy, toast them in a dry skillet until they start to pop.
  • Make a double batch of the vinaigrette and keep it in a jar, it's good on almost any grain or green salad.

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