Harvest Bowls with Tahini Dressing
This bowl is a celebration of all things fall, with a combination of sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds, quinoa, chopped pecans, salty feta, and juicy grilled chicken!
These harvest bowls are one of my favorite things to make in the fall, since they use up a bunch of seasonal produce to make a nutritious meal. If you’re running low on time, it can even be prepped ahead of time for a quick lunch or dinner!
Harvest Bowl Ingredients and Substitutions
One of the best things about salad is that you can add and omit ingredients without drastically affecting the recipe. Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe plus some of their easy substitutions!
For the salad
- Chopped kale. If you don’t like kale, you can substitute with lettuce or your choice of greens.
- Quinoa. Some easy substitutes are brown rice or couscous.
- Sweet potatoes. In my opinion, the sweet potatoes shouldn’t be substituted—they’re a staple of fall produce and add so much flavor! If you want, you can substitute regular sweet potatoes with purple sweet potatoes.
- Brussels sprouts.
- Pomegranate seeds. Pomegranate seeds add a bit of sweetness and tartness, but they can be substituted with a chopped apple.
- Feta cheese. For a bit of saltiness to balance the pomegranate seeds—if you don’t have feta, you can use goat cheese or blue cheese (though it will have a stronger, tangier taste).
- Toasted or candied pecans. Toasting the pecans add texture and nuttiness to the salad. If you don’t like pecans, you can use toasted walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or pistachios.
- Grilled chicken. I grilled chicken thighs with this Chicken Charmer seasoning, but you can use pre-prepared chicken or whatever seasonings you prefer.
for the dressing
- Olive oil.
- Tahini. Tahini has a deep and slightly bitter flavor that adds depth to the dressing.
- Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt thickens the dressing and makes it creamy—if you don’t have any, just omit it!
- Lime juice. To brighten the dressing.
- Whole grain mustard. Adds sharpness.
- Pure maple syrup. Maple will cut through the bitterness of the tahini and Greek yogurt, but you can substitute it with regular sugar if needed.
- Minced garlic or garlic powder.
- Water. To thin the dressing.
- Salt and pepper.
How to Make Harvest Bowls
To make these harvest bowls, you need to prepare the different elements separately before mixing everything together! Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Roast the vegetables. As you prepare the rest of the salad, the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts will roast in the oven until cooked.
- Cook the quinoa. Boil the water and let the quinoa simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed.
- Grill the chicken. You can use whatever seasonings you like—I grilled some chicken thighs with this Chicken Charmer seasoning, but you can always use pre-cooked chicken in your salad.
- Prepare the dressing. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and thin it out with water.
- Assemble the salad. Massage the kale with 1 tablespoon of the dressing to soften the leaves, then place it into a mixing bowl. Once everything is prepared, add the quinoa, pomegranate seeds, roasted vegetables, feta, chopped pecans, and chopped chicken to the bowl and top with the prepared dressing.
How to Store Leftovers
For optimal freshness, you should store all of the salad elements separately (or at least without the dressing), otherwise the greens will get too soggy. If stored correctly, the salad will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
An easy way to save time making these bowls is to prep all the ingredients in advance (e.g. cooking the quinoa, roasting the vegetables, grilling the chicken), then all you have to do is mix everything together before serving!
Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you decide to make this recipe—I love to see your recreations!
Harvest Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 cups chopped kale or lettuce
- ⅔ cup uncooked quinoa about 2 cups cooked
- 2 cubed sweet potatoes, about 2 cups
- 2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 to 1 ½ pounds grilled chicken
- ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
- 1 cup chopped toasted or candied pecans
- Olive oil
For the tahini dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ½ tablespoon plain Greek yogurt, optional
- ½ juiced lime, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon minced garlic or garlic powder
- 2 ½ tablespoons water, to adjust the consistency
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 425℉ and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the cubed sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts into a large bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Evenly spread the vegetables onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft and the Brussels sprouts cooked.
- In the meantime, cook the quinoa. Pour 1 ⅓ cups of water into a small saucepot with a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
- Grill the chicken. If needed, grill the chicken with your choice of seasonings, then chop them into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (except for the water) to a mason jar and screw the lid on top. Shake the jar vigorously until everything is well combined, then add water as necessary to thin into a dressing consistency.
- Assemble the salad. Add your choice of greens to the bottom of a serving bowl. If using kale, add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the greens and massage with your hands until softened, around 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked quinoa, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds, crumbled cheese, chopped pecans, and the reserved grilled chicken to the bowl. Top with the rest of the prepared dressing and toss well until combined. Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in the fridge with an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
