Description
Savor Mediterranean quinoa bowls dancing with roasted red pepper sauce, blending fresh herbs and zesty flavors. Mediterranean cuisine brings robust ingredients together in a simple, nourishing meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (3 cups cooked)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup kalamata olives, halved
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- ½ cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 20 min if not using high-speed blender)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Water, to thin as needed
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley, baby spinach, or arugula
Instructions
- Quinoa Preparation: Thoroughly rinse quinoa under cold running water. Transfer to a medium saucepan with water, bringing to a vigorous boil. Reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for approximately 15 minutes until liquid is completely absorbed. Gently fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Creation: Combine roasted red peppers, pre-soaked cashews, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a high-powered blender. Pulse and blend until achieving a velvety, uniform consistency. Adjust texture by introducing small amounts of water if sauce appears too thick.
- Bowl Assembly: Evenly distribute the cooked quinoa across serving vessels. Artfully layer and distribute cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, whole chickpeas, sliced kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and optional fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
- Final Presentation: Generously drizzle the vibrant roasted red pepper sauce over each quinoa bowl, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Serve immediately while ingredients remain fresh and temperature is optimal.
Notes
- Remove bitter saponin coating by washing quinoa under cold water before cooking, ensuring a cleaner, more pleasant taste.
- Add water gradually while blending to achieve perfect creamy texture without making sauce too thin or watery.
- Soak cashews in hot water for faster softening if short on time, helping create smoother, more velvety sauce.
- Swap feta with nutritional yeast for vegan version or add grilled chicken for extra protein, making bowl adaptable to different dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 10mg