This vibrant Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables recipe features colorful veggies roasted to perfection, then tossed in a garlic-balsamic dressing. It's nutrient-dense, easy to assemble, and great made in advance! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This meal will literally brighten your day with fresh, vibrant colors from the veggie rainbow!
Plus it's so easy to assemble. We roast the vegetables to tender perfection, add some fluffy quinoa, then toss it all together with a garlic-balsamic dressing and fresh herbs. It's so nourishing, delicious, and healthy!
Best of all, this dish is super flexible and great made in advance. So you can enjoy it as a healthy side dish, grab-and-go lunch, light weeknight dinner, or for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep.
Also in the summer months, feel free to use grilled veggies instead of oven-roasted!
Ingredients for Quinoa Roasted Vegetables
For this recipe you'll need:
- White quinoa: Quinoa is a complete protein which means it contains all nine essential amino acids. It's also rich in several vitamins and minerals like folate, iron, and zinc.
- Asparagus: You'll need a 1-pound bunch of asparagus, then we'll snap off the woody ends. Peak asparagus season typically runs in the spring from April through May. So that's a great time to include it when the nutrients and flavor are best, and the cost is lowest. Asparagus is rich in folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A. It also includes health-promoting phytonutrients and antioxidants like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
- Bell peppers: I use one yellow and one orange for maximum rainbow colors, but you can use red bell peppers if desired.
- Red onion
- Grape tomatoes: Or cherry tomatoes. These are so rich, flavorful, and juicy when roasted!
- Fresh baby spinach: Or substitute another leafy green such as finely chopped kale or arugula.
- Fresh basil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Italian seasoning: Or you can use other herbs like dried oregano, basil, etc.
- Salt: I use fine grain sea salt. You can also add black pepper to taste.
Customizing
Veggies: Add mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet potatoes, etc. (Just be mindful that some veggies may have a longer roasting time.) It's a great recipe to play around with depending on your own favorites or seasonal vegetables However I do recommend including the grape tomatoes if possible. They develop such bold, wonderful flavor after they roast and blister in the oven.
Herbs & flavors: Add different fresh herbs like fresh parsley, dill, or cilantro. Or whisk in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, or black pepper to the dressing.
Adding oil: I prepare the dressing oil-free, but you can whisk in about a tablespoon of good quality extra-virgin olive oil if desired. (You can also roast your veggies with a drizzle of oil if you prefer.)
Serving
Garnish: Pine nuts or vegan crumbled feta cheese are also tasty additions to stir in before serving. The dressing is subtle (because I like to highlight the roasted veggies in this dish) but you can add a splash more balsamic vinegar for bolder flavor.
More protein: Stir in beans like garbanzo beans (chickpeas), navy beans, or other white beans. Or serve this alongside grilled or baked tofu.
How to serve: Enjoy as a side dish or light main dish! It's great served immediately at room temperature or chilled. Plus the leftovers are delicious, so it's a perfect dish to make ahead for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, and take-along lunches. (I enjoy the leftovers cold like a quinoa salad.)
Storing
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. I find they keep well for about 4-5 days in the fridge.
For more inspiration, browse all vegan quinoa recipes.
Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables (Rainbow-Style!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
- 1 lb. bunch asparagus
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2-3 Tbsp. fresh basil
For the garlic-balsamic dressing:
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a large baking pan with parchment paper (or Silpat).
- Remove the tough, woody ends from the asparagus and discard. (I gently bend the spears so they naturally break where the tough part begins.) Then cut the spears into about 1 to 1.5-inch pieces. Place on baking pan.
- Dice the bell peppers and red onion into small, bite-sized pieces and place on the pan. Add the grape tomatoes. Salt the veggies if desired, or add other seasonings if you wish. (I roast them oil-free, but you can add a small drizzle of oil.)
- Place in the oven. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes have blistered and veggies are desired tenderness.
- While veggies roast, cook the quinoa: Place 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained) in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until fluffy.
- In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and set aside.
- When quinoa is done cooking, immediately place in a large bowl and toss with the spinach. (The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach.)
- Then add the dressing, roasted vegetables, and fresh basil (thinly sliced). Gently stir to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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Gloriana McElheny says
Not a fan of balsamic vinegar. Any recommendations for subs, or could I just leave it out entirely?
Kaitlin says
Hi Gloriana! (Beautiful name!) You could try red wine vinegar, but if you're not a fan of that either just leave it out. Or maybe lemon juice and fresh herbs? Would love to hear if you give it a go!
Gloriana McElheny says
Thanks! I left out the dressing entirely and shook some garlic powder over the veggies before roasting. Next time will add garlic to the roast, and also garlic powder and other dried herbs to the quinoa!
Kaitlin says
So great! Good thinking. Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy says
Just made this for lunch. I had no cherry tomatoes, so I just chopped the Roma I had on hand and used the pre-sliced pepper medley from the freezer. Everything else I made as directed. It was devoured!! I will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe.
Kaitlin says
That's wonderful, Amy! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing.
Stephie says
I love your site and have tried and truly enjoyed many of your recipes. I made this for dinner tonight and my husband literally couldn't stop eating it! Thank you! Keep your awesome recipes coming!
Kaitlin says
Thanks so much for the sweet comment, Stephie. Thrilled you're finding recipes you enjoy!
Stephanie DuCharme says
I just stumbled upon your blog and I am already in love. I tried this dish yesterday and it was great. There are so many other recipes I can't wait to try. I've already shared your page with several of my friends who are all equally excited!
Kaitlin says
Hey Stephanie, that's awesome! Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing it with others.