Perfect for late summer or fall, this butternut squash quinoa bowl is so cozy, colorful and brimming with tasty veggies! Easy to make with affordable ingredients, it's a delicious vegan and gluten free lunch idea that's full of goodness.
Bowl recipes are always to fun to make, and it's so easy to get lots of variety with delicious spiced roasted veggies, fruits and grains. This vegan butternut squash quinoa bowl joins my couscous buddha bowl, my pesto chicken bowl and my low histamine salad as a fun lunch or dinner idea.
Making this colorful butternut squash bowl is super simple, and I'll show you how to roast butternut squash and veggies, then combine with quinoa and a creamy tahini dressing for so much flavor.
It will fast become a favorite lunch and a far more affordable one than those expensive buddha bowls in a restaurant I think!
This recipe was updated on February 16, 2024 with amendments to the recipe, new photos and tips.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Colorful fresh produce. We combine delicious butternut squash, red bell pepper and broccoli for a rainbow of colorful veggies!
Simple ingredients. Nothing tricky to track down, you'll find these affordable ingredients in your store!
Vegan, gluten free and low histamine. This butternut squash bowl is suitable as a plant-based, gluten free and low histamine recipe idea (see notes on apple cider vinegar in the card below).
🥕 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Butternut squash - always choose a fresh squash without wrinkled skin as that's a sign it is older produce.
- Quinoa - I like to use white quinoa, but you could also use a tri-blend quinoa if you prefer. For 2 hearty buddha bowls I suggest to use 1 cup of dry quinoa with 2 cups of water (or broth).
- Tahini - you want to use light tahini that's slightly runny in texture.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap the herbs and spices. Choose those that you like best and work for you! See my post on low histamine herbs for more flavorful ideas.
Leave out the apple cider vinegar. This is optional, so simply omit if you prefer.
🥒 Suggestions for toppings
We all know that toppings are the fun bit of a bowl! For this butternut squash bowl, I use pepitas and fresh parsley or cilantro, but there are lots of other tasty options. Why not try:
- pistachio nuts (unsalted)
- fresh parsley or mint
- arugula or massaged kale
- pomegranate seeds or halved blueberries
- add a side of my mango corn salsa or bell pepper salsa
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this butternut squash quinoa bowl is super simple, with all easy steps. So let's grab our veggies and pantry staples, and cook up this sheet pan buddha bowl!
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Roast butternut squash
Scatter diced butternut squash cubes of about ½ inch thick onto one side of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over sweet paprika, turmeric and dried thyme. Toss to coat the butternut squash cubes in the spices (image 1). Roast for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Roast bell pepper and broccoli
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the butternut squash. Place broccoli florets and red bell pepper slices onto the baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast all the vegetables for 18-20 minutes until cooked through with a little browning at the edges (image 2).
Recipe tip: Dice the red bell pepper into 2-3 pieces. Don't dice into small pieces before roasting as they will cook too fast and likely burn.
Step 3: Make tahini dressing
Whisk together light tahini, water, dried thyme and optional apple cider vinegar so that it becomes a creamy sauce. Adjust with more water to thin, more tahini to thicken (image 3).
Step 4: Cook quinoa and make the bowl!
Cook your rinsed quinoa to packet instructions in either water or vegetable broth. Once the quinoa and vegetables are cooled, dice the bell peppers into small pieces and assemble your butternut squash quinoa bowl. Drizzle on the tahini dressing and top with pepitas and fresh herbs (image 4).
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Dice the butternut squash into similar bite size pieces. I suggest to dice into roughly ½ inch pieces for an even cook time.
- Arrange the veggies in a single layer. Scatter the veggies in a single layer rather than heaped, and with a little space between them so they roast rather than steam.
- Dice the red bell pepper into 2-3 pieces to roast in the oven. Don't be tempted to cut into small pieces as they will cook too fast and burn (I know, I tried on a recipe test once!). Dice after they have been cooked.
