Fall Quinoa Salad
As soon as the weather shifts, even just a little, I find myself craving roasted veggies and crisp fall flavors. That’s exactly why I make this fall quinoa salad on repeat, it’s hearty, colorful, and full of everything you want in a cozy bowl. The combination of roasted vegetables, apples, quinoa, and chickpeas makes every bite satisfying, and once you drizzle on the maple tahini dressing, you’ll be hooked. I make a double batch of the dressing every time because it’s just that good; I end up pouring it over everything from grain bowls to roasted potatoes.
I first shared a version of this fall buddha bowl recipe back in 2015, and since then it’s always one of my most popular seasonal recipes on my site. I’ve tested it countless times with different fall veggies and can honestly say it’s one of those recipes that never disappoints. Whether you stick with the original combo or swap in your favorites, you’ll have a flavorful, filling quinoa salad that works all season long.
If you love quinoa bowls as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to try my sweet potato quinoa bowl, refreshing green goddess bowl, or flavorful Asian buddha bowl. Each one is packed with bold flavors and makes a satisfying, easy meal you’ll want on repeat.
Ingredient spotlight
Here are some of the ingredients I think are important to call out, the full list of ingredients is below in the recipe card.
- Sweet potatoes or butternut squash – this helps give a little sweetness to the dish and makes it super filling.
- Brussels sprouts – roasted brussel sprouts are my all time favorite veggie. You could swap in some broccoli or cauliflower as well here.
- Red onion – if you haven’t tried roasting red onion, you are missing out. It becomes so sweet and it might be my favorite part of this dish.
- Chickpeas – I love adding chickpeas to my quinoa salads to make them more filling. Any white bean would do here. Or you could swap some chopped cooked chicken or chicken sausage to change it up.
- Apple – I like to use fuji apples since they are sweet but also very firm (not mealy like other apples). You could also use pink ladies or granny smith apples if you prefer a less sweet apple.
- Spinach, arugula or kale – just for the base of this salad. If you use kale, you can make this a meal prep salad.
- Tahini – tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds (like almond butter or peanut butter). Tahini is often used in middle eastern dishes, but I love it as a base for salad dressing. You can also use almond butter, sunbutter or cashew butter to make this recipe as well.
How to make a fall grain bowl
Cut the brussel sprouts down into quarters. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes. Cut the red onion down into large bite size pieces. Add sweet potato, brussel sprouts and red onion to a baking sheet. Drizzle the brussels sprouts and red onion with the olive oil. Sprinkle the salt and garlic powder over the brussels sprouts. Bake in a 425F oven for 30-35 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender (cooking time will vary based on how big you cut your sweet potatoes). Bake in a 425F oven for 30-35 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender (cooking time will vary based on how big you cut your sweet potatoes). While veggies are roasting, cook quinoa in the instant pot or the stove. For the instant pot, add water and cook 1 minute high pressure. Make the dressing by combining the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt. Thinly slide the apples right before serving. Assemble the bowls: Allow the veggies and quinoa to cool at least 5 minutes before assembling so they don’t wilt the salad greens. Divide the salad greens between 4 dishes. Top the salad with the roasted veggies, apples, quinoa (about ¾ cup each bowl) and the chickpeas. Then pour the dressing over top.
Top tips for making a fall buddha bowl
- Save time with make-ahead quinoa – Cook a big batch in the Instant Pot, store extras in the fridge, or freeze portions for up to 3 months. You can also buy frozen cooked quinoa (Whole Food’s has it!) or even swap in frozen brown rice or quick-cooking rice.
- Crunchy chickpeas – Roast the chickpeas for a fun crouton-like crunch. Just toss with oil and salt, bake at 450°F for 25 minutes, then let them rest in the oven with the heat off before cooling.
- Massage the kale – If you’re using raw kale as your base, rub it with a spoonful of the maple tahini dressing before mixing it into the salad. This helps soften the leaves and makes them so much more enjoyable.
Fall Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
Buddha Bowl
- 2 medium red onion, cut into large pieces
- 4 cups sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups quinoa (cooked)
- 1.5 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium apple (fuji, pink lady or granny smith), thinly sliced
- 8 cups organic arugula or baby spinach
Maple Tahini Dressing
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Place parchment paper on an extra large baking sheet or line 2 regular baking sheets with parchment.
