Spinach White Bean Protein Bowl (Print version)

Hearty bowl featuring white beans, spinach, quinoa, and creamy tahini dressing for a satisfying plant-based meal.

# What you need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Beans & Vegetables

03 - 2 cups baby spinach, packed
04 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Toppings

08 - 1 avocado, sliced
09 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
10 - 2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tbsp tahini
12 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp water (plus more as needed)
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until creamy and smooth. Add additional water to thin consistency if needed.
03 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 bowls. Top each portion with equal amounts of baby spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and sliced red onion.
04 - Arrange avocado slices over each bowl. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled feta cheese (if using) on top.
05 - Drizzle tahini dressing generously over each bowl immediately before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • You get complete protein from just plants without any meat required
  • The tahini dressing makes everything taste restaurant quality in minutes
02 -
  • Warm quinoa makes the spinach wilt faster than you would expect
  • The dressing thickens in the refrigerator so thin it with warm water before serving
03 -
  • Massage the spinach with a little olive oil to make it less bitter
  • Let the dressed bowl sit for 5 minutes so the flavors meld together

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