Description
These tofu and pesto bowls with roasted vegetables and quinoa are the perfect plant-based bowl recipe. A homemade parsley and sunflower seed pesto is easy and versatile, and perfect for any time of the year. Crispy baked tofu is packed with protein and flavour. Nobody will miss the meat in this recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
ROASTED VEGETABLES
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Generous pinch each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
CRISPY LEMON BAKED TOFU
- 1 block (454 grams) firm or extra-firm organic tofu
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
PARSLEY SUNFLOWER SEED PESTO
- 2 firmly packed cups parsley
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 1/2 lemons)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
FOR SERVING
- Cooked grain of choice: Rice, buckwheat, millet, couscous, farro, etc. You could even cook pasta, mix in the pesto, and serve the tofu and roasted veggies on top!
Instructions
- MAKE THE ROASTED VEGETABLES: Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower florets and chopped red pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and place the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes, or until cauliflower and peppers are tender and browned around the edges.
- MAKE THE CRISPY BAKED TOFU: Chop the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, tamari, and nutritional yeast in a small dish. Pour over the tofu cubes. Sprinkle with the arrowroot and gently toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet (I usually line the baking sheet with parchment paper first) and bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until browned and crispy to your liking.
- MAKE THE PESTO: Add the parsley, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, sunflower seeds, salt, and pepper to a blender. Start blending, and gradually add the olive oil through the upper tube. Process until smooth, and transfer into a container until ready to serve.
- SERVE THE BOWLS: Portion out the tofu, roasted vegetables, and quinoa into bowls. Top with pesto and serve.
Notes
- I use a lot of lemon in my pestos. I like them tangy! But feel free to reduce the amount of lemon juice to your taste.
- These bowls are great for meal prep lunches. You can make all the components on Sunday and enjoy them throughout the work week. They also travel well.
- Don’t forget to cook the quinoa or whichever grain you’re using right after you put the tofu into the oven so that it’s ready when you need it.
- You probably won’t use all of the pesto in these bowls. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Supper, Bowl
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 708
- Sugar: 7.2 g
- Sodium: 788.7 mg
- Fat: 35.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 73.6 g
- Fiber: 13.7 g
- Protein: 31.8 g