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–+ servings
lemon quinoa with roasted artichokes in a bowl.

Crispy Artichoke Hearts over Lemon Quinoa

What seems like a pile of spring vegetables is actually one of my favorite and most flavorful ways to make quinoa and beans delicious. I start the bowl with some olive oil, sizzle some lemon, spices and a ton of cilantro in the oil, then toss the quinoa in with some tahini until it gets extremely creamy. To keep it spring-forward, roasted leeks and artichoke hearts go right in. The whole bowl has texture, protein and intense flavor. So it's good for making on a weeknight and eating over and over again.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 5

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa of choice
  • 3 medium leeks, whites only
  • 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 large lemon, divided
  • 1 large bunch (3 oz) cilantro, plus extra for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon if you are heat-sensitive
  • 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Greek yogurt or labneh, optional for serving

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F convection, or 425°F standard.
  2. Begin cooking 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions.
  3. Clean the 3 leeks well and remove the green parts (freeze them for stocks or later use). Cut the whites into 1-inch pieces and scatter them on a baking sheet. Drain and rinse the can of artichoke hearts and scatter them on the same baking sheet.
  4. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then season them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Mix to coat, then roast for 20-25 minutes or until the edges of each vegetable are beginning to char.
  5. While those are roasting, halve a lemon and discard the seeds. Cut one half into wedges for serving, then remove the peel from the other half and finely chop the inside (the flesh). Set aside.
  6. Chop up a bunch of cilantro, stems and all, into a pile, the finer the better. Reserve 1/2 cup for serving and set the rest aside.
  7. Place a large pan over medium heat and add the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and red pepper flakes, plus 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano. Then add the chopped lemon and swirl this all together.
  8. Simmer for 2 minutes, then season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the cilantro and stir. It will wilt in about 1 minute.
  9. By now the quinoa should be finished, so stir that into the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon tahini and 1/2 cup water and mix until creamy.
  10. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1/3 cup of kalamata olives, the can of drained and rinsed white beans, plus the roasted leeks and artichokes. Mix together and then add the reserved cilantro.
  11. I love to eat this on its own with a lemon wedge, but for an extra kick of protein, Greek yogurt and labneh are an amazing addition.
Serving: 1 bowlCalories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 14gFat: 23g