By Aditi Saraswat
February 19, 2026
This spinach quinoa bowl is a one-bowl meal filled with essential protein, greens, and rich flavours, making it wholesome. This bowl is filling, easy to make, and perfect for rushed weekdays.
1 cup quinoa (rinsed) 2 cups water 2 cups fresh spinach (roughly chopped) 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved) 1/4 cup cucumber (diced) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp garlic (minced) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste) 2 tbsp roasted peanuts or almonds (optional, for crunch) 1 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
Wash quinoa thoroughly under running water. Boil 2 cups of water in a pan, then simmer until it turns fluffy.
In a pan, heat olive oil, add minced garlic to it and sauté until it turns fragrant. Do not brown the garlic, as this will form the base of the meal.
Add the chopped spinach to this and cook for a minute or two. Maintain its colour to keep the nutrients and freshness.
Strain the cooked quinoa with the help of a strainer and let it cool down a bit before you mix the other ingredients.
To this, add the sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss everything well but gently.
Garnish it with roasted peanuts or almonds, and seeds of your choice, for added crunch, and you have a perfectly balanced meal ready.