Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Tartlets
Do you ever create a dish even you’re impressed with? My Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Tartlets wowed the socks off of me!
Quinoa is a favorite grain in my house – a SuperFood packed with nutrition, high in protein, among other health benefits. Plus, when blended with your favorite ingredients quinoa takes on a myriad of flavors.
Best of all, after eating a meal with quinoa my family always leaves the table satisfied and nourished.
After viewing a tartlet in a magazine from a Paris restaurant, I decided to create my own that would satisfy even a gluten free diet. This pretty little tartlet is flavorful, delicate and perfectly contained in it’s quinoa crust. Although it looks complicated, it’s quite simple to prepare. Serve as an appetizer, side dish or entree. You’ll feel like you’re dining in another country.
Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Tartlets
You'll feel like you're dining in Paris when you savor this Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Tartlet!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 of a large shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 1 container grape tomatoes
- 1 bunch baby carrots
- 12 asparagus spears
- 4 handfuls mache rosettes, one for each tartlet ( or arugula)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Directions:
- Quinoa: Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick skillet with diced shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add quinoa. Stir to combine, continue cooking on medium heat until quinoa becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add pesto, parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Preparing Tartlets: In the meantime, prepare 4 (4 3/4 -inch) tartlet pans with removeable bottoms. Spray with non-stick spray. Take 1/2 cup of quinoa mixture and add to each tartlet pan. Using your fingertips, gently press quinoa mixture into bottom and up sides of the tartlet pan. Be sure to create at least an 1/8-inch border of quinoa around the edges for stabilization. Place quinoa filled tartlet pans into a 350F degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Roasted Vegetables: Wash tomatoes, carrots, and asparagus. Place tomatoes and carrots on a sheet tray lined with heavy-duty foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and salt. Place in a 425F degree oven for 12 minutes then lightly drizzle asparagus with extra-virgin olive oil and salt and add along side tomatoes and carrots, for an additional 6-8 minutes until bright green in color. Remove pan with all vegetables from oven.
- Remove tartlets from oven and allow to cool briefly before removing them from their container, onto a plate. Top with greens, veggies, and drizzle with a touch of lemon vinaigrette.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: Combine lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, Dijon, salt & pepper to taste. Whisk and drizzle over roasted veggies and greens.
Enjoy!!!
Hi, I’m Vicki Bensinger! I have been teaching culinary classes throughout Missouri since 1992. I offer personalized private culinary classes for individuals and small groups in the comfort of your home or organization.
Sounds like this would be wonderful from brunch, lunch or dinner Vickie. Love all the healthy and delicious ingredients.
Thanks Chris.
Thanks Chris, it was wonderful!
Mine too! It is so versatile. I actually love quinoa as a grain more than as flour. These tartlets looks great with roasted vegetables.
They were delicious! I hope you’ll try them.
What a tasty looking treat! Really creative recipe. Love the top photo!
Thanks John. I shocked myself with that photo. Beats me what I did that it turned out so good. I actually impressed myself. Thanks for the compliment. It means a lot coming from you – a photo expert!
We love quinoa too, Vicki. They are so delicious and good for you.
What beautiful tartlets!
Thank you Angie, they’re delicious too!
Beautiful tartlets and how innovative, Vicki!
ela
Thank you Ela and they were fun to create as well.
These tartlets look so delicious, I love quinoa as well 😀
YUM!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love quinoa too and I’m always trying to find ways to create new dishes with it. This one was fun and I think turned out quite nice.
What a lovely meal – so delicious and so healthy- could eat this every day!
Mary
So could I. It was really easy to make as well and so tasty, not to mention healthy!
Oh my Vicki – what a great idea! We love quinoa and I find it lends itself to so many different kinds of dishes and this is a perfect example. LOVE it!
Thank you, I hope you’ll try it.
I adore quinoa, too, and your tart shells sound fantastic! Then you filled them with roasted veggies…what a terrific idea!
It was great. I could eat this for lunch, dinner or even at brunch. So yummy!
What a fantastic idea, Vicki! The presentation is lovely also.
Thanks Susan. I was actually thrilled with my photo. I can’t recall the last time one turned out so well. Maybe I’m actually learning how to work my camera!
Love your salad very clever. I did not like quinoa when I tried it a year ago 🙁 may be I should try it again or find a sub. Thanks Vicki.
I think that quinoa by itself is bland. However, when you add other ingredients to it, like shallots, broth, tomatoes, spinach, or whatever you prefer it becomes a wonderful dish that’s not just healthy but very tasty. I hope you’ll give it a try again.
Quinoa is such a wonderful grain! I love the idea of using it as a crust. Your tarts look lovely with all those roasted veggies! Have a great weekend!
Thank you I was really pleased with it as well.
I need to try this!
You definitely should, it turned out to be a wonderful dish. I was thrilled with the results.
This would make a lovely starter when entertaining dinner guests.
Absolutely! I hope you try it. If you do please let me know what you think. We all loved it.
This is a great idea, Vicki.
Quinoa is a true Super food and your creation looks tasty and is a really eye candy too.
I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I was with my photo. I’ve been struggling with photography and while I’m not sure what I did to make this photo so lovely, I’d like to think maybe I’m learning a thing or two. I hope you’ll try this dish – it was terrific!
What a gorgeous preparation! I’d love to try this too.
I hope you do, it was wonderful. Please let me know what you think if you do.
What a creative and ingenious tartlet!!! The quinoa makes a great “pastry” for those roasted vegetables.
It really did and it was so easy. It was a wonderful dish, so tasty and healthy. Certainly you could use the tarts for many things. I hope you’ll try this.
A brilliant way to prepare Quinoa!
Healthy and tasty, couldn’t wish for more.
Pinned.