Quinoa & Lentil Power Salad with Roasted Veggies and Spinach

Published: February 24, 2026
Anna SokolAnna Sokol
Categories: Lunches, Salads, Mediterranean Diet, Gluten-Free
Tags: gluten-free, Vegetarian, High-Protein, Lunch, Low-Carb, Dairy-Free, Iron-Rich, Meal-Prep, School Lunch
A bright, appetizing food photography shot of Quinoa & Lentil Power Salad with Roasted Veggies and Spinach. Visible ingredients: cooked quinoa, green lentils, roasted sweet potato cubes, diced red bell pepper, zucchini, baby spinach, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chopped parsley, and a tahini-lemon dressing. Style: fresh Mediterranean-inspired lunch bowl, colorful and nutritious, plated in a shallow ceramic bowl with a fork at the side. Presentation: clean, well-lit, restaurant-quality, shallow depth of field highlighting texture and seeds. IMPORTANT: No text, no labels, no captions, no words on the image. Pure food photography only.

Power Salad

This Quinoa & Lentil Power Salad is my go-to school-lunch recipe when I want something that fuels kids (and adults) all afternoon: high-protein, iron-rich, and dairy-free. Toasty pumpkin seeds and hemp add crunch and extra protein while tahini and lemon bind everything with a bright, nutty dressing.

It’s designed to be low-carb compared to grain-heavy bowls, balanced with roasted veggies for energy and plenty of baby spinach for vitamins and iron. Make a batch on Sunday and portion into lunch containers for quick, energizing weekday lunches.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Quinoa, dry
  • 3/4 cup Green lentils, dry
  • 3 cups Water (for cooking)
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 cup Sweet potato, diced
  • 1 cup Red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup Zucchini, diced
  • 4 cups Baby spinach, packed
  • 1/3 cup Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 2 tbsp Hemp seeds
  • 3 tbsp Tahini
  • 3 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 pieces Garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/4 cup Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss diced sweet potato, bell pepper, and zucchini with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 18–22 minutes until tender and lightly charred; set aside to cool slightly.

  2. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. In a small pot, combine quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until fluffy; remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.

  3. Rinse lentils and place in a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, cook 15–18 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water and season with a pinch of salt.

  4. Make the dressing: whisk together tahini, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, cumin, remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, and remaining salt and pepper. If too thick, whisk in 1–2 tbsp water until pourable.

  5. In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, lentils, roasted veggies, baby spinach, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and chopped parsley. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.

  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or pepper. Portion into four lunch containers. Store refrigerated up to 4 days; keep extra dressing on the side if packing for school to keep salad fresh.

Tips & Notes

  • To boost iron absorption, include a vitamin C source (lemon in the dressing helps) and pack alongside orange slices.
  • Make ahead: cook quinoa and lentils on Sunday and roast veggies for quick assembly all week.
  • Keep dressing separate if you want the salad crisp at lunchtime; pour on 10–15 minutes before eating.
  • Swap in cubed baked tofu or extra pumpkin seeds to increase protein if desired.