Sheet Pan Quinoa Pilaf

5 from 3 votes

Sheet Pan Quinoa Pilaf is as easy as it gets! Roast veggies and quinoa, then toss in a delicious balsamic dressing for a flavorful, no-fuss meal.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Dinner, Salad, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American, Healthy, Vegan

Keyword: Sheet Pan Quinoa Pilaf

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $10.84

Equipment

2 Large sheet pan (15" x 21") 15 x 21-inch

Ingredients

Sheet Pan

2-1/3 cups beets 12 ounces, tops removed, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 beets)
3 cups sweet potatoes 13 ounces, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 potatoes)
1 large red onion peeled, halved, and diced into 1-inch pieces
Olive oil for roasting
Salt and pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
2 (8-ounce) packets microwave packet quinoa see note 1
1/3 cup dried tart cherries or dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Toppings as desired see note 2

Dressing

1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 clementine oranges or 1 orange
1 tablespoon honey use agave nectar for vegan
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Set out 2 large sheet pans (I use 15x21-inch sheet pans). Peel beets and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, cut red onion into 1-inch chunks, peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Recipe timing depends on veggies cut to these sizes.) Rinse, thoroughly drain, and dry chickpeas. (I put them in a salad spinner to thoroughly dry.)
On the first sheet pan, add beet cubes. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon oil (13g) and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper—add to taste; see note 3.) With your hands, toss to generously coat and spread in an even layer, leaving plenty of space for veggies to roast. If they overlap, they will steam instead of roast and take a lot longer to cook.
On the second sheet pan, add sweet potatoes and onion. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil (22g), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; spread out in 1 layer. Again, toss to coat and space in an even layer. Put both sheet pans in the oven—beets on top. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove both sheet pans.
Toss beets and space out again. On the other sheet pan (sweet potatoes), add chickpeas and toss, being sure to space out again. Return both trays to the oven, beets still on the top shelf. Roast another 15 minutes and remove both sheet pans. Test beets; if tender, set aside. If not, return to oven for another 5–10 minutes. On the other sheet pan, add 2 packets of quinoa, dried cherries, and sliced almonds. Toss everything together and space in an even layer. Return to oven for 3–5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
While vegetables roast, zest and juice clementines to get 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons (30g) juice. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.) Seal and shake vigorously to combine. If honey settles at the bottom, stir and re-shake.
Remove both trays from oven. Add beets to the sweet potato tray. Drizzle dressing to taste (I add it all, but you may like less) over everything and toss to coat. Top with fresh chopped parsley, thinly sliced or chopped ripe avocados, and goat or feta cheese. Enjoy immediately!

Video

Notes

Note 1: You need microwaveable packaged quinoa for this recipe, or use leftover fully cooked quinoa. Instead of heating it in the microwave, I add it to the sheet pan with the veggies and roast it—no prep needed besides kneading the packet to break apart the quinoa before adding to the sheet pan.

Note 2: Optional toppings: goat or feta cheese, fresh parsley, and 1 large diced Hass avocado.

Note 3: Instead of adding salt/pepper at the end, I season each component of the dish to have the best possible flavor. Note that I’m using fine sea salt, not table salt. If using table salt, you’ll want to greatly reduce the amounts.

Storage: Cool pilaf, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep dressing separate for fresher flavor. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.

Nutrition