Harvest Kale Quinoa Bowl (Printable)

Autumn bowl featuring roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, nuts, fruit, cheese, and zesty lemon tahini dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables & Grains

01 - 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
02 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
03 - 4 cups kale, stems removed, chopped

→ Nuts & Fruit

04 - 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries

→ Cheese

06 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Lemon Tahini Dressing

07 - 1/4 cup tahini
08 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water for thinning
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pantry

14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for roasting
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage gently for 1 to 2 minutes until leaves become soft and darkened.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Add additional water as needed to achieve a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, cranberries, and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing.
07 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate the components separately and assemble just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like autumn in a bowl, with just enough tanginess and crunch to keep things interesting without feeling heavy.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled minutes before eating, which is perfect for weeknight dinners when you're actually tired.
  • The dressing alone is worth learning to make—it works on literally everything you put it on.
02 -
  • Don't skip the massage step on the kale—it's not an extra flourish, it's what makes raw kale actually pleasant to eat instead of tough and assertive.
  • The dressing thickens as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, add a little extra water when you're ready to eat, and it'll loosen back up.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet when roasting sweet potatoes—they need space to caramelize, so use two sheets if you have to.
  • If your tahini seizes up when you add the lemon juice, just whisk in the water a little at a time and it'll come back together, because tahini can be dramatic but it's fixable.
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