Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa (Printable)
Protein-packed quinoa with golden sautéed mushrooms and aromatic garlic, ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth
→ 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
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
→ Garnishes
13 - Grated Parmesan or vegan cheese
14 - Extra fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
04 - Stir in dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Add baby spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Add cooked quinoa to the skillet. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss everything together until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan or vegan cheese and additional parsley if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The umami punch from properly browned mushrooms will make you forget this is entirely plant based
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something you simmered all afternoon
02 -
- Do not crowd your mushrooms when cooking or they will steam instead of brown
- Letting the quinoa rest off the heat for those 5 minutes prevents gummy texture
03 -
- Dry your mushrooms thoroughly with a towel before cooking for better browning
- Use a mix of wild mushrooms for a restaurant quality upgrade