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    Pinch Me Good! » Healthy Side Dishes » Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

    Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

    January 15, 2019 by Amy Estes 4 Comments

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    Please note that some of the links are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links.

    Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables – Fluffy quinoa, herby lemony basil pesto, and perfectly roasted veggies all mixed together to form this hearty, satisfying and delicious recipe that is gluten-free, vegetarian and comes together in 30 minutes or less!

    I always have quinoa ready to go in my fridge. It has been a staple for my meal prep since I became a mom of two.

    It is a great ingredient to keep stocked in the fridge, cooked and ready to add to salads, quinoa patties, Mediterranean sweet potatoes with quinoa, veggie burgers or mixed in this pesto quinoa with roasted vegetable dish.

    You can also replace rice with quinoa in stir-fry’s or eat it as a side dish all on its own, flavored with some olive oil and fresh herbs. So may options — all excellent ways to enjoy this protein, packed amino acid powered, delicious, gluten-free grain.

    In this recipe, I paired some cooked quinoa with perfectly roasted, tender veggies and herby, lemony, basil pesto. It turned out to be a great combo of ingredients and very easy to throw together.

    Also, such a great healthy side dish to bring for get- together’s or to have on the table for any meal.

    Ingredients needed or this pesto quinoa with roasted vegetables

    • Cooked quinoa
    • Store-bought pesto or homemade (see recipe for homemade pesto instructions)
    • Olive oil
    • Salt and pepper
    • Chopped veggies – Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms
    • Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder

    How to make pesto quinoa with roasted vegetables

    This recipe comes together fairly quickly and can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. How awesome is that?

    First things first, roast the veggies. So easy.

    • Place all of the veggies in a bowl, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder and chili powder, and toss.
    • Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes and they come out perfect every time!

    While the veggies are cooking you can make the quinoa and pesto.

    You can make the quinoa or you can use store-bought, pre-cooked quinoa to save some time.

    To make the quinoa:

    • Add one cup of quinoa to a small-medium sized pot.
    • Add in 2 cups of vegetable stock or water. I like to use vegetable stock since it helps add flavor to the quinoa while it cooks.
    • Bring it to a boil on the stovetop, cover and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and season it with salt and pepper.

    Make the pesto. So easy and packed with herby, lemony, garlic flavor. You can make it in just a few simple steps.

    1. Add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse while streaming in the olive oil.
    2. Add the pistachios and blend until everything is combined into a silky yet still slightly chunky incredible pesto.
    • 1. Add pesto ingredients to a food processor
    • 2. Pulse to combine into a silky semi-smooth sauce and add the nuts
    • 3. Pulse some more to break down the nuts

    Finally, put it all together: Add the cooked quinoa + roasted vegetables to a large bowl or pot and lightly toss. Pour in the pesto and toss to coat everything in the sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!!!

    It’s so good and works perfectly for packing lunch all week long.

    Recipe Variations

    • Make this low-carb. For a low-carb option, you can swap the quinoa with cauliflower rice. You can spread the cauliflower rice onto a baking sheet, drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast it for about 10 minutes with the veggies and then mix it in with the veggies and pesto. So good! Although, If I have the carbs left for the day, I prefer the quinoa of course.
    • Add some extra protein. This recipe is great for adding any extra proteins you have on hand like chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, or even sliced grilled chicken.
    • Make this vegan. Simply omit the parmesan in the pesto and this is fully vegan and dairy-free. You could also sub the parmesan with vegan parmesan cheese if you still want that cheesy taste without the dairy.
    • Change up the veggies. Use any veggies that are good for roasting like cauliflower, parsnips, or butternut squash.

    Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment and rating below.

    Update: This recipe and post have been updated to include better step by step photos, recipe variations, and an updated recipe card.

    Print
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    Pesto quinoa with roasted veggies

    Pesto Quinoa With Roasted Vegetables


    • Author: Amy Estes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 8 people 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Fluffy quinoa, herby lemony basil pesto and perfectly roasted veggies all mixed together to form this hearty, satisfying and delicious recipe that is gluten-free, vegetarian and comes together in 30 minutes or less!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the roasted vegetables

    • 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
    • 1 green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
    • 1/2 red or white onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
    • 1 cup fresh broccoli (chopped)
    • 1 cup sliced baby bella or button mushrooms
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp garlic powder
    • 1 tbsp onion powder
    • 1 tbsp chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
    • 1/8 tsp black pepper

    For the quinoa

    • 1 cup dry quinoa
    • 2 cups vegetable stock or water

    For the basil pesto

    • 1 cup fresh basil
    • 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
    • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
    • 1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 3 tbsp pistachios

    Instructions

    Roast the veggies

    1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place all of the chopped veggies into a medium-size mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat all of the veggies. Place the veggies in a single layer onto the baking sheet and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and set aside.

    Cook the quinoa

    1. Add the dry quinoa to a medium-size pot. Pour in the veggie stock and stir. Bring the quinoa and stock to a boil on the stovetop, cover, reduce to simmer and let that cook for 12-15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper.

    Make the homemade pesto

    1. Place all ingredients except the olive oil and pistachios into a food processor and pulse while drizzling in the olive oil until everything is combined. Add in the pistachios and pulse a few times to break them down.

    Assemble

    1. Pour the quinoa and roasted veggies into a large serving bowl and toss. Add in the pesto and stir to combine everything together. Serve warm and enjoy!!!!!

    Notes

    • Make this low-carb. For a low-carb option, you can swap the quinoa with cauliflower rice. You can spread the cauliflower rice onto a baking sheet, drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast it for about 10 minutes with the veggies and then mix it in with the veggies and pesto. So good! Although, If I have the carbs left for the day, I prefer the quinoa of course.
    • Add some extra protein. This recipe is great for adding any extra proteins you have on hand like chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, or even sliced grilled chicken.
    • Make this vegan. Simply omit the parmesan in the pesto and this is fully vegan and dairy-free. You could also sub the parmesan with vegan parmesan cheese if you still want that cheesy taste without the dairy.
    • Change up the veggies. Use any veggies that are good for roasting like cauliflower, parsnips, or butternut squash.
    • This stores in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also store the ingredients separately for up to 4 days.
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Category: Healthy Side Dishes
    • Method: Roasted
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean

    Keywords: roasted vegetables, quinoa, homemade pesto, pesto quinoa

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @pinchmegoodfood on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchmegoodfood

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    Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Healthy Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Meals

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer Ward

      October 26, 2019 at 2:24 pm

      So tasty! This will be a great lunch go-to. I cheated with a jar of organic pesto and a squeeze of lemon upon discovering I didn’t have any basil and the grocery store was out.

      Reply
      • Amy Estes

        October 26, 2019 at 8:45 pm

        That’s great Jennifer! So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Maureen

      November 10, 2019 at 8:58 am

      I made this today and it was amazing! I will definitely make this delicious dish again.

      Reply
      • Amy Estes

        November 10, 2019 at 9:18 am

        Hi Maureen! So glad you liked it!

        Reply

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    I'm Amy and I'm so excited to share my best healthy recipes and tips with you. I hope I can inspire you to eat better, feel better, and get back in the kitchen. Read More…

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