Warm Salad Bowl with Grains (Printable Version)

Hearty grain bowl with roasted vegetables and wilted greens in warm vinaigrette

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Roasted Vegetables

03 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
04 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 small red onion, sliced
06 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Greens

10 - 4 cups baby spinach or kale, stems removed

→ Warm Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

17 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
19 - Fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
02 - Roast vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and golden.
03 - While vegetables roast, combine quinoa or brown rice and water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes for quinoa or according to package directions for rice, until grains are tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small pan over low heat, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper until just warm, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - In a large bowl, toss spinach or kale with half the warm vinaigrette, allowing the greens to wilt slightly.
06 - Divide grains among four bowls. Top with wilted greens, roasted vegetables, and optional toppings. Drizzle with remaining warm vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm vinaigrette wilts the greens just enough so they actually taste like part of the meal, not a cold afterthought.
  • Everything comes together in about fifty minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you've checked your phone too many times.
  • It's endlessly flexible, so you can build it with whatever vegetables are calling to you that week.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the pumpkin seeds separately, even just for two minutes in a dry pan—that small step makes them taste intentional instead of like an afterthought.
  • The warm vinaigrette is non-negotiable for this bowl to work; cold dressing on warm grains feels broken somehow, but warm dressing on warm grain with cool greens creates this perfect temperature contrast.
03 -
  • Prep your vegetables the night before and store them in containers, then the morning assembly becomes almost effortless.
  • The warm vinaigrette can be made ahead and gently reheated just before serving, which means you're never actually cooking when you want to eat.
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