Vegan Pesto Grain Bowl Recipe

Let's face it — sometimes, it can be hard to get in your daily dose of veggies. Today, we have a recipe that'll have you well on your way to five a day. This vegan pesto grain bowl, brought to us by recipe developer Catherine Brookes, is packed with colorful, nutrient-dense, and delicious ingredients, and it's sure to leave you feeling fueled and nourished.

Bursting with roasted vegetables, wholesome grains, and a zesty homemade pesto, this bowl is a wonderful, plant-based option for meal prepping. The veggies we opt for here are sweet potatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli. These are all roasted until beautifully charred and caramelized, which brings out their natural sweetness. We also add protein-packed chickpeas for a hearty texture.

For the grain base, we use a nutritious blend of cooked quinoa and brown rice, providing a satisfying foundation to the dish. But, what takes this grain bowl to the next level is the vegan pesto sauce that we blitz up into a creamy, flavor-loaded sauce that perfectly complements the other ingredients.

To make these goodness-filled grain bowls, we start with a base of cooked quinoa and cooked brown rice. Then, for the assortment of veggies, there's sweet potato, red and yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli, as well as some chickpeas for a tasty protein boost. To coat these before baking, you'll need olive oil, salt, and black pepper. For the homemade pesto sauce, grab some pine nuts, nutritional yeast, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, and some more olive oil and salt.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato, bell peppers, and chickpeas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Spread out the coated vegetables on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the broccoli and cherry tomatoes to the same bowl, along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss well.

Transfer the broccoli and cherry tomatoes to another baking sheet.

Once 15 minutes is up, place the broccoli and tomatoes into the oven along with the other vegetables and reduce the temperature to 400 F. Bake everything for another 20 minutes.

While the vegetables roast, make the pesto: Add the pine nuts, nutritional yeast, basil, garlic, lemon juice, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl of a food processor.

Add 3 tablespoons water and blitz until you have a smooth pesto sauce.

Mix together the cooked rice and quinoa.

Distribute the rice and quinoa mixture between your serving bowls.

Add the roasted vegetables and chickpeas.

Drizzle the pesto sauce all over the top.

Serve, with some lemon wedges, if desired.‌

When it comes to grain bowls, there's endless room for adaptation and creativity. If you don't have these specific veggies on hand, that's no problem at all. It's easy to customize this recipe for your convenience or to your taste.

Although these bowls already contain a totally delicious vegetable medley, there are so many other veggies that will work fantastically here. Try roasting up some butternut squash or zucchini, which will add a tender texture and subtle, natural sweetness to the dish. Or, for something a little heartier, chop cauliflower into florets and add these in place of or alongside the broccoli.

If you're a fan of greens, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or green beans would make an excellent choice for this dish. These can all be roasted in the oven, steamed, or boiled before you add them to the bowls. Onions are another tasty option. They become wonderfully soft and sweet when roasted, and they add heaps of savory, aromatic flavor to the bowl.

We're huge pesto fans, and making a homemade version is guaranteed to deliver maximum flavor. But, if you want to try adding a slightly different flavor profile to this grain bowl, there are plenty of other sauces to consider.

One delicious and nutritious option would be a creamy tahini dressing made with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. For this nutty, citrusy sauce, it's another simple case of blitzing everything up in a food processor until smooth. If you'd like to add a little sweetness to the bowl, try drizzling everything with a sticky balsamic glaze. You can either get hold of a store-bought version or make your own at home with just two simple ingredients — balsamic vinegar and honey.

To make a sauce that's loaded with Asian-inspired, umami flavors, combine miso paste, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and rice vinegar. Or, if you love bold, herbaceous flavors, whip up a creamy dressing with avocado, cilantro, lime, and perhaps some fiery diced jalapeño in there, too.