Arugula Pesto Bowl (Printable Version)

Vibrant grain bowl with homemade arugula pesto, roasted vegetables, and quinoa.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Arugula Pesto

09 - 2 cups fresh arugula, packed
10 - ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
11 - 1 clove garlic
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - ½ cup olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

16 - 2 cups fresh arugula
17 - ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
18 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
19 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Toss cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper with olive oil and black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
04 - Roast vegetables for 18 to 20 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
05 - In a food processor, blend arugula, walnuts or pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice until smooth consistency. Season with salt.
06 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and half of the prepared arugula pesto. Toss gently to evenly coat.
07 - Divide fresh arugula among four serving bowls. Top each with the quinoa and vegetable mixture. Drizzle remaining pesto over top.
08 - Top each bowl with shaved Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and somehow tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did.
  • The pesto is so good that you'll find yourself putting it on literally everything for days afterward.
  • You can prep most of it ahead, then assemble when hunger strikes, which is basically a win for busy weeknights.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa, because that saponin coating tastes genuinely terrible and ruins an otherwise beautiful bowl.
  • The pesto oxidizes and loses its bright color if you make it too far ahead, so blend it within an hour of eating if you want that jewel-tone green.
  • Room-temperature or slightly warm vegetables taste better than piping hot ones in this bowl, so don't stress about perfect timing.
03 -
  • Toast your own pine nuts in a dry skillet for two minutes if you have them raw; it completely transforms their flavor from bland to buttery and warm.
  • If you're making this for guests and want it to look restaurant-quality, assemble the bowls right before serving so the arugula stays perky and the colors stay bright.
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