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Eggplant Pesto Quinoa Bowls

Course Salad
Prep Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Eggplant Pesto Quinoa Bowls

  • 1 lb eggplant
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 ½ tsp herbs de provence optional
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
  • 8 ounces of arugula or mixed greens
  • 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella
  • ¼ cup fresh whole milk ricotta
  • Pesto vinaigrette recipe below
  • Zaatar spice optional

Pesto Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup pesto sauce
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Eggplant Pesto Quinoa Bowls

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut eggplant into 1 inch cubes. Place the eggplant in a large colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss to ensure even distribution. Allow eggplant to sit for about 30 minutes so that beads of sweat appear on the eggplant and some of the water is released. Pat dry and rinse briefly with water. This helps the eggplant not taste as bitter.
  3. Meanwhile, add cherry tomatoes to a small bakeware dish and drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. Spread eggplant cubes evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with additional salt and optional herbs de provence. You could also add black pepper if you like.
  5. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway, until the eggplant is browned and starting to caramelize. Set aside.
  6. At the same time you add the eggplant in you could also add the cherry tomatoes. I’ll check them at the 10 minute mark to see if most have softened and burst a bit, if not I’ll let them go a little longer.
  7. Meanwhile, cook quinoa. I add the rinsed quinoa to a small saucepan and toast over medium high heat for a few minutes. Then I add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Feel free to substitute the water for vegetable broth if you have it on hand. I’ll use broth if I have some opened in the fridge, otherwise water will do fine! Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, cover with a lid and lower heat. Cook for 12 minutes and then remove lid. Cook until water is evaporated, usually a few minutes longer. Cover with lid to keep warm.
  8. Toss lettuce and roasted cherry tomatoes with half of the pesto vinaigrette. Divide into bowls. Top with quinoa (about ¼- ½ cup per bowl) and roasted eggplant. Add torn mozzarella, little dots of ricotta cheese and drizzle with more dressing on top. Sprinkle Zaatar spice on top (optional). Enjoy!

Pesto Vinaigrette

  1. Whisk pesto with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.