Good Food Reads: Quinoa Recipes

Quinoa.  Keen-wa.  High protein, gluten free, versatile.  We love quinoa and think you should too!  This edition of Good Food Reads: Quinoa Recipes will give you 20+ of the best and most diverse quinoa recipes!  Looking for some new powerfood recipes to add to your meal planning?  Look no further than our ODE TO QUINOA!

Many fabulous bloggers have been kind enough to share their quinoa recipes with us, and are allowing us to share their recipes with you (along with their drool worthy photography!).  We’re excited to show you what we have planned for our quinoa!

First of all lets talk about making quinoa.  Easy and even fairly quick, you can make quinoa on the stovetop or even quicker in the Instant Pot (check out this post and video by Project Meal Plan-it will tell you everything you need to know about making Quinoa in the Instant Pot!).

Now that you know how to make Quinoa, onto the Quinoa Recipes!

Quinoa is perfect for making salads, bowls, stuffing summer vegetables, making patties and even making desserts!  Just click on the quinoa recipe link to go directly to the recipe! (all photo credits go to the recipe creators!)

SALADS:

Bright vegetables, crunchy accents, bold dressings make these salads far from the salads of your childhood!

Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad.  Developed by us here at With Two Spoons.  Full of flavor and texture, this is one that combines cauliflower with pine nuts, golden raisins and of course, curry.  Ideal as a lunch or side dish, this one will hold up well if you decide to take it to work.  Just be prepared to share the recipe, because I guarantee you’ll be asked for it.

 

Bright Beet Salad with Quinoa and Toasted Pepitas by Killing Thyme.  Edamame, avocado, beets, carrots, quinoa and pepitas combine to a visually stunning salad.  Crunchy, smooth, filling, and wholly unexpected.

 

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with Parsley and Mint by Kalyn’s Kitchen.  Vegan.  Dairy Free.  Carb Conscious.  Full of fresh herbs and high in protein.  Ready for lunch, a side dish, or the perfect snack.

 

Maple Roasted Kobocha Squash and Quinoa Salad by Meal Prep On Fleek.  Stop the presses, I want this now.  And I want this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  This salad invokes all of the feels in me.  Best part?  Quinoa is the perfect grain for meal prep, as it holds up well.  So go ahead and plan it for all of your lunches for the next week.  Lunch time problems solved.

 

Quinoa Taco Salad by Contentedness Cooking. This particular recipe is healthy, simple and delicious.  And did I mention it is vegan?  Go ahead…healthy never tasted so good!

 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad by What a Girl Eats. Tomatoes, artichokes, olives, quinoa and feta cheese combine to make a summer salad worthy of your next cookout. Or your next brunch!

 

Asian Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Garlic Dressing by The Belly Rules the Mind. If this photograph alone does not convince you that quinoa is the best food ever, I’m not sure what will.  A little crunchy, a little sweet, a little salty, this quinoa containing salad is going to rapidly become one of your favorites!

 

Chicken Satay and Quinoa Salad by Proper Foodie.  Tender chicken, peanut sauce and fluffy quinoa decorated with (optional) cornflowers.  A feast for the eyes AND the stomach.

 

BOWLS:

Grab a bowl, pile up your favorite ingredients and dress with a homemade dressing.  Perfection!  Here are some great ideas to get you started!

Thai Vegetable Quinoa Bowl by That Skinny Chick Can Bake.  Thai flavors are the perfect flavors to accent the quinoa in this bowl.  Plus edamame for extra protein!

 

Quinoa Buddha Bowl with Tahini Dressing by Little Sunny Kitchen.  I was initially introduced to this type of bowl when  local organic restaurants started opening in Minneapolis.  I was immediately hooked, in fact I had wondered how I had gone so long without this.  Filling, healthy and so darn flavorful!

 

Quinoa and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash by Earth Fire and Food.  Did I mention that sometimes the best bowl is not actually a bowl at all?  This reminds me of an entree that I had a restaurant 10 years ago and STILL REMEMBER.  Total fate that this recipe was offered to me because I cannot wait to make it!

 

Roasted Chickpeas and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers by Ruchi’s Kitchen.  Did I mention that sometimes the best bowls aren’t even bowls?  Here bell peppers caramelize in the oven while nestling a flavorful protein filled filling.  All topped with cheese. Yes please.

 

Greek Quinoa and Hummus Stuffed Tomatoes by Cookin Canuck.  Tomatoes serve as the bowls this time.  Perfect for the bounty from your garden or local farmer’s market this summer.  And I promise-summer IS coming!

 

Instant Pot Chicken Fried Quinoa by This Old Gal. Takeout food made fast in the Instant Pot.  Quinoa makes this one much healthier.  Win-win.

 

BURGERS, CAKES AND PATTIES:

Sounds funny, but because quinoa is “formable”, it can be made into cakes, meatballs, patties and even burgers!  Able to be mixed with many other ingredients, quinoa once again proves itself to be a master of versatility.

Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burgers by Peas and Crayons.  Ummm, a burger that is veggie based, but not made of soy protein?  Fresh, natural ingredients?  Dressed up with Sriracha mayo? COUNT ME IN!

 

End of Summer Quinoa Cakes with Spicy Avocado Puree by Le Petit Eats.  Let me swoon once again.  This dish is the best of summertime- invoking meals served outdoors, lazy summer days, splashing in the lake (or ocean!) and the best dinner party ever- all rolled into one.  All the feels with this one.  All the feels.

 

Easy Curried Tuna and Quinoa Patties by Easy Cooking with Molly.  One of the best parts of being a food blogger is getting to “meet” (virtually) other bloggers and get a sense of what others are creating.  I will tell you without reservation Molly has got it going on.  Bold, bright flavors-fusion cuisine at its finest.  This recipe is no exception, she has found a way to make these simple ingredients SING.

 

Quinoa and Ricotta Meatballs with Zoodles by Chicago Foodie Girl.  Meatballs made from quinoa.  Genius.  And paired with zoodles?  Pure heaven.

 

BREAKFAST AND DESSERT:

Quinoa is so versatile it can also be used for breakfast and dessert.  Some may even say I saved the best for last!

Quinoa Blueberry Breakfast Bowl by Sidewalk Shoes.  Warm, filling, goodness for breakfast.  Topped with pistachios for a little crunch.  Quick enough to make in the morning.  Hearty enough to make ahead!

 

Chocolate Quinoa Candy Bars by Kat Cupcake. Did someone say chocolate?  Healthy candy bars? You have my attention, and I bet I have yours!  These candy bars look amazing and they are on the top of my “to make” list.

 

No Bake Popped Quinoa Granola Bars with Cashews, Peanut Butter and Chocolate by Lauren Caris Cooks.  One caveat, these need to be kept cold, so they are not quite as portable as some of the other quinoa recipes, but wow, they look amazing.  The measurements are in grams so those of us in the US will need to do some converting, but even as a total math avoider, I think it will be totally worth it.  Also vegan, so you can share with ALL of your friends.

 

Tons of tons of quinoa recipes for every taste and style of cooking.  I hope you found something you want to try!  Give us a shout out below and let us know if we left anything out, what your favorite quinoa recipe is, and what you are excited to try!  And thanks again to our fabulous blogger friends who provided us with amazing recipes, gorgeous photos of those amazing recipes, and the collaborative spirit to allow us to share them all with you!