Vegetable and Legume Bowl (Printable)

Roasted seasonal vegetables and protein-rich legumes over hearty grains with tahini dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, brown rice, or farro
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Legumes

04 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 cup cooked green or brown lentils

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
08 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 2 cups broccoli florets
11 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

15 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
17 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
18 - Lemon wedges for serving

→ Tahini Dressing

19 - 2 tablespoons tahini
20 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
21 - 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
22 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
23 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven to 425°F and allow to reach full temperature.
02 - In a medium saucepan, bring water or broth with salt to a boil. Add chosen grains, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender (quinoa requires 15 minutes, brown rice 40 minutes, farro 25 minutes). Fluff finished grains with a fork.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss diced bell pepper, zucchini, onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli florets with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
04 - Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until vegetables are tender with light charring on edges.
05 - Heat cooked chickpeas and lentils in a small pan with a splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper for 2 to 3 minutes, if desired.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, and minced garlic until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed for easy drizzling.
07 - Divide cooked grains evenly among four bowls. Top each portion with roasted vegetables and warmed legumes. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing.
08 - Garnish each bowl with chopped fresh parsley, avocado slices, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes even better as leftovers, making meal prep feel effortless.
  • The combination of grains, legumes, and roasted vegetables hits every note your body actually wants, plus the tahini dressing ties everything together like a warm embrace.
02 -
  • Rinse canned beans thoroughly under cold water; this removes the sodium and the weird sticky liquid that can make your bowl taste canned instead of fresh.
  • Don't skip the toasting of pumpkin seeds or the charring of vegetables; these small steps are what separate a pleasant bowl from one you actually want to eat again.
03 -
  • Use a timer for your grains and vegetables; multitasking in the kitchen works better when you're not wondering if something's burning in the background.
  • Buy pre-cut vegetables if it means you're actually going to make this, because a bowl you eat is infinitely better than a perfect one that stays a plan.
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