Harvest Kale Quinoa Bowl (Printable)

Nourishing bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, massaged kale, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in lemon tahini.

# 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, 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
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 the baking sheet and 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in less than an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it, which never gets old.
  • The lemon tahini dressing is so good you'll want to bottle it and keep it in your fridge forever.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble when hunger strikes, making weeknight dinners almost foolproof.
  • One bowl actually fills you up without feeling heavy, thanks to the quinoa and all those interesting textures competing for your attention.
02 -
  • The kale massage is not optional and not as weird as it sounds, because breaking down those tough fibers with salt and oil is what makes them edible and delicious instead of chewy and stubborn.
  • Don't add the dressing until you're about to eat unless you're okay with a softer, more salad-like texture, because tahini dressing gradually wilts everything it touches in the most pleasant way.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for two minutes before chopping if you want them to taste even nuttier and more pronounced against everything else.
  • If your tahini seems too thick or separated, whisk in a splash of warm water and it'll come back to life like it's happy to see you again.
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