A nourishing and hearty meal, this ancient grains bowl is made with quinoa and farro, roasted sweet potato, broccoli, and chickpeas, and topped with a delicious creamy tahini sauce.

Why I Love This Recipe

With regards to a satisfying, savory meal, I really like nothing greater than a saucy, hearty grain bowl full of protein and veggies.

This Ancient Grains Bowl is loaded with plant-based protein from the chickpeas, quinoa and farro and fiber wealthy ingredients like broccoli, avocado and sweet potato. 

It’s bursting with flavors and textures and topped with a delicious tahini sauce that’s creamy, nutty, and tangy. It has a subtle sweetness from the sweet potato, crunch from the broccoli, and chewiness from the farro.

This dish is hearty, healthful, and perfectly satisfying if you’re craving a warm bowl of nourishing ingredients. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Notes on Ingredients

chickpeas: adds plant-based protein. Be sure you rinse, drain and take away skin

sweet potato: I don’t peel my sweet potatoes but you’ll be able to decide to either fully or partially peel if you happen to prefer

broccoli: provides a pleasant crunch to the dish and is full of calcium, vitamin C and vitamin K

farro: this whole-grain is high in fiber, protein, and vitamins like B3, magnesium, and zinc. I often buy quick-cooking farro that’s ready in about 10 minutes after water involves a boil to avoid wasting a while!

quinoa: adds more protein and serves as a part of the bottom 

avocado: provides fat and fiber to the dish which provide help to feel satiated

garlic: gives a punch of flavor

tahini: a sesame seed paste traditionally utilized in Middle Eastern cuisine. It has an earthy, barely nutty taste.

rice vinegar: has a mildly sweet flavor 

miso paste: provides a savory, umami flavor

lemon juice: adds a punch of acidity to the tahini sauce 

maple syrup: adds a subtle sweetness to the tahini sauce and roasted vegetables

Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you happen to make a purchase order I receive a small commission):

Baking Sheet

Mixing Bowl

Make Ancient Grains Bowl

1. Cook the farro and quinoa in accordance with instructions on the packages. 
2. Make miso sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic and tahini until combined.
3. Coat the veggies. Add sweet potato, broccoli, and chickpeas to a big bowl then pour the miso sauce on top and toss to evenly coat. 
4. Bake vegetables. Transfer vegetables to a baking sheet and bake until they’re tender and browned, about 25-Half-hour, flipping halfway through. 
5. Make tahini sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, salt and water until combined and smooth. 
6. Construct grain bowls. Using a mixture of farro and quinoa as the bottom, add roasted vegetables, avocado, and a drizzle of tahini sauce on top. 

Expert Suggestions

1. Remove as most of the skins off the chickpeas as possible! Transfer rinsed and drained chickpeas to a clean, dry kitchen towel. Cover half of the towel over the chickpeas and rub the chickpeas forwards and backwards with the towel to rub as most of the skins off as possible. This helps remove moisture from chickpeas to get them crispier when roasting.
2. Meal prep the components of the bowl over the weekend in order that you have got dinners or lunches which might be quick to assemble for the week!
3. Customize the bowl to your liking! Use whatever ancient grains, veggies, and sauces strike your fancy!

Recipe FAQs

What’s an ancient grains bowl?

An ancient grains bowl is a a nutrient-packed meal that’s full of plant-based goodness like grains, vegetables, and legumes and is topped with a flavorful sauce. A bowl starts with a base of a grain (or multiple grains!) like quinoa, farro, bulgur, or barley and is topped with protein (think chickpeas, lentils, chicken, salmon, edamame, beans, tofu, or tempeh), any mixture of vegetables (roasted, steamed, or raw) and a sauce (tahini sauce, peanut sauce, hummus, green-goddess dressing, a vinaigrette, etc.). Ancient grain bowls could be easily customized to differ the veggies, swap in a special protein, change up the grain, or switch the sauce depending on what you’re craving or what you have got available. 

What are ancient grains?

Ancient grains are loosely defined as grains which have been largely unchanged over the past several hundred years. Some ancient grains include kamut, sorghum, amaranth, millet, farro, barley, quinoa, bulgur, rye, teff, and wild rice. They have an inclination to be less processed than more modern grains like corn and wheat and contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Are ancient grains bowls good for you?

Diets wealthy in ancient grains have been linked to several health advantages including improved blood sugar and lower risks of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and sort 2 diabetes. Whole-grains are also good sources of dietary fiber, which may provide help to feel full and satisfied. Additionally they contain a wide selection of vitamins and minerals equivalent to thiamin (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), niacin (Vitamin B3), folate (Vitamin B9), iron, magnesium and selenium, that are all vital for a wide range of body functions equivalent to forming recent cells, carrying oxygen within the blood, regulating the thyroid, and maintaining a healthy immune system.

Are ancient grains bowls gluten-free?

They could be! The version on this recipe shouldn’t be gluten-free because it accommodates farro, however the farro can easily be substituted for a special grain like brown rice, wild-rice or more quinoa. 

Can ancient grains bowls be made prematurely?

Ancient grains bowls can definitely be made prematurely. I like to recommend prepping all the ingredients ahead of time (cooking the grains, roasting the veggies, making the sauce) and storing them in separate containers within the fridge. Once you’re able to eat, heat the grains and veggies, cut up some fresh avocado and drizzle that creamy tahini sauce on top! 

Storage and Preparation

Leftovers could be stored in an airtight container within the refrigerator for as much as 3-4 days and within the freezer for as much as 3 months.

You possibly can prep the weather of those bowls individually ahead of time, the grains, the vegetables, and the sauce. Then if you’re able to eat simply construct your bowl, heat within the microwave for 60-90 seconds, and add your avocado!

Recipes That Pair Well

Easy Pot Asparagus

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Air Fryer Eggs

Garlic Scape Pesto

For more bowl inspiration, try my other recipes below! 

Chipotle Inspired Vegan Burrito Bowl

Spicy Salmon and Avocado Poke Bowl

Spicy Peanut Tofu Bowl with Bok Choy

Fall Harvest Grain Bowl with Creamy Cashew Apple Cider Dressing

Farro Breakfast Bowl

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Print

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Description

A nourishing and hearty meal, this ancient grains bowl is made with quinoa and farro, roasted sweet potato, broccoli, and chickpeas, and topped with a delicious creamy tahini sauce.

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 3/4 cup farro
• 1 medium sweet potato (2 cups chopped)
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and skins removed* (about 2 cups)
• 2 small or 1 large avocado, sliced

For the roasted vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tahini

For the tahini sauce:

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cook the quinoa and farro in accordance with instructions on the packages.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic and tahini until combined.
4. In a big bowl, add sweet potato, broccoli and chickpeas. Add miso sauce and toss to evenly coat vegetables.
5. Transfer vegetables to baking sheet. Bake until vegetables are tender and browned, about 25-Half-hour, flipping halfway through.
6. While the vegetables are roasting, make the tahini sauce. In a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, salt and water until smooth (sauce will thicken because it sits).
7. Construct your grain bowls with a mixture of quinoa and farro as the bottom. Evenly divide the chickpea/sweet potato/broccoli mixture between bowls. Add avocado and drizzle tahini sauce over top.

Notes

1. To remove skins from chickpeas, transfer rinsed and drained chickpeas to a clean, dry kitchen towel. Cover half of the towel over the chickpeas and rub the chickpeas forwards and backwards with the towel to rub as most of the skins off as possible. This helps remove moisture from chickpeas to get them crispier when roasting.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Bowl
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keywords: ancient grains bowl, ancient grain power bowl, vegetarian grain bowl, vegan grain bowl