Check out our favorite delicious and easy quinoa recipes, from enchiladas to quinoa salad recipes to vegan chili. You’re sure to find a favorite!
In just a few years, quinoa has become a majorly popular food. When Alex and I first started A Couple Cooks eight years ago, quinoa was relatively new. This supergrain is now a staple in our weekly meals, and it’s super delicious too. Over the years we’ve created all sorts of quinoa recipes. So we thought we’d share our top 10 easy quinoa recipes with you! All these quinoa meals and dishes have become family favorites in our house, and we hope they will in yours too!
Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is one of the world’s most perfect foods (according to some) due to its high nutritional content. It’s actually a seed, not a grain, which makes it naturally gluten free. Compared to other vegetables, quinoa is high in protein, calcium, Vitamin B, and iron. Fun fact: apparently the Incas thought it was sacred, because eating it regularly appeared to provide a long, healthy life. Because of all these benefits, we love making quinoa recipes!
How to cook quinoa
There are a few ways to cook quinoa. Over the years, Alex and I have messed up quinoa numerous times: cooking it too fast so it’s hard and crunchy, or overcooking it so it’s mushy. I will say, how to cook quinoa is not a simple matter! We have two methods we like to use to cook quinoa:
- Perfect Quinoa on the Stovetop This is our master recipe for cooking quinoa on the stovetop and the correct quinoa to water ratio. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes, and it requires a little baby sitting to make sure the liquid is cooking out evenly, but it’s mostly hands off.
- Instant Pot Quinoa (Pressure Cooker) If you have a pressure cooker, you can use it to make quinoa! It takes about 16 minutes and is almost totally hands off! This is the method we’ve started to use more often, since we have an Instant Pot. Get it: 6 Quart Instant Pot
And now…our top 10 easy quinoa recipes!
Loaded Quinoa Tacos
These loaded quinoa tacos are one of our very favorite inventive ways to eat quinoa! They’re delicious vegetarian taco recipe, featuring a taco spiced quinoa taco filling, bell pepper slaw, spicy sour cream, and feta cheese! And they take only 30 minutes to make, putting them at the top of our list of easy quinoa recipes.
Veggie Packed Quinoa Fried Rice
Next up in our list of easy quinoa recipes, this quinoa fried rice! This unique take on fried rice is made with quinoa instead of rice, and packed with baby greens: spinach, chard and kale. Alex and I make quinoa fried rice without a recipe all the time as an easy weeknight meal. Once you make this recipe a few times, you can get the hang of it and customize to use up the veggies in your fridge. This is one of our top favorite quinoa meals: and especially for using up leftovers, since it’s made with cold quinoa!
Tropical Mango Quinoa Bowls
Next in our list is one of our favorite vegan quinoa recipes: these tropical mango bowls! They take just 30 minutes to make and are full of zesty flavor. The quinoa bowls include fresh mango, red pepper, red cabbage, avocado, fresh greens, cilantro and cashews. It’s topped off with a vegan cashew citrus drizzle, a combination of cashews, orange and lime juice, and fresh ginger. It’s so, so good and tastes like it took hours to put together! It’s a quinoa salad recipe that doubles as a main dish.
Feta and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
This quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is a colorful and delicious healthy dinner, full of Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley and feta. Roasting peppers is quite easy: it takes just 30 minutes and you can do it while preparing the remainder of the recipe. To make the quinoa filling, saute shallot and garlic, then add the quinoa, chopped pistachios, parsley, paprika, oregano and lemon. Then stuff the filling into the peppers and sprinkle everything with a healthy dose of feta cheese.
Tip: To make this a vegan quinoa meal, omit the feta.
Quinoa Black Bean Vegan Chili
Another one of our vegan quinoa recipes, this quinoa black bean vegan chili is a fan favorite! This savory, hearty quinoa vegan chili is packed with protein. It’s simple and flavorful, light on the chili powder so the other flavors can shine. The secret ingredients are a bit of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chili peppers in adobo (available at most groceries in the ethnic foods aisle), and a bit of white wine vinegar stirred in at the end for some brightness. It’s gotten rave reviews for years!
Artichoke & Quinoa Vegetarian Enchiladas
These delicious vegetarian enchiladas are stuffed with artichokes and quinoa! They’re a filling vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. When Alex first tried this quinoa recipe, he said the meatiness of the filling reminded him of chicken — which is big praise for a recipe that has no meat. Oh and they also look gorgeous! Topped with thinly sliced red onion rings, the lovely purple circles contrast against the bright Monterrey jack cheese, fresh cilantro, and crumbled queso fresco.
