Arugula Pesto Bowl (Printable)

Hearty grain bowl with zesty arugula pesto, roasted vegetables, and quinoa

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Arugula Pesto

09 - 2 cups fresh arugula, packed
10 - ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
11 - 1 clove garlic
12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - ½ cup olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

16 - 2 cups fresh arugula
17 - ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
18 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, optional
19 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Toss cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper with olive oil and black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 18–20 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
04 - In a food processor, blend arugula, walnuts or pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and half the arugula pesto. Toss gently to coat.
06 - Divide fresh arugula among serving bowls. Top with the quinoa-vegetable mixture. Drizzle with remaining pesto.
07 - Garnish with shaved Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and extra black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pesto is genuinely different every time you make it because fresh arugula varies in intensity, which means your bowl keeps surprising you.
  • It's one of those recipes that feels sophisticated but doesn't demand anything fancy or difficult from you.
  • You can prep everything while the oven does its thing, so you're eating in less than an hour without stress.
02 -
  • If you make the pesto more than an hour ahead, it'll darken slightly and lose some brightness; better to make it while the vegetables roast so it stays vivid green and tasting alive.
  • The bowl is only as good as your vegetables, so if you can find tomatoes that actually smell like tomatoes and peppers with some color intensity, you'll taste the difference immediately.
03 -
  • Don't toss the hot quinoa with all the pesto or it'll look dull and heavy; use half in the bowl and drizzle the rest just before eating so it stays bright green and vibrant on top.
  • Buy your arugula the day you're making this because it wilts fast and old arugula tastes bitter and sad; fresh arugula is peppery in the best way.
Go Back