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A colorful roasted veggie chickpea pesto quinoa salad topped with fresh basil and lemon slices.
Alyssa

Roasted Veggie, Chickpea & Pesto Quinoa Salad

Wonderful pesto quinoa salad tossed with sheet pan roasted vegetables and garlicky chickpeas. This flavorful vegetarian roasted vegetable quinoa salad recipe is packed with protein and is a great make-ahead lunch to enjoy hot or cold!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 324

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.5 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 0.33 cup roasted or raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons water, to thin pesto as necessary

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chopped veggies and chickpeas on parchment paper.
  2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over veggies, then sprinkle on garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Gently toss with your hands then spread veggies out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are tender and roasted, flipping over halfway through to ensure even cooking.
  3. While the veggies are roasting, make the quinoa: add quinoa and water to a medium pot and place over high heat; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork and transfer quinoa to a large bowl.
  4. Make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, add basil, cashews, oil, lemon juice, garlic clove, and salt. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, adding a tablespoon or two of water to thin pesto, if necessary. Pesto should be on the thicker side.
  5. Once veggies are done, add them to the bowl with the quinoa. Then fold in the pesto. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

This salad is excellent served warm or cold, making it a versatile option for meal prep.