Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

Sweet potato kale quinoa bowls are so easy to make and perfect for lunch or dinner. Great for meal prep too. This recipe is super filling, easy to customize and ready in about 45 minutes. Vegan, gluten free, dairy free.

Course dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword quinoa sweet potato bowl, sweet potato quinoa bowl, sweet potato quinoa kale bowls

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 388kcal

Author Samantha Rowland

Ingredients

1.25 pounds sweet potatoes
1 large head cauliflower
1 tbsp olive oil
1.25 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
1 medium red onion
1 bunch kale

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.
Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-1 inch cubes. Add the sweet potatoes to an extra large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cut the cauliflower into florets and add them to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, garlic powder, ground cumin to the cauliflower. Stir well to fully coat the cauliflower.
Add the cauliflower to the baking sheet along side of the sweet potatoes (use 2 separate baking sheets if you don't have an extra large one).
Bake the sweet potatoes and cauliflower in the 425F oven for 40 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven then stir.
While the cauliflower and sweet potatoes are roasting, make the quinoa in the instant pot or on the stove. Rinse quinoa, add it to the instant pot with 1.5 cups water.
Cook high pressure for 1 minute. Let natural release 10 minutes before manually releasing pressure.
Chop the red onion, destem the kale and chop it into bite size pieces.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spray with olive oil and add red onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
After 3-4 minutes, add the kale and 1/4 tsp. salt to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the kale to wilt further if needed.
Once everything is done cooking, divide the ingredients between 4 bowls. Add your favorite dressing and toppings.

Notes

What kind of dressing to add to this kale grain bowl

Maple tahini dressing – this is thick, creamy, and slightly sweet and would pair perfectly with these ingredients.
Creamy Balsamic Dressing – this creamy balsamic dressing is tangy, sweet, and creamy. This dressing is my go-to recipe for any fall themed salads or grain bowls.
Tahini Lime Dressing – this is tangy and creamy and the lime and spiced cauliflower would be perfect together.
Honey Mustard Dressing – Honey mustard is sweet, tangy and one of my favorite dressings to use on any quinoa bowl.
Almond Butter Turmeric Dressing – this dressing is slightly sweet from the maple syrup, slightly spicy from the added ginger and creamy. It pairs so well with the sweetness from the sweet potatoes and the cumin on the cauliflower.

Top tips

Be sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking it.
You can cook the quinoa in vegetable broth (or chicken broth) to give the quinoa even more flavor.
Use an extra-large baking sheet or break this between 2 baking sheets for the best cooking. You don't want to overcrowd the veggies while roasting or they will just steam.
Make a double batch of quinoa for this meal and use it in other recipes during the week or freeze it for use later in the month. You can freeze quinoa in 1/2 or 1 cup portions and defrost in the microwave in 2-3 minutes for easy use.
You can buy frozen cooked quinoa at stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods if you need to cut out a step out of the cooking process.
Time saving tip: Buy pre-chopped sweet potatoes and cauliflower florets (you may still want to cut these down to bite size pieces if you see large florets in the bag).
If you want to serve this more like a salad, skip cooking the kale and instead chop the onion into large pieces and roast it alongside the sweet potatoes and cauliflower.
If you don’t love the taste of kale, add about 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar to the kale as it cooks to help cut through some of the bitter flavor.

How to make quinoa on the stove

Rinse quinoa well.
Add quinoa and 1.75 cups of water to a pot with a well-fitting lid.
Bring quinoa and water to a boil, turn down to low, cover and cook 15 minutes.
Fluff with a fork after cooking.

Storing leftovers

Fridge: Store leftover sweet potato quinoa bowls in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store the ingredients separately or assemble them into bowls for easy meals later in the week. Be sure to wait to add dressing and any crunchy or creamy ingredients until right before serving.
Freezer: The ingredients can all be frozen for up to 3 months, but the sweet potatoes and cauliflower will have a different texture when defrosted, so I recommend freezing the leftovers separately and using them in different ways.

Nutrition