These Crispy Tempeh & Pesto Quinoa Bowls are filled with greens, cherry tomatoes, lemon pepper tempeh, avocado and vegan kale pesto!
Spring is here and pesto is on my brain. And one of my favorite pesto sauces is my Vegan Kale Pesto. You get all the flavor of traditional basil pesto AND a good kick of raw greens. You'll never know there's kale in there. Plus when you serve it over this crispy tempeh the flavors become even more vibrant.
How to make the crispy tempeh?
I LOVE this tempeh! It is charred, crispy, goodness that is seasoned with olive oil, lemon pepper and agave. The perfect amount of sweetness and spice.
I will say that I am personally not sensitive to a bitter taste that some people taste in tempeh. If you have ever had this issue, I recommend steaming your tempeh before baking. Again, not a necessary step, but it is an option.
I also charred this tempeh to crispy perfection. You don't have to bake it as long as me, if you prefer less crust. But I 100% recommend it!
How to assemble Crispy Tempeh & Pesto Quinoa Bowls
While the tempeh is baking you can prepare the rest of the ingredients. Cook up the quinoa, blend the pesto and grab the veggies.
To assemble, layer each bowl with quinoa, cherry tomatoes, avocado, tempeh, pesto and a drizzle of olive oil. Grab a fork and dig in.
How to meal prep Crispy Tempeh & Pesto Quinoa Bowls
If you are making these for meal prep, you can either keep the hot & cold elements separated, then heat and assemble right before eating. OR, you can assemble the bowl in individual containers and eat the bowls cold.
Either way, hold off on adding the avocado until right before serving.
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Crispy Tempeh & Pesto Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
FOR THE TEMPEH
- 8 oz tempeh cut in strips
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon lemon pepper
FOR THE BOWLS
- Vegan Kale Pesto or pre-made pesto
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cups spinach or greens of choice
- 2 avocados
- olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the olive oil, agave and lemon pepper in a bowl. Add the tempeh and toss to coat. Place in an even layer on the baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.*
- While the tempeh is cooking, prepare the quinoa, pesto & veggies.
- To assemble, add equal amounts of quinoa, tomatoes, spinach, avocado & tempeh to each bowl. Top with pesto and a drizzle of olive oil. This can be served hot or cold.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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If you make any of these recipes be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and @thissavoryvegan!
Hailey
I never comment on recipes but I just need to express how delicious this was. Healthy meals can be super boring sometimes but ohhhh my god this one was SO GOOD. The whole thing is so easy to make too.
Ps i love your blog. I come here for all my recipes now and I’m not even vegan lol. 10/10!
Rene
Thank you so much Hailey!!! I'm so glad you're getting lots of inspo ❤️️❤️️❤️️
Rebecca
Had some cooked quinoa in the fridge and kale pesto leftover from last night’s dinner, so I made these bowls tonight - will definitely add this to our weekly rotation. The tempeh is so tasty and especially when I have kale pesto and quinoa hanging around, dinner is ready in 20 mins. Highly recommend!
Rene
Yay! I love a quick dinner that can use up leftovers in the fridge! So glad you enjoyed!!!