Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Reduction

Hearty quinoa bowls with a pumpkin twist with blackened brussels sprouts, avocado, and an easy balsamic reduction. Great for a gluten-free grain bowl! 

I’m happy to report that it’s finally starting to feel like fall here in Virginia.

We got back from Indiana on Monday and were cooly greeted with sweater weather.

I stepped our of the car, shivering in my T-shirt, and instantly started craving all things soothing and warm.

You know what goes well with sweater weather?

Hot chocolate, big pots of soup, oh, and cozy quinoa bowls with flavors that represent the season.

These Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Reduction are my current go-to power bowl.

Grab a sweater and let’s get brusselin’.

How to Make the Best Brussels Sprouts

I love brussel sprouts.

There, I said it.

My parents used to serve them to us steamed whole, and I came to love those bitter little cabbages at an early age.

Dad (also a brussel sprouts fan) and I would cordially divide up the remaining sprouts at the end of our meal between the two of us.

Divide and conquer.

This recipe pan-sears them, creating blackened brussels with tons of crunch and texture.

I saved the fresh brussel sprout leaves that fell away while chopping as a pretty flourish for the bowls.

How to Make Pumpkin Quinoa 

You might have tried coconut quinoa before, but I bet you haven’t tried pumpkin quinoa.

Cooking quinoa in coconut milk gives it a rich depth of flavor that’s a nice alternative to cooking with water or vegetable broth.

I was inspired to try adding pumpkin in with my coconut quinoa by a recipe I saw for pumpkin rice.

Purée  from canned pumpkin brings these bowls together quickly, but feel free to roast your own pumpkin to create a fresh smash for the recipe.

The pumpkin coconut milk mixture makes the quinoa super creamy, thick, taking on a risotto-like texture that acts as the perfect base for these fall-bowls.

How to Serve Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls

The “cherry on top” of these bowls is an easy balsamic reduction that you can make on the stovetop in under ten minutes.

Enjoy these Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Reduction for a festive lunch or dinner.

Sprinkling them with pepitas and dried cranberries really makes the flavors pop, but I’d love to see trials with different nut, seeds, or dried fruit!

If you’re needing a little something more, try adding tempeh, tofu, or chickpeas for added protein.

I love to make these bowls for an easy weeknight dinner and enjoy the leftovers for a quick lunch the next day.

Enjoy!

More Vegan Power Bowls

• Delicata Squash Quinoa Power Bowl

• Sweet Potato & Forbidden Rice Power Bowls

• Lentil & Winter Squash Cauliflower Rice Power Bowl

• Sushi Quinoa Power Bowl

• Greek Power Bowls With Cucumber Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce

• Paprika Power Bowl With Apple Cider Tahini

• Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls

• Tahini Tempeh Sweet Potato Noodle Bowl

• Vegan Poke Bowl with SunButter Sauce

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

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XO Lauren

Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Reduction

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• Author: Flora & Vino
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: 3 bowls
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Hearty quinoa bowls with a pumpkin twist topped with blackened brussel sprouts, avocado, and an easy balsamic reduction. Great for a gluten-free grain bowl!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup toasted quinoa
• 3 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• Himalayan sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• avocado oil spray
• 1/2 large or 1 small avocado, diced
• 3 scallions, diced
• 2 TBSP pepitas
• 2 TBSP dried cranberries
• 2 TBSP fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

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Instructions

1. To make the pumpkin quinoa, combine the coconut milk, vegetable broth, pumpkin, and white quinoa in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow quinoa to simmer until the liquid is completely absorbed and quinoa is fluffy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooked, stir, cover and set aside.
2. Next, clean, trim, and halve all brussel sprouts. Spray a large pan with avocado oil spray and heat over medium-high. You want the skillet nice and hot before adding the brussels sprouts. Once the pan is very warm, add them, face down, careful not the crowd the pan. You may need to do several batches. Season them with a little Himalayan sea salt and black pepper and cook 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until both sides are blackened and the brussels sprouts are crispy on the outside but tender when pierced with a fork. Once done, set aside and cover.
3. To make the easy balsamic reduction, add 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar to a small sauce pan and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for ~10 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. The mixture will start to get really thick and gooey (like molasses) towards the end. Your balsamic reduction is done when it coats the back of a spoon. Store leftover balsamic reduction in the fridge for up to one week.
4. To assemble the Pumpkin Quinoa Bowls, divide the pumpkin quinoa between bowls and top them with blackened brussels sprouts, diced avocado, scallions, pepitas, dried cranberries, and fresh thyme. Garnish with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and serve.
5. Store leftovers separately in the fridge for up to one week and reassemble and reheat before serving.

Notes

For an oil-free option, try steaming your brussels sprouts instead or roast them oven at 400°F for ~25 minutes on parchment paper with a dash of veggie broth to prevent drying.

Recipe adapted from Love & Lemons

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Power Bowl, Entree
• Method: Oven, Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Oil Free-Option

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