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Quinoa power bowls with winter squash and spinach provide comfort and nutrition in equal, delicious measure. Packed with flavor and naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Why we love this recipe
This bright, beautiful bowl of quinoa, roasted winter squash, black beans, and garlicky sautéed baby spinach makes a dreamy meal. It’s:
- Savory and satisfying
- Rich in nutrients
- Full of vibrant flavor, color, and texture
- Make-ahead and meal prep-friendly
- Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, if you’re into that sort of thing
I first published a version of this recipe here and on Serious Eats way back in 2011. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and made some changes to the recipe.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Quinoa acts like a grain in the culinary world, but it’s actually a seed. It’s both gluten-free and packed with protein. I’ve pictured the white variety here, but you can use any color or combination of colors interchangeably. You can learn more about the types of quinoa here if you like. Cook it according to one of the methods in this post. (These days I almost always use the super-easy, super-consistent Instant Pot method.)
- I’ve called for winter squash because you can use any variety you like. Here I’ve pictured delicata, which I love because it cuts easily into beautiful half moons, and the skin is edible. Dumpling squash (pictured in in the photo below) has similar characteristics. But you can use butternut or any other variety instead if you prefer. To learn how to prep butternut squash, peep this post.
- Tangy, vibrant cilantro sauce is one of our most popular recipes of all time, and it makes a great dressing for this quinoa power bowl.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful quinoa power bowl. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Roast the squash. Cook the quinoa.
- Sauté the spinach. Make the cilantro sauce.
- Arrange the quinoa, spinach, black beans, and squash in a shallow bowl.
- Drizzle on the cilantro sauce and sprinkle on the seeds or nuts. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can easily substitute one of our other favorite dressings. Try my favorite creamy lemon vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette.
Yes, this is a great recipe to make ahead or for meal prep. You can cook the quinoa, roast the squash, sauté the spinach, and make the dressing and store each element in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. I like to assemble the bowls right before serving, but you can assemble them in meal prep containers in advance if you like.
More favorite quinoa recipes
- Green vegetable quinoa salad
- Warm cauliflower, lentil, and quinoa salad
- Fava bean burgers
- Or buy the quinoa book I contributed to
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Quinoa Power Bowl with Winter Squash and Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 pounds (900 grams) winter squash (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 10 ounces baby spinach
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 15.5- ounce 440-gram can black beans, drained, rinsed, and dried
- 1 batch cilantro sauce
- ¼ cup pepitas, sunflower seeds, or chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center.
- If you’re using delicata or dumpling squash, trim the ends and cut in half (delicata) or quarters (dumpling) from stem end to base. Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy pulp. Cut each squash piece crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. To prep butternut and other varieties of squash with inedible skin, see note 1 below.
- Place squash pieces on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Spread the squash in a single layer. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high in a 12-inch nonstick frying pan. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add spinach by the handful, along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until wilted.
- Into four wide, shallow serving bowls or meal prep containers, spoon some of the quinoa, spinach, beans, and squash. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with nuts or seeds.
Notes
- I’ve called generically for winter squash because you can use any variety you like. Here I’ve pictured delicata, which I love because it cuts easily into beautiful half moons, and the skin is edible. Dumpling squash (pictured in the photo above) has similar characteristics. But you can use butternut or any other variety instead if you prefer. To learn how to prep butternut squash, peep this post.
- Tangy, vibrant cilantro sauce is one of our most popular recipes of all time, and it makes a great dressing for this quinoa power bowl. If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can easily substitute one of our other favorite dressings. Try my favorite creamy lemon vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette.
- This is a great recipe to make ahead or for meal prep. You can cook the quinoa, roast the squash, sauté the spinach, and make the dressing and store each element in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. I like to assemble the bowls right before serving, but you can assemble them in meal prep containers in advance if you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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