- Cube the sweet potatoes, add them to the baking sheet.4 cups sweet potatoes, cubed
- Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters, add them to the baking sheet.1 pound brussels sprouts, quartered
- Cut the onions into large chunks. Cut the onion in half, remove the skin. Cut each half into strips lengthwise then again widthwise to make large cubes.2 medium red onion, cut into large pieces
- Drizzle the brussel sprouts and onions with olive oil. Sprinkle the brussels with the salt and garlic powder. Stir the brussels to ensure they are well seasoned.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Place in a 425F oven for 30-35 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft and fully cooked.
- While the veggies are roasting, cook the quinoa if needed. You will need 3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry + 1.5 cups of water).3 cups quinoa (cooked)
- Make the Maple Tahini Dressing by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or jar and whisking with a small whisk or fork to ensure no lumps.⅓ cup tahini, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.1.5 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Allow quinoa and veggies to cool at least 5 minutes before assembling the bowls.
- Add 1/4 of the salad greens to the bowl. Add 1/4 of the quinoa, veggies, and chickpeas to the bowl.8 cups organic arugula or baby spinach
- Thinly slice the apple and divide it between the bowls. Pour the dressing over and serve.1 medium apple (fuji, pink lady or granny smith), thinly sliced
Recipe Notes
- Rinse the quinoa – Be sure to rinse quinoa well before cooking to remove any bitterness or soapy taste.
- Cut sweet potatoes small – Dice the sweet potatoes into small cubes so they roast quickly and evenly.
- No need to peel – You can leave the skin on the sweet potatoes; it roasts up tender and adds great texture.
How to Cook Quinoa
- Stovetop: Rinse quinoa well, then add 1 cup quinoa + 1.5 cups water to a pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Simmer 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- Instant Pot: Rinse quinoa well, then add 1 cup quinoa + 1.5 cups water. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute, then let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes before opening. Fluff with a fork.
Nutrition Information
Other veggies to use
This fall quinoa salad is flexible – you can swap in just about any roasted veggie you love. Here are some of my favorite options:
- Carrots – cut into 1-inch pieces before roasting.
- Beets (red or gold) – peel and cube into ½–1 inch pieces.
- Bell peppers – red, yellow, or orange work best. Slice into strips, then cut into bite-size pieces.
- Butternut squash – peel and cube into ½–1 inch pieces.
- Kabocha squash – no need to peel! Just cube and roast skin side down.
- Cauliflower – break into bite-size florets. Toss with olive oil and salt for best flavor.
- Broccoli – roast on a separate sheet pan since it cooks faster. Pull it from the oven at 25 minutes to avoid burning.
How to add more protein to this salad
Make this quinoa tahini salad even more filling by adding:
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Salmon or canned salmon bites
- Shrimp
- Apple chicken sausage
- Hemp hearts (vegan)
- Balsamic Tofu
Can I make this for meal prep?
Yes, this fall buddha bowl is perfect for meal prep.
Cook the quinoa, roast the veggies, and rinse the chickpeas up to 3–4 days in advance. Store everything in airtight containers in the fridge. The maple tahini dressing lasts up to 2 weeks, so you can prep that ahead too.
When you’re ready to eat, quickly reheat the veggies (oven or air fryer works great), slice a fresh apple, and assemble with salad greens. If you’re using kale, you can actually prep the whole salad ahead and enjoy it cold since it holds up well for a few days.
Storage
- Fridge: If you use kale as the base, you can store the entire salad kale and all in the fridge up to 3 days. Otherwise, store the individual components separately in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This looks so yummy!! and super healthy too!! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you again! Pinned!
This looks delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
My favourite cafe in the whole world serves a different Buddha Bowl each week and they’re the most delicious things! I have wanted to make my own at home but thought I would be so crap at putting one together, but this is really inspiring! I have Pinned it for later :-)
This bowl has me drooling. It’s a dish right up my alley. I am curious as to what makes a “Buddha bowl” a Buddha bowl. Is it the ingredients or the style or what.
This sounds and looks amazing. Thanks for sharing at the party! Pinned & sharing. I can’t wait to make a version of this recipe.
This sounds fantastic. I love how you incorporated fall flavors!
I could absolutely eat this every day too! I love a Buddha bowl, and I love the combination of veggies you used here – ALL the good stuff! I always make my own dressings and this one sounds super tasty. YUM, thanks for sharing!
You always have the coolest buddha bowl ideas! This is so colorful and pretty. I can’t wait to try it!
This looks so delicious! Definitely how I like to eat. Tahini also makes everything 100x better!