Learn how to cook fluffy, perfectly cooked quinoa every time with my chef’s perfected recipe! Then, use it in dinner recipes, bowls, salads, or one of our 25 quinoa recipes below!
As a chef, one of my go-to pantry staples is quinoa, a mighty little whole grain (technically it’s a seed rather than a grain) packed full of nutrients. It hails from South America, is gluten-free, and is high in protein. Cooking quinoa is easier than you think: see my chef’s tips and the recipe card below!
Why you’ll love quinoa
- Quick and easy to cook—quinoa cooks in 15-20 minutes, half the time of rice! Boil it in water or broth with salt, spices, and a splash of olive oil.
- Healthy—it’s gluten-free (technically a seed rather than a grain) and packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein; it’s a complete protein with all the essential amino acids.
- Versatile– use quinoa as a base for bowls, toss it into a salad, wrap it into a burrito, or serve as a side dish -use a substitute for rice or other whole grains.
- Great for meal prep- cooked quinoa will keep 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to cook Quinoa (Like a pro!)
Learn how to cook fluffy, perfectly seasoned quinoa every time with my “chef’s perfected” method- including perfect water ratios.
Chef’s Tips
You may be wondering why restaurant quinoa seems to taste better than homemade. Here are a few tips to “up” your quinoa game.
- Always Rinse. Quinoa seeds protect themselves from critters by creating their own naturally occurring “pesticide” called saponins. While this is not harmful to humans, saponins have a very bitter taste, so be sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking.
- The ratio debate. Quinoa package directions often call for 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa. Here’s a pro tip: I’ve found that when cooking pre-rinsed quinoa, the ratio of 1.75 parts water to 1 part quinoa is perfect.
- Season. Quinoa always tastes better with salt, aromatics (garlic, shallot, or onion), spices, and/or herbs. Doctor it up. 🙂
- Branch out! Quinoa comes in various colors (and textures). White is the most common, but other options include red quinoa, black quinoa, or a mix of all three called tricolor quinoa. While black and red offer great texture, white is the softest and fluffiest.
Quinoa Salad Recipes
Cooked quinoa can be used in so many ways- but perhaps our favorite use for quinoa is in salads. Here is a selection of quinoa salads that are healthy and delicious! Great for healthy midweek meals!
Quinoa Chickpea Salad
This Middle Eastern-inspired Quinoa Salad is made with chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, dill, parsley, and a preserved lemon dressing. My personal favorite!
Southwest Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad recipe gets a southwest spin! Made with white quinoa, blackbeans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, lime, and avocado- it packs a surprising punch of flavor!
Strawberry Quinoa Salad
A refreshing spring salad featuring seasonal strawberries, quinoa, parsley, mint and cucumbers with optional slivered almonds or pistachios. Delicious!
Holiday Crunch Salad
Bursting with flavor this salad is delicious any time of year. Made with quinoa, pomegranate seeds, avocado, toasted almonds, and fresh parsley, it’s a full of great texture and flavor.
Spring Tabouli
This Quinoa Salad features asparagus, English peas, fresh dill, parsley, and toasted almonds tossed in a lemony dressing that mimics the flavors of tabouli.
Kale Quinoa Salad
This Kale Quinoa Salad with chickpeas and apples is like happiness in a bowl. A vegan salad, packed full of protein, nutrients and flavor.
Quinoa Chicken Salad
This quinoa chicken salad is hearty and flavorful and perfect for midweek lunches. Made with chicken breast, tomatoes, chickpeas, arugula, mini mozzarella, and fresh herbs, tossed with a lemon dressing.
Moroccan Quinoa Salad
A delicious Moroccan Quinoa Salad with oranges, almonds, olives, mint, and a tangy, bright citrus dressing. Use blood oranges when in season for a festive presentation.
Quinoa Dinner recipes
Quinoa is hearty and satisfying because it contains so much protein. We love it in dinner recipes and here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate it into meals.
Quinoa Chickpea Burger
This veggie burger recipe is made with quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables. Full of savory flavor with incredible texture, this recipe is perfect for meal prep!
Chicken Quinoa Salad
This hearty quinoa salad with chicken, avocado, and arugula, is dinner-worthy! Tossed with a creamy basil dressing you’ll want to drink. Sub Crispy tofu for the chicken.
Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde Sauce
These flavorful Peruvian-inspired burritos are made with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, fresh corn, peppers, black beans and a spicy, vegan Peruvian green sauce. Vegan and delicious!
Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers
An Oaxacan-inspired recipe for poblano peppers stuffed with black beans, quinoa, and optional goat cheese, slathered in a rich mole negro sauce. Vegan-adaptable.
Quinoa Cakes
Delicious quinoa cakes topped with a fresh tomato chickpea relish- a delicious, healthy, flavorful plant-based vegan dinner that is gluten-free.
Baked Quinoa
A tasty oven-baked quinoa recipe with corn and zucchini and feta cheese with fresh tomato relish.
Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa & Chickpeas
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with quinoa, eggplant and chickpeas, drizzled with zhoug yogurt.
Lentil Quinoa Soup
This Moroccan Red Lentil Quinoa Soup is easy to make, full of delicious flavor, and made with simple ingredients. It can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Quinoa Bowls
Mediterranean Grilled Salmon Bowls!
Quinoa is the healthy base for this grilled salmon and veggie bowl. A healthy flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dinner, perfect for summer!
Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
Why not have quinoa for breakfast? Whether you like savory or sweet, vegan or eggs, these quinoa breakfast bowls are nourishing and protein-packed.
Quinoa Salad Topper!

20+ Healthy Delicious Quinoa Recipes
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to cook fluffy, perfectly cooked quinoa every time with my chef’s perfected recipe below! Then, use it for dinner recipes, bowls, salads, or one of our 25 quinoa recipes above.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot (or 1/4 of an onion), very thinly sliced – see notes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well, and drained (rinsing removes bitterness)
- 1 3/4 cups water or broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- optional: 1 teaspoon cumin
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (or use 1-2 minced garlic cloves with the shallot)
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano ( dried thyme, italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence, or similar)
Garnish:
- lemon zest from one small lemon
- a sprinkling of fresh herbs ( pick 1) Italian parsley, dill, basil, cilantro
- optional: 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds or pinenuts
- drizzle of good olive oil– optional but good.
Instructions
- In a medium pot, over medium heat, sauté the shallot in the olive oil, until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Set half aside for the garnish.
- To the pot, add rinsed/drained quinoa, water, salt, cumin, granulated garlic and dried herbs, and give a good stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover well, and cook for 15 minutes. Check to see that the quinoa has soaked up all the water. If not, continue cooking 2-5 more minutes. Once you see steam holes, turn the heat off and let it sit covered 5-10 more minutes.
- To serve: Fluff with a fork, place in a serving bowl and toss gently with lemon zest, taste and adjust salt, adding more as necessary.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs, remaining sauteed shallots, and optional nuts. Don’t over-mix.
- Drizzle with good-quality olive oil
Notes
Quinoa will keep up to 5 days in the fridge or can be frozen.
When serving this as a side dish all on its own, I like to use two sautéed shallots, half for cooking with the quinoa, and the other half for sprinkling over the top as a garnish.
If batch cooking for the week, double the recipe and you may not need any of the garnishes.
Rinsing the quinoa is imperative. It really does help remove the bitterness.
If making a smaller batch or bigger batch, my general ratio of water to quinoa is 1 cup quinoa to 1.75 cups water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¾ cup
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 294.8 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.1 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Oooh, some of these look amazing! I’m excited to try baked quinoa.
Sylvia these quinoa recipes look delicious – I can’t wait to try them! Especially the stuffed poblano peppers – I’ve been looking for a great mole recipe. Thank you so much for what you do!
Broccoli quinoa cakes were delicious!
So many that look great but I think I’m going to go with the quinoa asparagus first since the asparagus has been great this spring and with fresh peas too- yum!
Oooh I cannot wait to make the Lemony Chickpea Quinoa Salad as a grilling side this summer! I found your blog somewhat recently and have yet to make a recipe that was anything less than fantastic – thanks for all you do 🙂
The Moroccan salad takes quinoa to a whole new level!
Oh, so many of these recipes sound yummy! Going to try the chickpea burgers first….thanks!
I’ve made several of these quinoa recipes. The Peruvian burrito bowls were on our menu just last week! That aji verde sauce is something special!
What a fabulous selection of Quinoa recipes! I loved the strawberry quinoa “tabouli” salad – really unusual and delicious! My daughter left quinoa in my
cupboard and I have been stuck for some ideas.
Thank you for the inspiration!
What a fabulous selection of Quinoa recipes! I loved the strawberry quinoa “tabouli” salad – really unusual and delicious! The Moroccan red lentil soup
was very yummy too! I am looking forward to trying some more of the recipes throughout the Summer!
Thank you for the inspiration!
How did you know that just today I said to hubby that I need to go fetch my grain cooker back in Spokane, from where we just moved. So what that we’re living in a 16 foot trailer? I can’t wait to try the Moroccan salad first!
Haha!
Thanks for the great ideas for quinoa.
Beet bliss bowl? Yes, please!! These all look amazing!
The carrot salad with quinoa and almonds is so refreshing on a hot day. This recipe is definitely a keeper. One change I made was to throw in dried cranberries but the salad would have still been satisfying without.
sounds great to me!
Loving the quinoa holiday salad it looks divine😋 definitely gonna try it out.
We love quinoa and love your recipes! tx
All these recipes look amazing! Can’t wait to try them. You have inspired me to make at least one of your amazing recipes every week. Thank you!
first on my list is making preserved lemons…then on to the peruvian burrito!!! All of your recipes I have tried so far have been wonderful…and easy!
Quinoa cakes are amazing … but your recipes are always amazing!! Thank you
Wow! You have so many quinoa recipes!! Your recipes always excite me, I must say. I have tried many. I have made the Peruvian burritos and quinoa veggie burgers are one of my favorites. I’m looking at trying the Stuffed poblano with mole and the baked quinoa with corn, zucchini and feta is on my list! Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks!!
Can’t wait to try some of these knowing that Quinoa is a complete protein and BTW the photos are just amazing!! Thanks!
I have made 5 of these so far since I found Feasting at home and these recipes do not disappoint. They are a go to through every season and whether I am feeding the family or hosting. I cant wait to try the veggie burger and the Lemony Chicken Arugula Quinoa Salad (Im thinking of trying it with tuna too)!
Great selection of quinoa recipes. Love the presentation photos. All dishes look beautiful and delicious!
Love the lemony quinoa recipes! Refreshing on these oh so warm summer days!
Served the quinoa chickpea burgers at work and they were awesome!