- Adjust the tahini dressing. Add more tahini to thicken the dressing, more water to thin, to your preference.
📋 Frequently asked questions
I suggest to roast the diced butternut squash for about 15 minutes to begin with, as it takes a little longer than small broccoli florets and red bell pepper.
Of course! Sweet potatoes, yellow or green bell peppers, diced carrot and fennel would all be so tasty!
To give even more flavor to your quinoa, you can cook in vegetable broth or add some dried herbs to the pot.
It's easy to swap the quinoa for rice, wild rice, couscous (if it works for you) or another grain.
🍽 More salad recipes
Find so many fun colorful salad recipes here, including my popular broccoli and beetroot salad and my pak choi salad, as well as these recent recipes:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash Quinoa Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
For the bowl
- 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, diced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- pinch salt
- pinch ground black pepper optional
- 1 red bell pepper ribs and seeds removed, diced into 2-3 pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets
For the quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
For the tahini dressing
- 3 tablespoon tahini
- 3 tablespoon warm water
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
For toppings
- 1 tablespoon pepitas
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scatter the diced butternut squash onto the sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on the sweet paprika, turmeric, dried thyme, salt and optional black pepper. Toss to coat the butternut squash. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and add the broccoli florets and red bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and roast the vegetables for 18-20 minutes. Dice the bell peppers into small pieces once cool enough to handle.
- Whisk together the tahini, water, dried thyme and optional apple cider vinegar to a creamy dressing. Adjust with more tahini or water to thin or thicken the sauce to preference.
- Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions.
- Either combine the warm vegetables and quinoa in your serving bowl, or allow to cool. Drizzle with the tahini dressing and add any toppings.
Notes
- Dice the butternut squash into similar size pieces for an even cook time.
- Dice the red bell peppers after they have roasted, as they will burn if cooked in small pieces.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- vegetable broth is not rated.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1. It is optional.
- tahini (sesame seeds), which score 1. Note that it is top ten allergen, and should only be consumed if you know you tolerate well.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
Amanda says
After developing what looks like a histamine intolerance, I've been scouring the internet for low histamine recipe ideas. I feel like I hit jackpot with your site! I'm just sitting down to the roasted vegetable buddha bowl, and it's like a warm, nourishing hug for my tired soul. Thank you for sharing. I can hardly think straight at them moment, and it means so much to have these recipes to rely on instead of trying to come up with meal ideas.
Claire says
Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you are going through a tough time. It really does take it out of us to develop new symptoms doesn't it. I'm so glad the recipes are helpful, and I hope you find many that you enjoy.
Katie Clark says
I appreciate the healthy eating books and podcast mentions. I have to admit, that my diet has been an area of contention. I lean "healthy" but I haven't taken the time to really focus on it. I'm thinking that is something that needs to happen. I have appreciated your recipes because I know that they have healthy variety, like this one. The tahini w/maple syrup sounds like a wonderful dressing!
Sam Auden says
Absolutely love this recipe. I was so worried when I started this low histamine diet that my meals would be so bland. Finding this blog has been an absolute lifesaver, so many great recipes. I love how you also always reference SIGHI. Thanks so much for all the work you’ve put into this. My husband who doesn’t even need to do this diet says that he prefers these meals from what we were having before.
throughthefibrofog says
Hi Sam, thank you so much for taking the time to comment, and I am so glad that you like the recipes! Having to eat low histamine can be daunting to begin with can't it. Thanks so much, and I'm glad your husband likes the recipes too!
Sheryl Chan says
Ooh this looks perfect for the season! Always fab recipes from you!
Carrie Kellenberger says
The Gut Health Doctor is great! I've read well over a dozen books about the gut in the past decade. I'm very aware of what I eat. Buddha bowls are great. Also this: Eating 30 plant foods a week. Yes, please!
throughthefibrofog says
It's such an interesting topic isn't it! I've been reading more and more lately too.