Quinoa Pilaf is an easy side dish with a savory, nutty flavor—and it’s loaded with protein!
Pilaf goes with so many entrees and it’s easy to mix and match the add-ins based on what’s in your cupboard or on your menu! Swapping out quinoa is a great change from a traditional Rice Pilaf.
What is Quinoa Pilaf?
Pilaf is a dish that has a base of rice (or other grains) cooked in broth with seasonings and veggies. In this case we are using quinoa as the grain.
- Quinoa tastes delicious and the flavors pair with almost anything.
- It can easily be enjoyed as a side dish or as a tasty one-pot meal.
- The veggies and add-ins can be changed to pair with the rest of your meal (or to use up what is on hand).
- Quinoa pilaf is great for batch cooking or meal prep as it reheats well and can be eaten hot, warm or cold.
Ingredients
QUINOA Use red, black, or regular white quinoa. White quinoa has a softer and fluffier texture, and it absorbs other flavors well. The red or black grains have a bit of crunch to them.
VEGETABLES This tasty recipe calls for garlic & onion, celery, carrot, and fresh parsley. It’s colorful and filled with garden-fresh flavor. Add some broccoli florets, spinach, or kale for extra greens!
CRANBERRY & ALMOND These add crunch and a touch of tart sweetness. The perfect backdrop to this nutty and savory combination! Swap them out for any nut or dried fruit.
Rinse & Repeat: Unless you’ve purchased the pre-washed kind, quinoa needs to be rinsed before cooking, to get the residue off the grains. Use a mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly, before adding to the pot.
Variations
- Try adding coconut milk in place of half the chicken broth, and sprinkle in some curry powder with the onion mixture. (Substitute yellow or sultana raisins for the cranberries, and leave out the almonds).
- For a vegan version, replace the butter and chicken broth with olive oil and vegetable broth.
- Or, try making a quinoa version of this tasty recipe for Cilantro Lime Rice!
- Meat like chicken or shredded beef can be added to it, or it can be used as the base for a salad bowl meal.
How to Cook Quinoa Pilaf
This dish is super easy & quick to prep. Plus it can easily be made into a full one-pot meal; just sauté some meat or tofu to add in at the end!
- Prepare quinoa & chop vegetables.
- Cook garlic, onion, & butter, add quinoa, & lightly brown it.
- Add broth & all other ingredients except parsley, almonds, & cranberries. Simmer (per the recipe below).
- Allow resting time, covered. Mix in parsley, almonds, & cranberries before serving.
Leftovers?
Store leftover quinoa pilaf in a sealed container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If there is meat mixed in, use it up within 4 days.
Quinoa pilaf will freeze nicely! Seal it into dated freezer bags, and store it for up to a year. (The sooner it is used, the fresher and more flavorful it will taste!)
Our Fave Fresh Salads
- Greek Quinoa Salad – perfect make-ahead dish
- Mediterranean Farro Salad – so colorful
- Barley Salad – loaded with fresh veggies
- Farro Pilaf – easy yet elegant
- Harvest Farro Salad – filling & flavorful
Did you make this Quinoa Pilaf? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup quinoa
- ½ onion finely diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
- 1 tablespoon finely diced celery
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds toasted
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under cold water and drain.
- Cook onion, garlic and butter in a medium saucepan until tender.
- Add quinoa and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add broth, carrot, & celery. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and cover. Rest 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and mix in cranberries, parsley, and almonds. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Lunch, Side Dish
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Oh my goodness, delicious! This quinoa recipe is now a favorite in our home. My husband loved it and my father-in-law asked for a second helping!
I served this yummy quinoa pilaf as an side to my maple bacon pork tenderloin and it was an amazing pairing.
Yay! So glad everyone enjoyed it.
This recipe has nice flavor and is fairly easy to make – just a bunch of steps. I think I would increase the amount of toasted almonds a bit as they kind of got lost.
Can this recipe be doubled? How does that impact cooking time, if at all? I want to serve it at an upcoming holiday dinner and I need to serve 10-12 adults. Thanks!
Hi Marlene, this recipe should work well doubled. We would love to hear how it turned out for you!
This is very similar to one of my favorite base quinoa pilafs. I like to add golden raisins with pine nuts, cranberries with pistachios or mixed raisins or diced apricots with walnuts. Each has its own flavor profile and is yummy whichever way you do it. Other good add-ins include shredded Brussels sprouts, apples (also good with walnuts), pomegranate seeds, cashews, dried blueberries and currants work especially well with curry. All very healthy, high in protein and filling.
Those additions sound delicious, Christi! Thanks for sharing.
i like your recipes