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Quinoa Bowl with Miso Tahini Dressing

By Holly Darnell, RD

February 17, 2023

It's the time of year when we're still crawling out from potential overeating rich foods at holiday time, and we're looking for clean, nutrient-filled but delicious recipes. Whether you know it yet or not, you might be looking for a quinoa bowl.

What is a quinoa bowl? It's an increasingly trendy item you'll see at cafes and fast casual restaurants but also a recipe that you can easily whip at home with what you have on hand.

Quinoa, it turns out, makes for a great base for a bowl because it's versatile, stores well in the fridge after making (so can be used in quinoa bowls all week long) and is nutrient-dense.

A critical aspect to a yummy quinoa bowl is the dressing, which ideally brings the whole dish together. See below for a savory, flavorful miso tahini dressing for your quinoa bowl.

Quinoa Bowl Nutrition Facts

Notably, quinoa is a rare plant food that is actually a complete protein source. It’s somewhat rare for a plant food to have the complete profile of all 20 amino acids, including the nine essential amino acids that your body doesn’t produce on its own. (For another delicious quinoa-based dish, try our kale quinoa cakes.)

Besides being high in protein, quinoa also contains a good amount of fiber, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and folate, along with an array of other essential micronutrients.

One cup (about 185 grams) of cooked quinoa contains the following:

• 222 calories

• 39.4 grams carbohydrates

• 8.1 grams protein

• 3.6 grams fat

• 5.2 grams fiber

Next, add all of the suggested ingredients below and you'll have one of the most nutritious dishes you can make. One serving of this quinoa bowl delivers:

• 595 calories

• 78.4 grams carbohydrates

• 24.3 grams fiber

• 8.8 grams sugar

• 20 grams fat

• 2.8 grams saturated fat

• 14.4 grams unsaturated fat

• 33.2 grams protein

• 283 milligrams vitamin C (378% DV*)

• 333 micrograms vitamin K (370% DV)

• 2.6 milligrams manganese (145% DV)

• 502 micrograms folate (126% DV)

• 1.1 milligrams copper (124% DV)

• 744 milligrams phosphorus (106% DV)

• 2044 IU vitamin A (88% DV)

• 272 milligrams magnesium (88% DV)

• 0.9 milligrams vitamin B1 (85% DV)

• 490 milligrams sodium (33% DV)

* Daily Value based on a 2,000 per day diet

Best Quinoa Bowl Dressing

For this version of a quinoa bowl, I've chosen to make a miso tahini dressing. A mixture of natural sweet and sour, it will delight your taste buds.

This quinoa bowl sauce uses only the best ingredients, including garlic, tahini, miso, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and coconut aminos.

If you're not familiar with some of these ingredients, tahini is toasted ground hulled sesame. A Middle Eastern condiment, it's used most often in hummus and baba ghanoush.

Known in the Western world as the main ingredient used to make miso soup, miso paste also is a great probiotic food and brings an earthy, salty flavor.

Coconut aminos? Made from the fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt, it's a savory, salty flavor.

How to Assemble a Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa bowls make for an easy weeknight dinner, or prepare the night before so you can have it for lunch the next day. It takes only about 30 minutes to prep.

1. First, prepare the chicken bone broth. Simply add two cups of water to a medium-sized stockpot and place on medium heat. Add two scoops of Chicken Soup Bone Broth Protein and whisk until well combined.

If you want a vegan quinoa bowl, simply prepare the quinoa with water.

2. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a colander for a couple of minutes, and place in the stockpot with the bone broth. Heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Fluff with a fork when done. The quinoa will absorb the broth. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow it to cool. 

3. While the quinoa is cooking, blanch the broccoli. Fill a medium saucepan with water and add some sea salt and bring to a boil. Lower the broccoli florets into the boiling water and cook for only 2 to 3 minutes. Broccoli should be bright green and tender-crisp. 

Make an ice bath by filling a medium bowl with cold water and ice. Remove the broccoli from the boiling water and immediately plunge into ice water. When the broccoli is completely cool, drain well.

4. To prepare the dressing, whisk the garlic, tahini, miso paste, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, coconut aminos and sea salt until smooth. Add in cold water, just one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a desired consistency.

5. Assemble the bowl. Place one cup of cooked quinoa in a dinner-sized bowl. Add in black beans, sauerkraut, avocado, green onion and sesame seeds (see other potential toppings below). Top with miso tahini dressing.

Other Suggested Quinoa Bowl Toppings

The toppings above are mere suggestions. You are welcome to add any toppings that you think may work well with this quinoa bowl dressing, and hopefully some of these ingredients are already in your kitchen.

Here are some ideas for other quinoa bowl toppings:

• Sliced red cabbage works well with miso tahini dressing and adds a nice crunch. Same story with red pepper and shredded carrots.

• You can substitute kimchi for the beet sauerkraut for some extra East Asian flavor and still deliver those great probiotics.

• Black beans add plenty of fiber and some plant-based protein, but you also go with other types of beans, such as red kidney beans or mung beans. You may also choose lentils.

• Sunflower or pumpkins seeds can add some extra texture and won't interrupt the flavor.

• Shredded or chopped chicken breast or thigh can also work well. Because the sauce is so flavorful, you don't even need to season it beyond perhaps some pepper.

• Sticking to a vegan theme? Go with baked tofu or tempeh for some more plant-based protein.

More Healthy Bowl Recipes

• Winter Sweet Potato Bowl

• Dr. Axe's Immune Supporting Bowl Recipe

• Butternut Squash Salad Bowl

• Liver and Onions Bowl

• Broccoli Slaw

Recipe developed by Holly Darnell, RD. Holly is a registered dietitian nutritionist who unlocked self-love at the intersection of exceptional food and practical solutions for healthy living. She’s passionate about helping others make simple, positive lifestyle changes on their individual path to healing.