This roasted vegetable salad recipe contains vegetables, quinoa, and greens with a lemon tahini dressing. So step up your nutrient-dense foods all in one delicious bowl.
Since the temperatures are rising quickly in Arizona, spring is feeling a little like summer. When the weather gets hot, my menus usually get cold. Recently, I have been playing in the kitchen, creating a variety of salad recipes. Not only am I trying to increase my nutrient-dense foods, but I’m also attempting to add more and more veggies into my life. When I saw the spring vegetable displays, I thought about roasting vegetables meant for a cold roasted vegetable salad recipe.
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Roasted vegetable salad not only tastes delicious, but it is also a nutrient-dense mega bowl. So, if you are trying to add more vegetables and greens to your diet, dive into the roasted vegetable salad. As an entree salad, roasted vegetable salad is filling and delicious.
What is Nutrient Density?
For instance, the ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) shows how popular foods rate micronutrient density per calorie.
For instance, the more nutrient-dense food you eat, the more you will be satisfied with fewer calories. In other words, you will get fuller faster and eat more.
Nutrient Dense Food Examples
Let’s look at the nutrient-dense foods and how they score on ANDI for the roasted vegetable salad:
- Kale 1000
- Romaine Lettuce 510
- Brussel Sprouts 490
- Carrots 458
- Cabbage 434
- Cauliflower 315
- Red Bell Peppers 265
- Asparagus 205
- Mushrooms 238
- Zucchini 164
- Broccoli 340
Roasted Vegetable Salad Ingredients
First, when roasting vegetables, it is important to understand that some vegetables roast faster than others. Therefore, I combined vegetables with similar cook times when roasting.
- Broccoli: Roasted broccoli has a completely different texture than steamed or sauteed. I love the crispness of the outside and the soft, subtle inside.
- Brussel Sprouts: f you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you must crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won’t allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing them on your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F
- Carrots: Roasted carrots have the best texture, and the flavor is fantastic. Roasting draws out the natural sweetness and gives you a lovely caramelized flavor. They’re so much better than boiled carrots!
- Red Potatoes: Red potatoes have a rich and earthy flavor that’s perfect for roasting. It is also a potato with high moisture and low starch content, meaning its shape doesn’t change much during cooking.
- Cauliflower: Roasted cauliflower can quickly become soggy and mushy if the pan is overcrowded, so leave room between the florets. Using too much oil is another common culprit.
For example, the above vegetables roast for 30 minutes, while other vegetables (below) roast for 15 minutes.
- White Onions: Onions offer many benefits for your health, including reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. They also have fiber which can help with digestion. This is a great way to use any extra onions you may have.
- Zucchini: The trick to roasting zucchini is to cook it for only 15 minutes and make sure the pieces are a similar size to the other vegetables on the pan.
- Mushrooms: Roasted mushrooms are good for you because they are made with clean, fresh ingredients and are filled with fiber and protein. These healthy mushrooms contain everything you need to stay full and keep going.
- Asparagus: Again, the trick to roasting asparagus in the oven to avoid sogginess is to avoid overcooking it.
- Red Bell Pepper: Bell peppers are rich in antioxidants, associated with better health and protection against heart disease and cancer. For instance, peppers are especially rich in antioxidant vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene.
Even though the vegetables cook for a different amount of time, they all roast at 400 degrees. As a result, once cut, I combine the vegetables that cook together on separate pans, season, and add a little minced garlic to each pan for additional flavor.
Roasted Vegetable Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any combination of vegetables, but group vegetables with similar cooking times on different baking sheets.
- Yellow onions are a fabulous substitution for white onions. Or, for a more sweet flavor, choose red onions.
- Any parsnips replace carrots and cook for the same time as carrots.
- Try baby potatoes, and leave them whole instead of cutting them into quarters.
- Leave the skins on the vegetables to get additional nutrients.
Roasting the Vegetables
The first group of vegetables cooks for 30 minutes at 400 degrees on a baking sheet prepared with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Make sure not to crowd the pan.
The second group of vegetables roasts for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Once cooked, allow the vegetables to cool on the baking sheets, combine them in one bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use. Even though I served cold roasted vegetable salad, feel free to eat it warm or hot.
Serving the Salad
Since I plan to eat the salad cold, I prepped my salad with a combination of baby kale, Romaine lettuce, and purple cabbage, leaving a well for quinoa.
