I love trying to find new ways to bring more quinoa into my life. Here is a wonderful recipe that I call Roasted Veggie Quinoa Salad, and I have to say, it is damn good! Roasting the veggies and pumpkin seeds give it such a rich flavor and that mixed with the creamy Cucumber Cashew Ranch dressing, quinoa and green makes this my new favorite salad.
I only had sweet potatoes and onions on hand for this shoot but really, you can bring any veggie you can think of into this. The sweet potatoes give a creaminess that I think, should always be part of the veggies you choose.
Products I use in this Recipe
The following list provides products that I use to prepare this recipe at home. This list contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I share these links with you to help you choose products that you may be unfamiliar with. Shop around because most of these products are available at your neighborhood grocery or local health food store. See my disclosure for details on affiliate links.
- If you have never heard of or tried quinoa, this link provides good deals for larger purchase options. There are many good deals online but you can also get it at almost every grocery store.
- Raw Cashews are usually very expensive at natural food stores. Did you know you can get a great deal online if you buy in bulk? With lots of cashews on hand you can make all these other cashew recipes, yum!
- I prefer to cook oil free when possible. To achieve crispy roasted veggies without oil I use a silicone baking sheet.
| Prep Time | 15 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 Minutes |
| Servings |
People
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- 1 Cup uncooked quinoa
- greens of your choice
- 2 Cups veggies of your choice roasted
- 4 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds roasted
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- cucumber cashew ranch link provided above in the post or below in recipe notes
Ingredients
Salad
Toppings
Dressing
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- Prepare the Cucumber Cashew Ranch dressing per the instructions and chill. Link provided above in the post or below in recipe notes
- Cook the quinoa according to the package directions and set aside to cool with the lid off.
- Chop 2 cups of veggies of your choice. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking oil or use a silicone baking sheet (no oil method). Roast vegetables in the oven at 425, flipping once to brown both sides.
- Check the veggies often because softer veggies like onions cook quicker than harder ones like sweet potatoes. Cook until they are soft enough to pierce with a fork and are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Once the veggies are in the oven the quinoa should be cooled enough to place into the fridge. Stir the uncovered quinoa and chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Place the 4 Tablespoons of pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan and toss at a medium-high heat until they start to sizzle and are heated through. Remove from the heat but keep them in the pan to slightly brown. Make sure to check them to ensure they do not burn.
- Place greens of your choice onto a serving plate. Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of cooled quinoa.
- Evenly distribute the roasted veggies on top of the quinoa. Top with the roasted pumpkin seeds and dressing. Add salt & pepper if desired. ENJOY!
PLEASE NOTE: Prepare the creamy Cucumber Cashew Ranch Dressing ahead of time.
