If you’re after a vegan lunch recipe you’ll come back to again and again, this quinoa bowl with tofu feta is it. It’s easy to make in advance, jam-packed with protein, and tastes absolutely amazing.

This recipe features in Elly Smart’s cookbook Elly’s Plate. It features simple ingredients like quinoa, chickpeas, vegetable stock, red onion, tomato, and cucumber.

Making the tofu feta is a lot easier than you think. All you need to do is combine the key ingredients – which include olive oil, lemon, white miso paste, nutritional yeast, oregano, garlic, and salt – with firm tofu. This creates a plant-based take on feta cheese that’s very reminiscent of the original dairy version.

Serve this bowl for lunch, dinner, or whenever you fancy. It’s great for meal-prep and an ideal post-gym dish.

Vegan quinoa bowl with tofu feta

This recipe feels like a healthy relationship – it’s always going to be there to pick you up once you’ve finished a heavy weekend. Prep this for work lunches on a Sunday and you’ll feel super smug throughout the week.

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Duration27

Cook Time15

Prep Time12

Servings

Ingredients

150 g (scant 1 cup) quinoa, rinsed
350 ml hot vegetable stock
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 large salad tomato, cut into small chunks
1/2 cucumber, diced
400 g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Handful of basil, leaves torn
1 tbsp sumac, plus extra to serve

For the tofu feta

4 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp white miso paste
1 tsp dried oregano or mint
1 tsp salt
200 g extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 2cm cubes

Instructions

Combine the quinoa and vegetable stock in a saucepan and set over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. The stock should have been absorbed and the quinoa should be tender. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
To make the tofu feta, add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, miso paste, oregano or mint and salt to another large bowl and whisk to form a dressing. Add the tofu and toss until it is completely coated.
Stir the onion, tomato, cucumber, chickpeas, basil, and sumac with the cooled quinoa.
Add the tofu feta to the salad, being sure to scrape in all the dressing, then mix again so everything is well combined. Season with salt and pepper then serve sprinkled with a little extra sunac.
Add the tofu feta to the salad, being sure to scrape in all the dressing, then mix again so everything is well combined. Season with salt and pepper then serve sprinkled with a little extra sunac.