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Three forks lie next to a Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl with Cashew Curry Sauce.
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5 from 3 votes

Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls w/ Cashew Curry Sauce

Roasted vegetables, healthy plant protein, lots of texture, bursts of fresh flavor, and a creamy Cashew Curry Sauce to bring it all together. These Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls, made in under an hour, are a delicious meal suitable for any night of the week.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 442kcal

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes:

  • 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into bite size pieces - about ½ inch)
  • 2 tart apples (peeled, cored, and chopped the same size as the sweet potato) (I used a Granny Smith)
  • 1 tsp oil
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

For the Chickpeas:

For the Quinoa:

  • 1 cup tri-color quinoa (rinsed well) (any color quinoa will work, but I prefer tri-color. White quinoa tends to get mushier and doesn't hold it's shape as well. Red quinoa would work well.)
  • 1 ½ cups water or vegetable broth

Garnishes:

  • baby greens (like kale, chard, spinach, etc.) (optional, but highly recommended - eat your greens!)
  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • grape tomatoes (halved)
  • squeeze of lime juice
  • raw shelled pumpkin seeds

For the Cashew Curry Sauce (Makes about 2 cups):

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the chopped sweet potatoes, apples, 1 tsp oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, and ground cinnamon. Make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed over the potatoes and apples. Pour onto one of the baking sheets and spread out into one even layer.
  • In the same mixing bowl, toss the drained chickpeas with 1 tsp oil, garlic powder, and cumin. Spread out onto the other baking sheet in one even layer. 
  • Place both baking sheets into the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Toss, turn the pans around and switch their position in the oven to ensure even baking throughout. Bake another 10-15 minutes until tender and starting to caramelize on the edges.
  • While the potatoes, apples, and chickpeas are baking, start the quinoa. Combine the quinoa and water or broth in a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed.
  • Once the quinoa is cooking, start the sauce. Place all ingredients for the sauce into a high speed blender and purée until smooth. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin out, if needed, to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more heat with a dash or two of sriracha, if desired.
  • To assemble the bowls - place a big handful of baby greens in the bottom of each bowl and top with quinoa, sweet potatoes and apples, roasted chickpeas, and any garnishes you're using, like halved grape tomatoes, shelled pumpkin seeds, fresh chopped cilantro. Drizzle everything with the Cashew Curry Sauce...as much or as little as you like. I use about ¼ cup per bowl - you'll have some leftover sauce.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

~ This recipe might seem like it has a lot of components, but they are all easy and if you time it right, they all come together in just 35 to 40 minutes.
~ If you do not have a high speed blender, like a Vitamix or Blendtec, make sure to soak your cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours!
~ Chop the sweet potatoes and apples into similar size pieces so they cook evenly.
~ Use a rimmed baking sheet for roasting so the chickpeas don't roll off.
~ Line the baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
~ Rinse the quinoa well under cold water before cooking.
~ Start the quinoa while the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are in the oven. Once the quinoa is started, blend up the sauce. This will ensure all components of the quinoa bowls will be ready at the same time.
~ Adding the warm sweet potatoes, quinoa, and chickpeas right over the greens starts to wilt them down just ever so slightly making them easier to eat without being at all mushy or slimy.
~ Make it your own! Feel free to mix it up by using different grains, veggies, toppings, and sauce.
~ Nutrition facts calculated without garnishes or sauce since amounts can vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 15900IU | Vitamin C: 32.2mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3.4mg