Spinach White Bean Protein Bowl (Printable)
Protein-rich white beans and spinach over fluffy quinoa with creamy lemon-tahini dressing.
# What You'll 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 - ¼ 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 - ½ tsp ground cumin
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat, 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, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until creamy and smooth. Add additional water to thin if needed.
03 - Divide the cooked quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with equal portions of spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
04 - Arrange avocado slices over each bowl and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds. Add crumbled feta cheese if desired.
05 - Drizzle the lemon-tahini dressing generously over each bowl immediately before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The protein keeps you full for hours without that heavy afternoon slump
- Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes
- The lemon-tahini dressing is the kind of sauce you'll want to put on everything
02 -
- The dressing thickens as it sits, so add another splash of water before serving leftovers
- Warm quinoa wilts the spinach slightly, which I actually prefer, but let it cool first if you want it completely crisp
03 -
- Toast your pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes
- Massaging the spinach with a little olive oil first makes it taste like restaurant quality