Spinach White Bean Protein Bowl (Printer-friendly)

Hearty spinach and white bean bowl with quinoa, fresh vegetables, and creamy lemon tahini

# 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 rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool slightly.
02 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed.
03 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange spinach, white beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion on top of the quinoa in sections.
04 - Place avocado slices on each bowl. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds over the top and add crumbled feta cheese if desired. Drizzle lemon-tahini dressing generously over each bowl immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tahini dressing transforms simple ingredients into something crave worthy
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes
02 -
  • The dressing thickens as it sits so keep extra water on hand to thin it out
  • Room temperature quinoa absorbs the dressing better than hot or cold quinoa
03 -
  • Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes to deepen their flavor
  • Massage the spinach with a little olive oil if you prefer it less raw tasting

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