Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa (Printable)
Protein-packed quinoa with golden sautéed mushrooms and aromatic garlic. Ready in 30 minutes for a wholesome, satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 12 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
# Steps:
01 - In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and their liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
05 - Add dried thyme, salt, and pepper. If using, stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted, 1–2 minutes.
06 - Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss everything together until well combined and heated through.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh parsley.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan (or vegan cheese) and extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The way mushrooms get golden and concentrated, almost meaty without any meat involved
- How quinoa soaks up all those savory flavors while staying light and fluffy
02 -
- Rinsing quinoa thoroughly is nonnegotiable unless you want a bitter soapy aftertaste
- Mushrooms need space in the pan or they will steam instead of brown
03 -
- Let the pan get properly hot before adding mushrooms so they sear instead of steam
- Reserve a handful of parsley to scatter on top right before serving for maximum color