What can I make with quinoa?
Quinoa is the backbone of a cheap, filling meal, and it does far more than sit under a stew. These recipes use quinoa, and the notes after them cover ratios, toasting, and resting.
5 recipes with quinoa
Quinoa Salad
Bright bowl of quinoa, cucumber, tomato, and herbs.
Mediterranean25m4
Vegan Buddha Bowl
Quinoa bowl with roasted veg, chickpeas, and tahini.
American35m2Buddha Bowl
Grain bowl loaded with roasted veg, protein, and tahini drizzle.
American35m4
Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans
1.
Mexican4
Chicken Quinoa Greek Salad
Cook the quinoa following the pack instructions, then rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly.
Greek4
Cooking quinoa so it comes out fluffy
- 1Rinse until the water runs clear when the grain is starchy; skip rinsing when you want it creamy.
- 2Toast in a little fat with aromatics for 60 seconds before adding liquid. It adds a nutty depth for zero extra work.
- 3Use the right ratio and cover tightly on the lowest heat. Peeking releases the steam that is doing the cooking.
- 4Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork rather than a spoon.
What goes well with quinoa
Quinoa is at its best with butter, stock, onion, herbs, lemon zest and toasted nuts. Any two or three of those, plus quinoa, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing quinoa
Dry quinoa keeps for months in a sealed container away from light and heat. Once cooked, cool it quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and use within 3-4 days; cooked grains and legumes freeze extremely well in single-portion bags.
Substituting quinoa
If you are out of quinoa, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Quinoa recipes: common questions
- What can I make with quinoa and not much else?
- Plenty. With quinoa plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest quinoa recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute quinoa?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover quinoa?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover quinoa without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.