Why You’ll Love It
It’s quick to prepare. Just like regular fried rice, quinoa fried rice works best if you already have chilled quinoa on hand. When that’s ready to go, this meal takes just 15 minutes to cook! Check out my How to Cook Quinoa tutorial, for the most fool-proof cooking method. It’s nourishing. Since quinoa has all the essential amino acids your body needs, it’s a complete source of protein. Paired with vitamin-rich veggies, it’s a great way to squeeze more nutrients into your day. It’s easy to customize. You can use any veggies you have on hand for this recipe, like bell peppers, or even a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, to help cut-down on the prep work. If you need a vegan option, leave out the eggs, or try adding in some scrambled tofu, instead. It’s delicious. The garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame oil in this recipe take the flavor to the next level. It makes an easy side dish that you can serve with Vegan Orange Chicken or Kung Pao Chickpeas. It’s easy to reheat. You can prepare this dish as part of your meal prep routine, so you’ll have an easy complete protein that you can add to any meal during the week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Having cooked quinoa on hand is key for making this recipe quick & easy. Chilled quinoa is easier to stir fry compared to freshly cooked quinoa, but if you need to cook the quinoa from scratch, you can do that, too. This recipe calls for tamari to keep it gluten-free, but if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe, you can use regular soy sauce, instead. Don’t have carrots or peas on hand, feel free to use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, or any other veggies you have on hand.
How to Make Quinoa Fried Rice
- Cook the veggies. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the veggies until they become tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Carrots particularly take a long time to cook, so the smaller you chop them, the more tender they will become. Frozen vegetables will become tender even faster, FYI. It’s a great time saver for a busy weeknight.
- Add the quinoa. Once the vegetables are as soft as you’d like them to be, add in the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 more minute. Then, pour in the tamari, quinoa, frozen peas, and salt, and stir often. The quinoa should warm up quickly.
- Cook the eggs. For a protein-packed meal, use a spatula to move the quinoa and veggies to the edge of the pan, creating an empty space in the center. Crack two eggs into the center of the pan, and use a spatula to scramble the eggs. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes. When the eggs look cooked, you can mix them into the quinoa mixture, distributing them throughout the fried rice. Drizzle a teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil over the top, add in the chopped green onions, and stir well.
- Enjoy! Adjust any seasonings to taste, adding a pinch of black pepper, if you like, then serve the quinoa fried rice warm, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Looking for more ideas? Be sure to try Fried Cauliflower Rice or Veggie Fried Rice, too. If you try this quinoa fried rice recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
