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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    Aug 18, 2018 · Modified: Feb 27, 2019 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Roasted feta and quinoa bowls

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    Total time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 2 bowls
    5 from 6 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Vegetable quinoa in a bowl topped with a piece of roasted feta cheese, shot from above

    I adore feta cheese - it's salty, it's tangy, and it adds a creamy freshness to anything you crumble it over. But that's where my relationship with feta usually ends - crumbling. I rarely use it in any other way.

    But not today!

    This time I thought I'd try something a bit different, and I made roasted feta! I served it over these simple but tasty quinoa bowls, with roasted veggies and an easy pesto dressing. A beautiful, healthy Mediterranean-inspired dinner.

    Vegetable quinoa in a bowl topped with a piece of roasted feta, on a green napkin

    Healthy dinner bowls

    A so-called 'dinner bowl' is one of my favourite ways to make a healthy dinner. Here's my general formula:

    - start with some kind of carby base - quinoa, rice, couscous, that kind of thing. Sometimes I'll use roast potatoes, or even mashed potato, if I want a particularly comfort-foody dinner bowl.

    - then think about your protein - it can be anything you like. Mix it right through - beans or lentils, tofu, edamame, a meat substitute, nuts, grated cheese - or top your bowls with a 'feature' like a fried egg, or this roasted feta.

    - next, the all important veggies! I usually just use whatever needs using up in the fridge - or, you can think along a specific theme (Mediterranean veg, that kind of thing).

    - and finally, some kind of sauce or dressing. This time I used an easy homemade pesto to stick with the Mediterranean theme, but just choose whatever you think will go best with your ingredients. An Asian-style soy dressing, spicy hot sauce, even a drizzle of vegetarian gravy!

    This formula never fails to make a balanced dinner with plenty of yummy bits - just serve it all in a bowl, and dig in.

    Slices of feta cheese on top of part-roasted Mediterranean vegetables

    Make life easy!

    I am lazy. Boiling rice, roasting veg, frying tofu... that's too much prep for me (and too much washing up!). So I always try to make my dinner bowls as straightforward as I can by using the same cooking method for each ingredient. Often I end up with a one pot dinner!

    For example, if I'm frying my veg in a pan, I'll throw in some tofu to cook in the same pan. If I'm boiling some broccoli or rice, I'll also add some edamame to cook right there with it.

    And since I was roasting the veggies for these quinoa bowls, it made sense to make baked feta too!

    Collage showing roasted feta on a baking tray with roasted vegetables, and on top of vegetable quinoa

    Roasted feta cheese

    To make this roasted feta, all you need to do is cut the cheese into slabs and pop it right on top of your part-roasted veggies, then return it to the oven for another 20 minutes or so.

    Roasted cheese might sound a little unusual, but let me tell you - roasted feta is amazing! It keeps its shape when it cooks (just like when you cook halloumi), but becomes somehow a little softer and a little firmer at the same time (?! I can't decide. Just make it). The edges crisp up beautifully, and the tangy flavour mellows a little, making a really nice feature for these quinoa bowls.

    Pop it on top of the roasted vegetable quinoa, with plenty of the fresh homemade pesto, and dinner is served! Roasted feta and quinoa bowls - ready!

    Slice of roasted feta with a scoop removed, on top of roasted vegetable quinoa

    Roasted feta and quinoa bowls

    An easy, healthy vegetarian dinner bowl - roasted vegetable quinoa with a fresh homemade pesto, and roasted feta cheese! Crispy around the edges, soft and salty in the middle. Just beautiful.

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 2 bowls
    Calories: 560kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    • 1 bell pepper, diced (I used yellow)
    • 1 red onion, sliced or diced
    • ~ 6 medium mushrooms, diced
    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • ~ 6 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
    • 100 g (~ 3 ½ oz) feta cheese, cut into two slabs
    • 125 g (~ ½ cup) quinoa
    • 1 small clove garlic, peeled
    • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
    • Small handful fresh basil
    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt
    • Black pepper

    Instructions

    • Toss the pepper, onion and mushrooms in a dash of oil, and lay in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 15 minutes, until slightly softened. Stir the vegetables, then add the cherry tomatoes. Top with the slabs of feta cheese, and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or so. The feta should be slightly browned around the edges.
    • While the vegetables are roasting, boil the quinoa in plenty of water until it is soft and the spiral-shaped germ has detached - around 15-20 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
    • To make the homemade pesto dressing, add the garlic, pine nuts, basil and extra virgin olive oil to a mini food processor, and blitz thoroughly. Season generously with salt and pepper.
    • Remove the roasted feta from on top of the veggies, and add the roasted veg to the cooked quinoa, along with the pesto. Mix thoroughly. Serve topped with the roasted feta.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 bowl - Calories: 560 kcal - Carbohydrates: 43.4 g - Protein: 17.2 g - Fat: 37.4 g - Saturated Fat: 10.9 g - Cholesterol: 45 mg - Sodium: 649 mg - Potassium: 678 mg - Fiber: 6.1 g - Sugar: 9.4 g - Calcium: 230 mg - Iron: 4.9 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

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    Comments

    1. Nicki Escudero says

      September 03, 2018 at 6:49 pm

      Hi, Becca,

      I made this last night, and it was sooooo good! Another hit! :-) Nicki5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        September 10, 2018 at 3:18 pm

        Yay thank you lovely!

        Reply
    2. Lisa | Garlic & Zest says

      August 31, 2018 at 1:30 pm

      Bowls like this are one of my favorite dinner options -- and that roasted feta throws a whole new spin on it. I've never cooked feta before, so I definitely want to try your method.5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        September 10, 2018 at 3:16 pm

        Hope you enjoy it Lisa! :)

        Reply
    3. Kelly Anthony says

      August 31, 2018 at 1:28 pm

      This dinner bowl looks so hearty and flavorful. My family has been eating lots of quinoa lately so this recipe will be perfect for a healthy weeknight meal.5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        September 10, 2018 at 3:16 pm

        Thanks Kelly, hope you like it!

        Reply
    4. Jacqueline Debono says

      August 31, 2018 at 1:22 pm

      I love feta and I bake it in a Greek recipe called 'bouyiourdi' but it's also crumbled. Love the idea of roasting it in a slab with veggies! Yum!5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        September 10, 2018 at 3:16 pm

        Ooh I just looked that dish up and it looks amazing! Will try it :)

        Reply
    5. Wajeeha says

      August 31, 2018 at 1:07 pm

      I absolutely love feta cheese, but I only use it in my Greek salad. I've never tried roasting it before, but this looks and sounds fabulous. Will be trying it soon! :)5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        September 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Thanks Wajeeha!

        Reply
    6. Leros says

      August 22, 2018 at 2:32 am

      Roasted feta? Omg I love feta!! Will definitely try this!

      Reply
    7. Petra says

      August 20, 2018 at 5:56 pm

      I never thought of roasting feta cheese before, I normally just crumble it on top of salads. But this sounds quite interesting, will give it a try soon!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

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