Pesto Vegetables with tender broccoli, roasted carrots, and white beans all tossed in herby pesto and served over 5-minute couscous for the easiest dinner ever.
author’s note
Veggies Never Tasted This Good!
I’ve always loved pesto, but lately I seriously can’t get enough—I’ve been putting it on everything. The other day, I roasted a big batch of veggies and had some leftover couscous in the fridge, so I tossed it all together, added a big spoonful of pesto on top, and WOW. I couldn’t believe how good it was.
It might be one of the yummiest combos ever. I’ve eaten it every day this week, so I figured it was time to turn it into a real recipe so you can experience the magic of pesto vegetables too. I’m so excited for you to try it!
Ingredients In Pesto Vegetables
- Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots: Chop all the veggies about the same size so they roast evenly.
- White Beans: Pat dry after rinsing so they heat up fast without getting soggy.
- Couscous (Moroccan style): Use the small kind of couscous, not the pearl couscous.
- Chicken or Veggie Stock: Use stock instead of water for more flavor.
- Basil Pesto: Make your own or grab fresh pesto at store. Avoid jarred, it’s not as flavorful.
- Avocado: Wait until you’re ready to eat to add it so it stays fresh.
- Honey-Roasted Almonds: Put these on top at the end so they stay crunchy.
A Few Quick Tips
- Picking out the veggies: Pick solid broccoli and cauliflower with closely packed tops. Avoid any with squishy stems, floppy tops, or yellow leaves.
- Use a large sheet pan: The more space pesto vegetables have, the better they roast. If they’re crowded, they steam instead of roast. I use a 15×21-inch pan.
Variations
Bowl Variation Ideas
- Nuts: Instead of roasted almonds, try chopped pistachios with pesto vegetables.
- Cheese: Feta, goat cheese, or Parmesan would work great in these bowls.
- Add protein: Grill some chicken or steak, slice it up and add it to the bowls.
- Change up the veggies: Replace the broccoli with Brussels sprouts, use sweet potatoes in place of carrots, or try roasting some cherry tomatoes with asparagus!
- Change up the beans: Use the spice mix and directions in this chickpea salad for some perfectly roasted chickpeas you can add to the vegetables.
Serve Pesto Vegetables Alongside:
Pesto Vegetable Bowls
Roasted cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots served over quick, flavorful pesto couscous. This easy vegetarian dish is packed with protein and healthy fats!
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21") 15 x 21-inch
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets, 2-1/2 cups
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets, 5-1/3 cups
- 5 large carrots peeled and sliced, 2-1/2 cups, see note 1
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can white beans cannellini, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Moroccan couscous not pearl
- 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock; can also use water
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/2 cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade; I recommend Buitoni’s fresh-made (refrigerated) basil pesto for this recipe!
- 2 large lemons divided, plus additional wedges for serving
- 1 large ripe avocado thinly sliced or chopped
- 1/3 cup honey-roasted almonds I buy pre-roasted honey roasted almonds—the type ready-made for salads
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces; see pictures for general sizes (see note 1). The broccoli and cauliflower should be cut into bite-sized florets and carrots sliced on the diagonal, each cut 1 inch apart from the last cut.
- Place all the veggies on a very large sheet pan (use 2 sheet pans if the vegetables will overlap) and add olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and salt/pepper (to taste) on top of veggies. Using your hands, toss ingredients together and roast 10 minutes, remove and stir/flip around, and return to oven for another 7–14 minutes or until crisp tender (timing will depend on the size of the vegetables and how roasted you like them).
- Remove the veggie tray from oven and add drained and dried white beans; toss together to warm the beans through. Add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and a bit more salt and pepper (I add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to preference.) and toss again. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, add chicken stock to a small pot. Add the butter and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover the pot with a lid. After about 5 minutes, the liquid should be absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup pesto, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper (add to preference).
- Fill 4 bowls with even amounts of the pesto couscous. Add the roasted veggie and bean mixture. Add fresh avocado to each bowl and top with even amounts of the honey-roasted almonds. If desired, add a wedge of lemon to each bowl. Spoon the remaining 1/4 cup pesto evenly over the bowls, using as much as you’d like. Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: If you’re worried about your carrots not being roasted enough, place them on a different sheet pan from the broccoli and cauliflower. The carrots can be cooked longer that way.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep the roasted veggies, pesto, and couscous separate for the best texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 1704mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 16697IU | Vitamin C: 244mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These Pesto Vegetable Bowls look absolutely delicious! I love how colorful and vibrant the ingredients are. Can’t wait to try this recipe for a quick and healthy meal. Thanks for sharing!
Can’t wait for you to try them! Thanks!
OMG! This is absolutely delicious! This is my kind of meal! I added hummus tonight and I am trying avocado tomorrow. This is going to be added to my rotation! Thank you Chelsea!
Delish! I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Claudia! 🙂
Delicious, easy, nutritious – win win win 🙂
YAY! So thrilled you enjoyed! Thanks Diana! 🙂
My new favorite recipe! Absolutely amazing.
So happy to hear this! Thanks Kelly! 🙂
Each recipe that I have tried from Chelsea’s Messy Apron is absolutely delicious, but this one is my FAVORITE! It is packed with so much flavor and heats up really well for the next day’s lunch at work. I would recommend everyone try this recipe! We substitute carrots with sweet potato (both orange and purple).
Awe you made my day!! Thanks so much Kelsey 🙂 Glad you loved this recipe! 🙂
Best recipe ever for grilled veggies.
Thanks Reginia! 🙂
This was so delicious!! The family loved it!! We will definitely be saving this recipe again. It was so filling and healthy. Thank you!
Thank you sooo much!! 🙂
Omg Chelsea! I just made this tonight and it’s so good. I literally can’t stop eating it. I didn’t add the avocado (I’m allergic….so tragic) but I bet it would be amazing with it! Thank you so much for this super yummy and healthy recipe! 🙂
Ahh I’m soo happy to hear you enjoyed this!! Thank you Christine! 🙂