Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf

This Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf is loaded with colorful veggies for a simple side dish or a hearty, protein-rich vegetarian main dish.

The texture of our quinoa pilaf turns out perfectly fluffy every time with a tender chew more akin to rice or pasta like couscous.

Go ahead, say it with me — Keen-wah

This ancient South American grain the Incas called “the mother of all grains” has become increasingly popular here in the U.S. since it was introduced in the 1990s.

We first discovered quinoa a couple of years ago when searching for alternatives to wheat for our daughter who is gluten-intolerant, so we were slow getting to the party.

It has a pleasant texture, similar to couscous, and unlike some whole grains that seem a little too earthy, quinoa is mildly rice-like and doesn’t compete with other ingredients allowing subtle flavor profiles to come through.

What exactly is Quinoa?

Thought of as a grain, it is technically the fruit or seed of the Goosefoot plant, a member of the same food family as spinach, Swiss chard, and beets. 

One cup cooked provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, which makes it a healthier choice to white rice for those closing watching their blood sugar.

Quinoa is also ground into flour for bread and pasta products, which we have found to be suitable gluten-free alternatives to wheat pasta.

In most grocery stores you can find red and golden quinoa, but in some specialty markets, you may also find black, orange, pink, and purple shades as well. The color does not affect cooking time or texture to any noticeable degree, but pigment may change slightly once cooked.

How to Make the Best Quinoa

Many recipes recommend a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa and only a 15 minute cooking time, which nearly turned me off to it entirely. This cooking method was unpredictably soggy at times as well as having an odd crunchy sort of “pop” to the texture that was not appealing to anyone around our table.

In this quinoa vegetable pilaf recipe, we use only 1 1/3 cup of water to 1 cup of quinoa and cook it for a full 30 minutes. It turns out perfectly fluffy every time with a tender chew more akin to rice or pasta like couscous, which pleased everyone in our family.

Like potatoes, rice, and pasta, any dish you mix quinoa into needs the proper amount of salt to really taste best. If the dish tastes flat, it is because you may need to add a little more salt for the very best flavor.

Recipe TIPS

• Rinse prior to cooking. Naturally coated with saponins, it is important to rinse quinoa before cooking to remove any bitterness. Though some are sold pre-washed and the package will indicate that, it is a good idea to rinse prior to cooking to remove any remaining residue.
• Substitute fresh ginger for the garlic
• Substitute shallots or red onion for the green onoins
• Substitute any favorite vegetables, beans, or aromatics for the zucchini and red pepper
• Serve hot or cold as a salad.

Start by preparing the quinoa to fluffy perfection and then mix in any favorite vegetables, just like this Quinoa Salad with Butternut, Kale, and Pomegranate. It is a side dish that goes well with grilled or roasted meats and rewarms beautifully for lunches throughout the week as a meal all its own.