Emilee Unterkoefler
Whether you’re on a clean-eating streak or just looking for healthy dinner dishes, quinoa is a great place to start! You can literally use anything in your fridge or pantry to add a few tasty toppers, and you’ll have a wholesome meal to nosh.
The best part is you can adapt quinoa to your taste buds, using the ingredients you love. So, get creative! After all, that’s what makes cooking fun.
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5 Fun Facts About Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah) is a legendary superfood, best known for its grain-like texture and extraordinary ability to replace rice or couscous. It’s super simple to whip up, filled with various health benefits, and tastes just fabulous with complementing flavors.
Here are a few interesting facts about quinoa:
- Although it has a grain-like appearance, taste, and texture, it’s actually a seed from the amaranth family.
- You can eat quinoa if you’re on a gluten-free diet, whether it’s due to allergies or celiac disease.
- It’s a superfood as it’s rich in iron, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins.
- Like rice, quinoa is super easy to make. It’s just a quick boil and simmer process.
- If you don’t like the earthy flavor of quinoa, you can boil it in your broth of choice with a pinch of salt.
But enough quinoa trivia, let’s check out some recipes!
Mediterranean Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Enjoy this Mediterranean-inspired quinoa bowl loaded with fresh and flavorful Greek flavors. Cucumbers, spinach, Greek olives, feta, and pepperoncini make great teammates in this delicious powerhouse bowl.
Hummus, tomatoes, red onion, and basil also accompany this dinner nicely, but nothing rounds it out like the homemade roasted red pepper sauce. Enjoy this with a cold summery mocktail (or cocktail) of your choice.
Get the Recipe: Pinch of Yum
Colorful Beet and Quinoa
Many health bloggers will tell you to eat your rainbow, and this recipe is one way you can do that! Vibrant purple-hued beets, paired with bright orange carrot shreds and loads of green avocado, edamame, and spinach, all paint a gorgeous canvas on your plate.
Once you toss in the apple cider lime vinaigrette, your taste buds will dance in glory. This wholesome meal is packed with nutrients and filled with fresh flavors you’ll enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Cookie and Kate
Lemon-Chili Shrimp Quinoa
Fill your bowl (and tummy) with loads of lean protein and plenty of nutrients from the fresh veggies used! Avocado, lettuce, tomato, and red onion top this bowl, adding bright colors.
However, it’s the seasoned shrimp that really provides top-notch quality!
Get the Recipe: Skinnytaste
Spicy Southwest Quinoa
This recipe is a little more involved than most bowls, but it is so darn delicious; the effort put in is so worth it! The roasted sweet potatoes tossed in taco seasoning accent the quinoa just right, and the black beans add depth to the dish.
The charred tomatillo vinaigrette and fresh mango slaw add quite a zing, perfect for brightening up the other ingredients. You’ll love this tangy quinoa bowl so much; it may even turn into a new Taco Tuesday favorite, sans the shell.
Get the Recipe: Half-Baked Harvest
Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad
Who doesn’t love a scrumptious bowl (or cob) of Mexican street corn? We’ve found a healthy-ish version that is to die for! Replace the mayo with a homemade avocado-lime substitute, toss it in with the quinoa, cotija, shredded cheese, and you’ve got weeknight dinner gold.
It’s is super easy to make and fares well as the main course for veggie lovers, or a side dish to accompany any grilled dinner.
Get the Recipe: What’s Gaby Cooking
Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa
Roasted sweet potatoes and hearty black beans star in this delicious and wholesome quinoa bowl! The roasted and diced red onion plays a role here, too, in adding the perfect sharp touch, along with the chili powder, paprika, and salt.
The vinaigrette tossed in highlights zesty sweet notes from the lime juice, garlic, and maple syrup, creating a mouthful of delicious!
Get the Recipe: Well Plated By Erin
Mango Quinoa Salad
If you are looking for a bright dish to bring to a summer cookout, this mango quinoa salad is a must! Dotted with halved cherry tomatoes, cubed mango, red onion, and jalapeno, each bite provides a unifying quality of yum!
While the recipe proves excellent on its own, feel free to add other fresh ingredients like cucumber, bell peppers, shredded carrots, and more!
Get the Recipe: Bowl of Delicious
Thai Chicken Quinoa
This quinoa bowl is so tasty, especially once tossed in the peanut sauce. Filled with chili sauce, coconut milk, peanut butter (plus a few other ingredients), the sauce takes this bowl to a new height.
The lean chicken, peanuts, edamame, and green onions pack a flavorful punch and add healthy ingredients to each bite too.
Get the Recipe: Suburban Simplicity
So next time you need a quick, healthy dinner filled with flavorful ingredients, just whip up one of these easy quinoa recipes! If you’re looking for more healthy meal ideas, try a few Meatless Mondays.
