Harvest Kale Quinoa Bowl (Print Version)

Nourishing autumn bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in lemon tahini.

# 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 Steps:

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 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 little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage gently for 1 to 2 minutes until leaves are soft and darkened.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water as needed for a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with massaged kale, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini dressing.
07 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate the components separately and assemble just before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • The textures are pure magic: crispy kale, tender sweet potato, crunchy pecans, all held together by a creamy tahini dressing that somehow makes everything taste better.
  • You can prep everything separately and assemble when you're ready, which means less morning chaos.
02 -
  • Don't skip the massage step on the kale, it actually breaks down the tough fibers and makes it taste completely different, not just smaller.
  • The dressing will thicken as it sits, so make it a bit thinner than you think it should be, and if it gets too thick later, just whisk in a little water.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry pan for three minutes before you add them, it wakes them up and makes them the best part of the bowl.
  • If your tahini dressing breaks or looks weird, that usually means you went too heavy on the lemon, so whisk in a little more tahini and it'll come right back together.
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