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Quinoa with roasted ratatouille is truly one delicious and nutritious dish. Quinoa is one of the few grains that can boast being a complete protein. It is a great addition to any menu, vegetarian or otherwise. Sheet pan roasting the veggies makes for a light, flavorful version of ratatouille, the classic French summer vegetable stew. Choose small, firm zucchini and the small, slender Asian eggplants if you can find them — they don’t need to be salted and sweated before cooking. If you like spicy food, swap the red pepper for a couple of dark green poblano peppers. For even cooking, cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces. As the seasons change, you can change up the roasted vegetables and herbs you use. It’ll always be good!
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large bowl. Tip the eggplant, zucchini, red peppers, and garlic into the bowl and mix with your hands to coat them with oil. Spread them out in a single layer onto a couple of baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt. Tip the tomatoes into the bowl to coat with any remaining oil and add to the other vegetables, skin side down.
- Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes on a high shelf. Turn with a spatula to mix and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft, golden and caramelized around the edges. If the peppers cook faster than the rest, remove them from the tray and set aside.
- While the vegetables are cooking, put the washed quinoa, parsley sprig, and scallions into a saucepan with a lid. Add the 4 cups of water and 1 tsp of olive oil and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside, covered, until you are ready to use it.
- While the quinoa is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the shallots and sauté slowly until they turn golden and caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley, cook for a minute and then, if they are ready, add the roasted vegetables to the pan. Toss to mix. Cook for a minute and check the seasoning. Add the basil and toss to mix again. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Remove the herbs and scallion greens from the quinoa. Fluff with a fork and tip onto a platter. Make a well in the center and tip the roasted ratatouille into it. Garnish with some basil leaves and serve.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon, olive oil
- 2 cups Asian eggplant, 1 inch slices (if using the big Italian ones, cut into a 1 inch dice)
- 2 cups zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks (if the zucchini are large, deseed them)
- 2 large red peppers, deseeded and cut into 1 inch pieces, about 2 cups
- 12 cloves of garlic in their skins (or to taste)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
- 2 cups quinoa, rinsed well in a fine sieve
- 4 cups water or stock
- 2 scallions, bottoms trimmed, greens kept and split lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, plus 1 sprig
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup lightly packed torn basil leaves
- Sea salt, to taste
Nutritional Information
Calories
323 cals
Fat
9 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3 g
Monounsaturated Fat
4 g
Carbohydrates
52 g
Sugar
8 g
Fiber
8 g
Protein
11 g
Sodium
1036 mg
*per serving
Ann's Tips and Tricks
If you’re making this for a summer BBQ, you can cook the oiled veggies on heavy foil laid directly on the grill. Keep an eye on them as they will cook a bit faster than in the oven.
You can substitute the cherry tomatoes in this recipe for 6-8 small ripe Roma tomatoes if you prefer. Just halve them lengthwise and add them in. You can also make quinoa ahead of time – it will keep in the fridge for up to five days. It’s great to have on hand for an easy side or salad, or to make our yummy Quinoa Breakfast Porridge.
