Curried quinoa is a simple and flavorful Indian-style quinoa dish flavored with Indian spices and loaded with vegetables. This spiced quinoa can be served as a main course dish as well as a hearty salad. It's vegan and gluten-free.
From the frequency of quinoa recipes getting posted on my blog, most of my readers would have guessed how much I love this ingredient.
It can be used in a lot of different ways and I love the way it absorbs the flavors of the dishes it's used in.
Today I am sharing an Indian-style quinoa recipe- curried quinoa with vegetables.
It can be served in the main course and also as a hearty salad
What goes in curried quinoa?
To make curried quinoa in Indian style, you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Quinoa: Use any variety of your choice- white, red, black, or rainbow.
- Vegetables: I have used green peas, carrots, French beans, potatoes, and cauliflower. Feel free to use vegetables of your choice.
- Water: Vegetable stock can also be used for cooking quinoa. It will add more flavor to the dish.
- Black mustard seeds: Instead of mustard seeds, cumin seeds can be used too. You can also add both.
- Ginger garlic paste: Finely chopped ginger and garlic can also be used.
How to make (step by step instructions)?
Step 1: Put rinsed quinoa in a cooking pot. Add water.
Step 2: Cook uncovered for around 15 minutes or until all the water gets absorbed.
Step 3: Switch off the stove and cover the pot for around 5 minutes.
Step 4: After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.
Step 5: Heat oil in a cooking pot and add mustard seeds to it. Let the seeds splutter.
Step 6: Add chopped onion and saute until it starts turning brown.
Step 7: Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for about a minute.
Step 8: Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and garam masala.
Step 9: Saute for a few seconds.
Step 10: Add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and salt.
Step 11: Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
Step 12: Add chopped vegetables.
Step 13: Saute vegetables without water for around 1-2 minutes.
Step 14: Add water.
Step 15: Cover the cooking pot with a lid.
Step 16: Cook covered on medium flame until the vegetables are nicely cooked but still crunchy. It will take around 12-15 minutes.
Step 17: Add cooked quinoa.
Step 18: Mix everything.
Step 19: Cover the pot and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Step 20: Garnish with chopped cilantro
Your delicious Indian-style curried quinoa with vegetables is ready to be served.
Serving suggestions
As a main course dish, serve this quinoa warm or hot. It can be served just like a rice dish with some curry, dal, or just raita on the side like chana dal, dal palak, rajma, Indian vegetable curry, cucumber raita, etc.
This Indian-style quinoa can also be served as a filling salad. If serving as a salad, serve cold or warm.
It can be packed in the tiffin box for lunch and is also a great option for picnics and potlucks.
How to store?
To store, allow it to reach room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Can it be frozen?
Yes, Indian curried quinoa freezes well. Freeze it in freezer-friendly containers or zip lock bags for 3-4 months. It will be fine.
Reheating tips
To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe container, add around 1-2 tablespoons of water, and microwave for about a minute. Take out and stir. Put back in the microwave and reheat until it gets evenly heated.
To reheat on the stovetop, transfer to a cooking pot and add around ¼th cup of water. Tightly cover the pot with a lid and reheat for a few minutes. Keep stirring after 2-3 minutes to make sure it's not burning. If required add more water.
You can also stir fry it in a little oil to reheat.
Recipe tips and tricks
- For more flavor, cook quinoa in vegetable stock instead of water.
- Follow the recipe instructions carefully to make sure that the quinoa doesn't turn mushy.
- Add fresh lime juice to the final dish. It makes curried quinoa more refreshing and flavorful.
- Feel free to add vegetables of your choice.
- You can also add boiled chickpeas or any other beans of your choice.
Frequently asked questions
For perfect fluffy quinoa, the quinoa to water ratio should be 1:2 i.e. for every 1 cup of quinoa, add 2 cups of water. Also, cook it uncovered for around 15 minutes on medium flame then switch off the stove and cover for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.
Yes, quinoa is gluten-free.
More easy quinoa recipes
Looking for more ideas to add quinoa to your diet? Don't miss checking the following recipes:
If you try any of my recipes, please rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it on the recipe card and also leave your feedback in the comments section below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and subscribe to my youtube channel.
Recipe
Curried quinoa with vegetables
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
Ingredients to cook quinoa
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 cup water/ vegetable stock
Other ingredients
- 2 cups vegetables chopped into small pieces I have used cauliflower, carrot, potato, French beans, and green peas.
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 medium-sized tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1-2 green chilies finely chopped
- A handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon cooking oil of choice
- ½ cup water or as required to cook vegetables
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa and put in a cooking pot. Add water and cook uncovered on a medium flame for around 15 minutes or until all the water gets absorbed.
- Switch off the stove and cover the pot with a lid. Don't remove the lid for 5 minutes, after that fluff quinoa with a fork and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add chopped onion and cook until it starts turning brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for about a minute.
- Next, add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and garam masala. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and salt. Mix and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked add chopped vegetables.
- Saute vegetables for about 1-2 minutes and then add around ½ a cup of water. Mix and cover the pot with a lid. Cook on medium until the vegetables are cooked. The vegetables should be cooked but should remain slightly crunchy.
- Add cooked quinoa, mix and cover the cooking pot with a lid again. Leave for 1-2 minutes then switch off the stove.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- For more flavor, cook quinoa in vegetable stock instead of water.
- Follow the recipe instructions carefully to make sure that the quinoa doesn't turn mushy.
- Add fresh lime juice to the final dish. It makes curried quinoa more refreshing and flavorful.
- Feel free to add vegetables of your choice.
- You can also add boiled chickpeas or any other beans of your choice.
- More recipe tips and tricks are given within the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
I have made it this recipe twice now with different vegetables, and a little chicken meat as well (planning to add tofu next time). Even though I didn’t have any garam masala, it turned out very tasty. I like the fact that I can make it ahead and warm up at supper time. Thank you very much.
Thank you for sharing your feedback 🙂