This veggie-packed quinoa pilaf is naturally gluten-free, nutrient-dense, and high protein. It works wonderfully as a warm main, side dish, or a cold quinoa salad. With plenty of your favorite vegetables and a flavorful broth, this dish is sure to be a family favorite. Plus, it's a great way to use up leftovers!
Check the video in the blog post for easy visual instructions.Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve.
Add the rinsed quinoa, water, salt, and turmeric to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low/medium. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and all water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet/pan over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and the chili (if using) to the oil.
Also, add onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add ginger, garlic, all vegetables, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Finally, add vegetable broth, cover the skillet and let the vegetables cook over low-medium heat until tender (but not mushy), about 7-10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the cooked quinoa. Pour in the lemon juice or lime juice and stir. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Serve immediately! You can also store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and enjoy them as a quinoa salad with a creamy tahini dressing.
Notes
Finely dice the sweet potato, so that it cooks faster. You can use a carrot instead of a sweet potato.
Add more veggies of choice if you like. Some examples are zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, mushrooms, etc.
Read the blog post for more helpful tips & variations, serving suggestions, storing instructions, and step-by-step photos.
Recipe serves 2-3, nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition Facts
Quinoa Pilaf
Amount per Serving
Calories
338
% Daily Value*
Fat
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
5
%
Carbohydrates
54
g
18
%
Fiber
8
g
32
%
Sugar
7
g
8
%
Protein
12
g
24
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.