Sweet Potato, Kale, and Quinoa Bake

If there’s a perfect trio of ingredients that go well together, it’s for sure sweet potatoes, kale, and quinoa. Of course there are other ingredients in this dish as well, but these are the ones that stand out. That combination alone provides a significant amount of nutritional benefits, not to mention they’re delicious 🤤!

Here’s a look at some of the nutrients offered in just these 3 ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes 🍠

High in potassium, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
High in antioxidants
Considered a superfood

Kale 🥬

High in vitamins C, E, iron, zinc, manganese, and fiber
High in antioxidants
Considered a superfood

Quinoa 🌾

Rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
High in antioxidants
Gluten-free
Considered a superfood

It seems like these 3 ingredients check all the nutritional boxes and the best part, they’re all in one meal 🙌😃. Just because this is in a casserole dish, doesn’t mean it’s a casserole, right? Maybe we’ll just call this a sweet potato, kale, and quinoa bake instead 😆.

Total Time:

55 minutes including prep

Ingredients

Produce

2 Medium sweet potatoes, chopped into small, bite-sized cubes
1 Medium red onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups loosely packed (200g) kale, chopped

Baking and Spices

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Oils

2 Tbsp Walnut oil

Other

1/3 cup (26g) vegan parmesan
1 1/2 cups (360ml) vegetable broth
3/4 cup (138g) white quinoa
1/2 cup (60g) walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch (or comparable size) baking dish and preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and 1 Tbsp (15ml) walnut oil. Season with a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper.
Toss to coat and bake for 12 - 14 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the meantime, thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Add it to a small saucepan with the broth and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until the liquid is fully absorbed and the quinoa is fork tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside, covered.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the remaining 1 Tbsp (15ml) walnut oil, onion, and garlic. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 4 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the walnuts (optional) and season once more with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 2 - 3 minutes.
Make room in the pan and add the kale. Season once more with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook until the kale is just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Once quinoa is finished cooking, season with a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper and half of the vegan parmesan. Stir, sample, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and add the cooked quinoa to the prepared baking dish. Top with the vegetable-walnut mixture and roasted sweet potatoes. Lightly stir/toss to combine.
Top with remaining 2 - 3 Tbsp (10 - 15g) vegan parmesan and bake uncovered for 5 - 7 minutes to warm through. Serve immediately.

*This recipe was created with the Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking Cookbook by Dana Shultz with slight modifications*