11 Tasty Sauces for Quinoa Bowls

If you’re looking for a light and flavorful meal, quinoa bowls are an excellent option.

The combination of grains, vegetables, and proteins makes it a wholesome dish that can be enjoyed any time of the day.

But to really make your quinoa bowl shine, you need to add some flavor!

That’s where sauces come in.

They can instantly transform a simple bowl into something extraordinary.

To help you get started on your culinary journey with quinoa bowls, I’ve put together this list of 11 tasty sauces that will take your meals to the next level.

Read Also: What To Eat With Quinoa

What Are Quinoa Bowls?

Quinoa bowls are a popular and nutritious meal option that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

They typically consist of cooked quinoa as the base, topped with vegetables such as roasted sweet potatoes or bell peppers, legumes like chickpeas or black beans, nuts and seeds like almonds or pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley, and a flavorful dressing.

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is high in protein and fiber while being low in fat and calories.

It also contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein source.

Quinoa bowls are easy to make ahead of time for meal prep throughout the week and can be customized with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

11 Tasty Sauces for Quinoa Bowls

Quinoa bowls are a delicious and healthy way to enjoy the superfood.

But what really takes them over the top is adding a flavorful sauce or dressing.

Here are 11 tasty sauces that can be used in your quinoa bowls for added flavor:

1. Creamy Avocado Crema

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 ripe avocados
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt

How To Make It

1. Begin by adding the two ripe avocados to a food processor or blender.
2. Pulse until smooth.
3. Add in the lime juice and blend again until combined.
4. Next add in the garlic powder, black pepper and Maldon sea salt and blend once more until everything is well combined.
5. Finally add in the Greek yogurt and blend for one last time until everything is completely mixed together.

Your creamy avocado crema is now ready to serve!

Serving Tips

Serve this delicious sauce with your favorite quinoa bowl or as a dip for vegetables or chips!

If you have any leftover sauce it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

2. Creamy Pesto Dressing

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small shallot (about 2 tablespoons minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

How To Make It:

1. In a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, vinegar, tahini, and olive oil.
2. Process until smooth.
3. Add the garlic clove, shallot, salt and red pepper flakes to the mixture and process again until all ingredients are blended together and a creamy pesto dressing is achieved.

Serving Tips

Serve this delicious pesto over your favorite quinoa bowl!

This sauce also goes great with roasted vegetables or as a dip for crackers or chips.

For an added kick of flavor try adding some freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving!

3. Cilantro Tahini Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1 cup of packed cilantro (mostly leaves)
• 3 tablespoons of tahini (make sure it’s runny and smooth!)
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (about ½ lemon juiced)
• ½ teaspoon of salt (add more if desired)
• 2-3 tablespoons of water (add as needed, more for a thinner sauce)

How To Make It:

1. To make the cilantro tahini sauce, start by combining all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Blend until everything is combined and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add additional water to thin out.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Serving Tips:

The cilantro tahini sauce can be used as a dip for vegetables or chips, added to salads or grain bowls for extra flavor and creaminess, served over roasted vegetables such as potatoes or cauliflower, or used as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.

It can also be used to top tacos!

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

4. Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained (or roast your own red peppers and win the food game!)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup almonds

How To Make It:

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted red peppers, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Slowly add in olive oil while blending on low speed until combined.
4. Add in almonds and blend until desired consistency is reached (you can leave it chunky if you like).
5. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed with more salt or lemon juice if desired.

Serving Tips

This sauce is great served over quinoa bowls with vegetables, but can also be used as a dip for chips or veggies!

For an extra kick of flavor, try adding some smoked paprika or chili powder to the sauce before blending!

5. Sriracha Ginger Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 2–3 tbsp tahini
• Juice of 1/2 medium lemon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2–3 tsp sriracha
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 4 tbsp or more water to thin out

How To Make It:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, lemon juice, salt, ginger, garlic powder and paprika until combined.
2. Add in the sriracha and maple syrup and stir until everything is mixed together.
3. Slowly add in water one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency (you may need more than 4 tablespoons).

Serving Tips

This sauce can be served as a condiment for quinoa bowls or used as a marinade for grilled meats or vegetables.

It also makes an excellent dipping sauce for dumplings or spring rolls! For extra flavor, try adding some freshly chopped cilantro to the sauce before serving!

6. Peanut Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1/3 cup (80 g) creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
• 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• 2 small cloves of garlic grated
• 2 – 3 tbsp coconut milk or water, to thin
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder (optional)

How To Make It:

1. In a medium bowl mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and coconut sugar until smooth.
2. Add in the ginger and garlic and whisk until combined.
3. Slowly add in the coconut milk or water until desired consistency is reached.
4. Add in the optional spices if desired and mix until combined.

Serving Tips

Serve over cooked quinoa with your favorite vegetables for a delicious meal!

This sauce can also be used as a dip for veggies or crackers, as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, or as an ingredient in stir fries!

7. Tahini Dressing

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1/2 cup tahini, well stirred
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

How To Make It:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. If desired for sweetness add honey or maple syrup.
2. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
4. Drizzle over quinoa bowls before serving or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Serving Tips

Serve the tahini dressing with your favorite quinoa bowl ingredients such as broccoli florets with tender stems that have been halved if large; red onion cut into ½ inch rounds; lightly toasted sliced almonds; sliced avocado; and sliced cucumber for added flavor and texture!

8. Turmeric Tahini Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2-4 tablespoons water
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

How To Make It:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and turmeric until combined.
2. Slowly add in the water until you reach your desired consistency.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Tips

This sauce is great served over quinoa bowls or as a dip for vegetables or chips!

For extra flavor you can also add in some fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro!

9. Spicy Green Sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 1 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and roughly chopped (reserve the seeds)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How To Make It:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the jalapeno (including some of the reserved seeds for heat), cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and olive oil.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your desired level of spiciness.

Serving Tips

Serve this sauce over quinoa bowl dishes like burrito bowls or Buddha bowls to add a delicious kick of flavor!

Alternatively it can be used as a dip for chips or veggies.

This sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

10. Maple Tahini Dressing

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How To Make It:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and garlic.
2. Slowly add in the olive oil while whisking until all ingredients are combined.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Tips

This dressing is great over warm quinoa bowls with roasted vegetables or tossed with greens for a salad.

It can also be used as a dip for crudité or drizzled over roasted sweet potatoes!

11. Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

How To Make It:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, and Dijon mustard until well combined.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Whisk again until all ingredients are blended together.

Serving Tips

This dressing is best served over salads or quinoa bowls when freshly made but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week for later use.

If you want a thicker consistency, add more honey or maple syrup; if you want it thinner, add more balsamic vinegar or olive oil.

Conclusion

In conclusion, quinoa bowls are a great way to enjoy a nutritious and flavorful meal.

With the right sauce, your quinoa bowl can be transformed into a delicious and satisfying meal.

The best sauces for quinoa bowls are avocado sauce, creamy pesto dressing, cilantro tahini sauce, roasted red pepper sauce, sriracha ginger sauce, peanut sauce, tahini dressing, turmeric tahini sauce, spicy green sauce, maple tahini dressing, and balsamic dressing.

Each of these sauces offers its own unique flavor, making it easy to customize your quinoa bowl to your taste.

So next time you make a quinoa bowl, try one of these delicious sauces to add some extra flavor and nutrition to your meal.