Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables (2024)

January 15, 2019 by Amy Estes 4 Comments

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Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables – Fluffy quinoa, herby lemony basil pesto, and perfectly roasted veggies all mixed together to form this hearty, satisfying and delicious recipe that is gluten-free, vegetarian and comes together in 30 minutes or less!

I always have quinoa ready to go in my fridge. It has been a staple for my meal prep since I became a mom of two.

It is a great ingredient to keep stocked in the fridge, cooked and ready to add to salads, quinoa patties, Mediterranean sweet potatoes with quinoa, veggie burgers or mixed in this pesto quinoa with roasted vegetable dish.

You can also replace rice with quinoa in stir-fry’s or eat it as a side dish all on its own, flavored with some olive oil and fresh herbs. So may options — all excellent ways to enjoy this protein, packed amino acid powered, delicious, gluten-free grain.

In this recipe, I paired some cooked quinoa with perfectly roasted, tender veggies and herby, lemony, basil pesto. It turned out to be a great combo of ingredients and very easy to throw together.

Also, such a great healthy side dish to bring for get- together’s or to have on the table for any meal.

Ingredients needed or this pesto quinoa with roasted vegetables

• Cooked quinoa
• Store-bought pesto or homemade (see recipe for homemade pesto instructions)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped veggies – Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms
• Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder

How to make pesto quinoa with roasted vegetables

This recipe comes together fairly quickly and can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. How awesome is that?

First things first, roast the veggies. So easy.

• Place all of the veggies in a bowl, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder and chili powder, and toss.
• Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes and they come out perfect every time!

While the veggies are cooking you can make the quinoa and pesto.

You can make the quinoa or you can use store-bought, pre-cooked quinoa to save some time.

To make the quinoa:

• Add one cup of quinoa to a small-medium sized pot.

• Add in 2 cups of vegetable stock or water. I like to use vegetable stock since it helps add flavor to the quinoa while it cooks.

• Bring it to a boil on the stovetop, cover and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and season it with salt and pepper.

Make the pesto. So easy and packed with herby, lemony, garlic flavor. You can make it in just a few simple steps.

1. Add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse while streaming in the olive oil.
2. Add the pistachios and blend until everything is combined into a silky yet still slightly chunky incredible pesto.

Finally, put it all together: Add the cooked quinoa + roasted vegetables to a large bowl or pot and lightly toss. Pour in the pesto and toss to coat everything in the sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!!!

It’s so good and works perfectly for packing lunch all week long.

Recipe Variations

• Make this low-carb. For a low-carb option, you can swap the quinoa with cauliflower rice. You can spread the cauliflower rice onto a baking sheet, drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast it for about 10 minutes with the veggies and then mix it in with the veggies and pesto. So good! Although, If I have the carbs left for the day, I prefer the quinoa of course.
• Add some extra protein. This recipe is great for adding any extra proteins you have on hand like chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, tofu, or even sliced grilled chicken.
• Make this vegan. Simply omit the parmesan in the pesto and this is fully vegan and dairy-free. You could also sub the parmesan with vegan parmesan cheese if you still want that cheesy taste without the dairy.
• Change up the veggies. Use any veggies that are good for roasting like cauliflower, parsnips, or butternut squash.

Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment and rating below.

Update: This recipe and post have been updated to include better step by step photos, recipe variations, and an updated recipe card.

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