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.
Perfect Quinoa
An easy recipe for perfectly cooked quinoa with lemon, shallot and herbs- a basic recipe that is delicious as a side dish or use in salads and wraps.
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.
Carrot Quinoa Salad
Crunchy nutty red quinoa salad with carrots, almonds, cilantro, and microgreens tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette. Vegan.
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.
Broccoli Quinoa Cakes
These vegetarian Broccoli Quinoa Cakes can be made in 30 minutes & are a delicious healthy meal that your whole family will love!
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.
Beet Bliss Quinoa Bowl
Brighten up your day with this Beet Bliss Quinoa Bowl! Quinoa is cooked with beets and chickpeas, then topped with avocado and microgreens for a simple, hearty meal.
Quinoa Salad Topper!
Crunchy Quinoa Salad Topper
This quinoa salad topper is an easy and delicious way to add a tasty crunch to salads, soups & bowls. Made with toasted quinoa and seeds.
20+ Healthy Delicious Quinoa Recipes
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- 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
Great inspiration!
Ive been making your everday quinoa recipe whenever I make quinoa. It is a game changer!
I love Quinoa just about any way it can be combined. Thank you for some new inspiration.
Your recipes are a huge sucess with my family and friends here in Sao
Paulo, Brazil .
Hello Sylvia,
I made the Moroccan Lentil Quinoa Soup. I love both lentils and quinoa so this dish was right up my alley. Per your recommendation, I added Golden Raisins and you were right, soooo tasty. This dish was excellent. It’s a keeper!
Very excited to try some quinoa burger recipes and I will definitely make some kale & quinoa salad with the million bundles of greens I got in my farm box! I can always count on you!
I’m making quinoa tonight. It’s like you read my mind. So many great ideas here. Thank you!
Thank you
Love quinoa!
Thanks
Always love a good tabbouleh recipe! Your strawberry quinoa salad was such a delish twist and helped us put those fresh picked strawberries to tasty use!!! Thank you Sylvia!
Love this collection of Quinoa recipes. I’m sure to try lots of them over the summer.
I enjoy your site. Many yummy recipes.
I love all the bright colors and flavors you always have. I have yet to have preserved lemons and I look forward to trying them!
Quinoa Asparagus Salad!! Love this recipe and enjoy adding other green things with the peas and asparagus – cucumber and zuchhini because we have those in abundance during the summer months.
Will most definitely be making the Lemony Chicken Arugula Quinoa salad! Yum!!
Baked quinoa and corn! Yum! A favorite of mine in the summer is to substitute quinoa for bulgar in tabuloi.
Can’t wait to try the chickpea quinoa burger! The carrot quinoa salad was awesome for lunch. Thx for the great lunch ideas
Love the recipes!!
So exciting!!
I’m always looking for new ways to use quinoa, and this is a fantastic list! Will be slowly trying all of them! I love all of your recipes 🙂
Quinoa cakes looks so good! I’ll be def trying that out 🙂
Lemony chickpea quinoa salad a 5 star experience. Thank you for the dazzling array of recipes you provide in your newsletters. My eyes have been opened to the endless array of possibilities and versatility of quinoa.
Love quinoa and thank you for showcasing it’s versatility! I am going to make the Quinoa Asparagus Salad. Thank you for the inspiration!
seasplash91@hotmail.com
I forget about quinoa – we used to eat it quite a bit when we were vegan but it has dropped off our culinary radar. Thanks for sharing!
The peruvian burritos look awesome!! Definitely going to try 🙂