Seasonal Kale Bowl (Printable Version)
Tender kale combined with roasted seasonal vegetables, grains, and a tangy tahini dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
05 - 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
06 - 1 red onion, sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
→ Toppings
11 - ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
12 - ¼ cup dried cranberries
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Tahini Dressing
14 - ¼ cup tahini
15 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
17 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - On a baking sheet, toss sweet potato, butternut squash, and red onion with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and caramelized.
03 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - Massage chopped kale with a pinch of salt for 1 to 2 minutes until softened.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, water, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add more water as necessary to achieve a pourable consistency.
06 - Divide quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top with massaged kale, roasted vegetables, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and feta cheese if desired. Drizzle with tahini dressing.
07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate components separately and assemble just before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and feels fancy enough for dinner guests but simple enough for a Tuesday lunch.
- The tahini dressing is creamy without any cream, and one batch makes you feel like you've unlocked a kitchen secret.
- You can prep everything ahead and assemble in minutes, which means less stress and more time to actually eat.
02 -
- Don't skip massaging the kale—raw kale can feel tough and bitter, but a gentle massage transforms it into something almost buttery.
- If your tahini dressing breaks or looks separated, whisk in a little warm water and it'll come back together beautifully.
- Roasted vegetables will continue to soften slightly as they cool, so take them out of the oven while they still have a tiny bit of firmness.
03 -
- Assemble your bowl just before eating if you want the kale to stay tender and the roasted vegetables to stay warm and crispy.
- Make extra tahini dressing and keep it in the fridge—it lasts for nearly a week and tastes great on anything.