Tip: To make this an even easier quinoa meal, use storebought salsa verde instead of making your own.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl
Another favorite quinoa recipe, our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl features greens, feta cheese, kalamata olives and a quinoa tomato sofrito blend. It’s a copycat of a delicious Panera quinoa salad we made for a reader request! Sofrito is a sauce used as a base in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Latin American cooking. Typically in Spanish cuisine, it’s garlic, onion, paprika, and tomatoes cooked in olive oil. The sofrito is mixed with cooked quinoa to become the quinoa tomato sofrito blend, which adds an almost meaty texture. It’s another quinoa salad recipe that doubles as main dish.
Tip: For vegan, omit the feta cheese.
Vegetarian Bibimbap Bowl with Quinoa
This easy quinoa recipe uses quinoa instead of rice in the traditional bibimbap dish! Bibimbap is a Korean rice bowl full of pickled vegetables, savory sauce, and a runny egg, all stirred together into delicious savory goodness. This quinoa bowl is an interpretation of the original flavors, using green beans, quick pickled carrots and radishes, and topping it all off with a sauce made with gochujang, Korean chili paste! It’s so, so flavorful.
Veggie Quinoa Burgers
This easy quinoa recipe takes a bit of time to put together, but it’s totally worth it! These flavorful quinoa burgers are easy to make and keep well in the fridge for several days. You can eat them with a bun, or place them on a bed of greens for a gluten free option. Top with hummus and avocado and dig in!
Go Green Bowls with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
Our final in the list of easy quinoa dishes, these Go Green bowls are surprisingly filling and satisfying! The bowl is filled with quinoa, brocolli, kale, and fresh greens. If you can find it, brocolini is a fun addition with its elegant, long stems. And just about anything tastes good when smothered in this lemon yogurt sauce! We wanted to create a savory, creamy delicious yogurt sauce that would work on just about anything: roasted vegetables, salads, and grain bowls. Alex had the idea of broiling lemon peel and garlic before blending them into the yogurt sauce. It makes the flavor pop in a way that’s indescribable!
Tip: To make this a vegan quinoa recipe, use our Best Lemon Tahini Sauce.
Looking for more easy quinoa recipes?
Outside of these featured quinoa meals, here are a few more quinoa dishes that we love:
- Cherry Quinoa Chocolate Bark
- Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- Stress Relieving Quinoa Avocado Salad
- Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
- Summer Quinoa Salad with Corn
- Quinoa Bean Salad with Lemon
- Crispy Quinoa Granola
- Vegan Quinoa Salad with Snap Peas
- Pesto Quinoa Recipe
- Quinoa Stuffed Grilled Zucchini
- Grilled Eggplant with Herbed Quinoa
- Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Herbs
Simple Quinoa Recipe
(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups cooked 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Check out our favorite delicious and easy quinoa recipes, from enchiladas to quinoa salad recipes to vegan chili. You’re sure to find a favorite!
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa using a fine mesh strainer, then drain completely.
- Place quinoa in a saucepan with water and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer where the water is just bubbling for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.)
- Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to steam for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. If desired, add additional kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a side with a bit of olive oil and some herbs or spices.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Quinoa recipes, Quinoa, Easy quinoa recipes
Easy Quinoa Meals
Check out our favorite delicious and easy quinoa meals, from enchiladas to salad bowls to vegan chili. You’re sure to find a favorite!
Loaded Quinoa Tacos
These loaded quinoa tacos are a delicious vegetarian taco recipe, featuring quinoa taco filling, bell pepper slaw, spicy sour cream, and feta!
Tropical Mango Quinoa Bowl
This 30 minute tropical mango quinoa bowl is fast and delicious, drizzled with a tangy cashew sauce. Healthy dinner bowls make dinner fast and easy!
Artichoke & Quinoa Vegetarian Enchiladas
These delicious vegetarian enchiladas are stuffed with artichokes and quinoa! They’re a filling vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
Quinoa Vegan Chili
This savory, hearty quinoa vegan chili with black beans is packed with protein and works for vegetarian, plant-based, and gluten-free eaters.
Best Quinoa Dishes
Quinoa is perfect for side dishes: it's full of protein and makes for filling recipes. Here are some of our best quinoa dishes.
Mexican Quinoa Recipe
This flavorful and easy Mexican quinoa recipe is inspired by Mexican flavors, featuring black beans, corn, tomatoes, and fajita seasoning.
Pesto Quinoa Recipe
Looking for easy side dish recipes? This Pesto Quinoa is a delicious vegetarian and gluten free side dish recipe made in under 30 minutes.
Summer Quinoa Salad with Corn
This summer quinoa salad is all things fresh! Juicy ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, and peppery basil are mixed with quinoa and a tangy balsamic dressing.
Summer quinoa salad with corn
Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
This quinoa with roasted vegetables is a delicious mix of butternut squash, cauliflower, red onion and potatoes! It’s a perfect plant-based lunch or dinner.
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
1 Comment
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
November 30, 2018 at 10:07 pmVery excited to try those quinoa stuffed peppers and quinoa burgers! :)