21 Reasons to Be Keen on Quinoa

Hello and welcome to this new thing we’re trying out where we help you figure out what you’re gonna put in your mouth this week. Some of these are recipes we’ve tried, some of these are recipes we’re looking forward to trying, all of them are fucking delicious. Tell us what you want to put in your piehole or suggest your own recipes, and next week we’ll check in and talk about which things we made, which things we loved, and which things have changed us irreversibly as people. Last week, we made cupcakes. 

Quinoa is the most amazing, versatile food. It can be sweet or savory, and you can make a lot of it at once with great leftovers to spare! Here are 21 ways to get more quinoa in your life, whether you’re just starting to cook with it or have been in a long term culinary relationship.

 1. Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Breakfast Bake

It’s possible to eat some kind of quinoa for every meal of the day. This looks like a delightful start to any morning.

2. Sweet Potato Quinoa Patties

3. Vegetable and Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini

Anything involving stuffed zucchini is one of my favorite things to make. Just take one perfect food and fill it with more perfect food.

4. Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

Because stuffing food with other food never gets old.

5. Vegetable Rainbow Salad

6. Artichoke Parsley Salad

7. Tandoori Cauliflower with Indian-Spiced Quinoa

8. Mediterranean Salad

Even though I strongly dislike olives (I know, what kind of Italian am I?) this looks delicious.

9. Chicken and Quinoa Soup

10. Quinoa Crust Pizza

As your resident pizza feminist, I was determined to find pizza that incorporated quinoa, and the internet did not disappoint. I think this recipe looks rather promising!

11. Turkey & Quinoa Taco Lettuce Wraps

12. Guacamole Quinoa with Mango

I feel like the quinoa would add a lovely texture to the guac. And mango? YES. I am all about this.

13. Black Bean Enchilada Bake

14. Roasted Red Pepper and Asparagus Quinoa

This is something that I had been making variations of long before compiling this list. There’s just something about asparagus and roasted red peppers that go together so perfectly. I’ve also really enjoyed this with Tofurkey Italian Sausage instead of chicken.

15. Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili

16. Cheesy Baked Quinoa

I am immediately skeptical of any food that says it can rival mac ‘n’ cheese, but I might compromise my loyalty to the noodley, cheesy goodness in order to try this recipe.

17. Quinoa Fried Rice

18. Crispy Quinoa Burger Topped With Sweet Potato Fries, Beer Caramelized Onions, Gruyere, and Fried Egg

Well that just says it all doesn’t it? If you’re feeling epic (and/or very hungry) this could be the meal for you.

19. Spicy Quinoa with Sweet Potato

20. Watermelon Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad

21. Chocolate Chip Quinoa Muffins

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Leo

Leo is a homemaker and educator based near Boston, MA.

Leo has written 26 articles for us.

16 Comments

  4. This has given me many more ideas for the jar of quinoa in my cupboard. An old favourite of mine are banana quinoa muffins with cinnamon, but the internet seems to have failed me. Maybe I’ll share my handwritten notes later :)

  5. Mixed quinoa in with my oatmeal today because I was out of stuff and I highly recommend it. Surely at some point we gotta develop some better way of washing the tiny, tiny grains though.

  6. I’ve never tried quinoa. I know people are very divided on it – especially the humans who don’t eat meat.

    I don’t like not having an opinion on something – and some of these recipes look very good! Hmm.

    • As a human who doesn’t eat meat and can’t eat quinoa (I get bad stomach cramps from even trace amounts of saponin), let me just say that its sudden popularity has turned vegetarian potlucks into a minefield.

    • But the recipe is not on the page it leads to, just a picture and a lot of well-deserved exclamation points? Help I am lost without my principle religious text

  8. Quinoa is killing other countries financial stability. There are people who depend only on quinoa’s income to survive. This article is sad.

    • Agreed. I only use quinoa occasionally for this reason. We need an article about barley, a grain grown in northern climates, still high in protein and pretty delicious (for the non gluten-free people anyways).
      I’ve got a bit of time to curate recipes, if anyone is interested.

      • Hey! I’ve just typed “barley nutrition facts” in google and it is actually low in protein (4g per cup only).
        I agree that quinoa consumption is problematic, though.

  10. All of them look delicious, all of them look…. like they take too long or are too hard to make. I will never be the cook in the relationship, ever. I feel bad for who ever gets stuck with me, you will have ramen noodle soup the rest of your life, I am so sorry.

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