Description
Quinoa is an ideal substitute for rice and is even easier to cook and healthier than rice! This healthy, easy to make quinoa fried rice is a perfect, easily vegan side dish everyone will enjoy. To make this healthy fried rice with raw quinoa, mixed vegetables, Olive oil, broth, salt, and pepper. Quinoa fried rice is great for weekday/weekend lunch or dinner and also excellent for any occasion, such as holidays, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, or Sunday dinner.
When you want flavor, color, yummy, and nutritiousness all loaded in one bowl, you go for this dish. This quick and easy quinoa fried rice is incredibly easy to make and very tasty!
Ingredients
Quinoa From Scratch (Ingredients):
- 2 cups of raw quinoa
- 3 cups of seasoned chicken broth (seasoned veggie broth works too)
- 2 bay leaves
Quinoa Fried Rice Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cooked quinoa
- 1 and half cup cups of mixed frozen vegetables (you can use fresh)
- 2 tsp. of olive oil
- 1/3 cup of onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp. of paprika
- ½ tsp. of curry powder
- ¼ tsp. of Knorr Bouillon seasoning powder or ½ Tsp Maggi cube
Instructions
How to Cook Quinoa From Scratch:
- Add your raw quinoa to a colander and wash under running water; use your hand wash as the water runs. Then, set aside to continue so the water will continue to drain.
- Add 3 cups of broth to the pan and place it on the stove.
- When it simmers, add the washed raw quinoa. Cook for 15 minutes, turn off the heat/stove, and allow to rest for 5 minutes while the pot/pan is still covered. After 5 minutes, you will open the pot and use a fork to fluff it. Enjoy and use in other recipes.
How to Make Quinoa Fried Rice (on the Stovetop)
- Cook the quinoa from scratch. You can skip this step if you are using pre-cooked quinoa. However, this is an essential step if you have raw quinoa. Please follow the instructions above to cook your quinoa from scratch!
- Make the quinoa fried rice. Wash and cut all the vegetables and set aside if using fresh veggies. I prefer frozen veggies for this recipe; it’s quicker. Then place a pan on a medium heat stove, and add the oil; as soon as it heats up, start sautéing the vegetables. Begin with onions, garlic, and then frozen vegetables. Sautee each at 2 minutes interval or less. As the vegetables cook, sprinkle a dash of salt, pepper, curry powder, and the seasoning powder/bouillon. Stir everything together, taste for flavors, and then add the quinoa. Cook everything for the next 4 – 5 minutes or until the quinoa and vegetables are married together. Taste and adjust flavors accordingly. Cook in batches if making a big pot. Serve with baked chicken, air fryer chicken, salmon, steak, or shrimp. You can also keep it vegan and turn your cooked quinoa into this quinoa mushroom bowl or balanced quinoa salad bowl.
Notes
I served this recipe with oven-baked chicken drumsticks, and it was a sumptuous lunch. On Easter we served it with salmon with green sauce! You can serve quinoa fried rice with any main!
Make this recipe vegan by not serving it with drumstick. Or replace it with tofu.
Usually my quinoa is already pre-cooked in well-seasoned broth, so I normally add less bouillon seasoning, little to no salt. If you cook your quinoa with plain water, then your recipe may change a bit, and you may need to add more seasonings. Always taste as you go.
Remember to always add salt according to your taste or according to your health needs.
If you will be cooking quinoa from scratch then the total time may slightly increase.
If not using seasoned broth to cook the quinoa, then ensure to add salt, herbs/spices to season your quinoa.
Read/follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your quinoa package if you desire. It may likely differ from the instructions above. However, I prefer to cook my quinoa per the instructions above.