Then, I prepared red quinoa, allowed it to cool, and placed it in the center of the greens in my salad bowl. Another option is couscous, brown rice, barley, or farro for the salad’s center if you don’t like quinoa.
Next, add a generous portion of roasted vegetables on top of the salad around the quinoa.
Lemon Tahini Dressing Ingredients
- Tahini: Tahini has a very earthy flavor and is slightly bitter but not overpowering. Although the spread resembles peanut butter and other nut butter, it does not have a similar sweet flavor profile. The toasted sesame seed flavor shines through in this creamy, rich ingredient.
- Water: The water acts as an emulsifier and thins the dressing without using oil.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar supplies the acidity to the dressing and gives it a delicious tangy flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a fresh citrus flavor. I prefer using fresh juice whenever possible.
- Garlic: I also prefer using fresh garlic cloves when available.
- Cayenne Pepper: A little cayenne enhances the other flavors in the dressing.
- Sea Salt: Sea salt adds an additional level of flavor.
Lemon Tahini Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any nut butter, such as cashew butter or sunflower butter.
- White vinegar or rice vinegar is similar to apple cider vinegar.
- You can use bottled lemon juice if fresh juice isn’t available.
- One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Red pepper flakes are often used instead of cayenne pepper; however, omit this ingredient if you don’t like any spice.
Other possible dressing I love with this salad is vegan thousand island dressing, OMG oil-free dressing, vegan ranch, and miso tahini dressing.
Or another way to use these roasted vegetables is to wrap it all in a roasted vegetable and hummus-grilled lavash wrap!
Recipe FAQs
Many vegetables can be roasted. Obvious choices are root veg like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. But crucifers like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower roast well, too. More delicate veggies like cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and squash roast spectacularly well.
You can eat cold roasted vegetables in so many ways. It’s all about looking at them as a more flavorful, textured version of their original ingredient, not a finished side.
The perfect temperature– 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork-tender interior. But it will vary based on the types of veggies and oil used. If your veggies are not browning enough, try increasing the temperature.
Tips
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Always preheat the oven before putting the vegetables into the oven. The oven should be hot!
- Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Group vegetables according to cooking times and separate them onto pans with similar roasting times.
- Cut the vegetables into similar sizes, so they cook equally.
- Overcooking results in soggy vegetables.
- Leave the skins on potatoes and other vegetables for additional nutrients.
Enjoy this roasted vegetable salad recipe with vegetables, quinoa, and greens. You will love the combination of flavors roasted together, dressed in a lemony dressing.
More Vegan Salads to Enjoy!
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Vegetable Salad
Roasted vegetable salad is full of vegetables, quinoa, and greens with a lemon tahini dressing. Step up your nutrient-dense foods all in one delicious bowl.
Ingredients
Vegetables Phase 1 (cooks for 30 minutes)
Vegetables Phase 2 (cooks for 15 minutes)
Instructions
Roasting Vegetables Phase 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine cut broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and Brussel sprouts on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Add one clove of garlic minced.
Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Phase 2:
Combine cut onion, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, and red bell pepper.
Add one clove of garlic minced.
Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper
Roast for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Combine all vegetables (phase 1 and phase 2 together in a bowl) and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cooking Quinoa
- Cook quinoa according to these directions.
Allow for quinoa to cool completely or place in the refrigerator.
Prepare roasted vegetable salad greens.
Combine kale, Romaine lettuce, and purple cabbage
Place the combination in each bowl around the base of each bowl
Make a well in the middle of each bowl
Add cooled quinoa or a choice of grain.
Add a generous portion of cold roasted vegetables around the greens
dressing
Add all ingredients (tahini last, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom) of a high-speed blender.
Blend on high until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Always preheat the oven before putting the vegetables into the oven. The oven should be hot!
- Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Group vegetables according to cooking times and separate them onto pans with similar roasting times.
- Cut the vegetables into similar sizes, so they cook equally.
- Overcooking results in soggy vegetables.
- Leave the skins on potatoes and other vegetables for additional nutrients.
Nutrition
Serving: 6gCalories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 18gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 334mgPotassium: 2364mgFiber: 17gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 16104IUVitamin C: 203mgCalcium: 320mgIron: 8mg
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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