Harvest Kale Quinoa Bowl (Printable View)

Roasted sweet potatoes and quinoa with massaged kale, pecans, cranberries, blue cheese, and lemon tahini dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables & Grains

01 - 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
02 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
03 - 4 cups kale, stems removed and chopped

→ Nuts & Fruit

04 - 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries

→ Cheese

06 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Lemon Tahini Dressing

07 - 1/4 cup tahini
08 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water for thinning
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pantry

14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for roasting
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage gently for 1 to 2 minutes until leaves are soft and darkened.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water as needed for a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing.
07 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate the components separately and assemble just before serving.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day thinking about lunch.
  • The lemon tahini dressing is so silky and tangy it makes everything else taste better, even the humble kale.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble when hunger strikes, which feels like having a secret advantage.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free without feeling like you're missing anything.
02 -
  • The massaged kale is non-negotiable, raw kale in a warm bowl is a texture clash that will make you question the whole thing.
  • Don't skip the tahini dressing step and just drizzle olive oil instead, the dressing is what transforms separate ingredients into something cohesive and craveable.
  • If your sweet potatoes are huge, cut them smaller so they roast evenly and actually get golden instead of steamed.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for 3 minutes before chopping if you have the time, it deepens their flavor and makes the entire bowl taste more intentional.
  • Keep the components separate if you're prepping ahead, the kale will stay crisp and the quinoa won't absorb all the dressing before you eat.
  • A vegetable peeler makes quick work of the sweet potato skin, and dicing uniform sizes means everything roasts at the exact same pace.
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