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    Home / Main Courses / Entrees

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    Curried Quinoa with Spring Veggies and Yogurt

    By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Mar 22, 2010 (updated Jan 20, 2020) / 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    close up of a bowl of curried quinoa
    I distinctly remember my first attempt at cooking quinoa. It occured around the same time as my first attempts at cooking rice, which, though failed in texture (can anyone say 'pudding?'), at least tasted halfway decent.

    I was living in Bologna and, while walking to my boyfriend's apartment on the outskirts of town, happened upon a little shop selling exotic foodstuffs from faraway lands. I purchased a package of the tiny grain and cooked it up in the apartment of said boyfriend, along with some chicken simmered in coconut milk and curry powder. I remembered watching the little halos on the individual grains unfurl magically (probably because I hadn't known to cover my pot so that it could steam properly). We devoured the chicken; I mean, coconut milk, curry powder and caramelized onions? Yum! But the quinoa remained on our plates in sad, sallow heaps.

    There was no denying the facts: Quinoa tasted weird.

    But quinoa is so healthy, so packed with protein, so gluten-free, so full of vitamins and minerals, a 'superfood,' they say, which is why I continued attempting to cook it when I returned to the land in which people regularly use such terms as 'superfood;' i.e. California. And it hasn't been until recently that I've come not only to tolerate the healthy little buggers, but to actually enjoy them.

    bowl of curried quinoa
    The secret? A simple five-minute soak in cool water, and a thorough rinse removes the bitterness that dwells on the outside of the grain, allowing a nutty sweetness to emerge. The starches wash away letting the grains remain distinct, with a delicate, feather-light texture.

    This dish works warm, at room-temperature, or cold. It's a nice thing to have in the fridge during the erratic days of spring, which can swelter by day or chill by night. It makes excellent picnic fare, or can provide you with a nourishing meal during a lunch break/blogging session.

    It tastes even better a day or two later, when the flavors have melded. If I planned to eat this cold, I would stir the yogurt and cilantro right in, and add the almonds just before serving. Feel free to add any other vegetables you like, or some cubed tofu or roasted chicken to make it more substantial.

    But please take the time to soak your quinoa. Your tastebuds will thank you.

    top down shot of curried quinoa

    For more quinoa recipes:

    • Quinoa Cucumber Salad with Feta, Dill & Mint
    • Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad with Chile and Lime
    • Quinoa, Beet and Chickpea Burgers
    • Quinoa, Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this curried quinoa recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

    No ratings yet

    Curried Quinoa with Spring Veggies and Yogurt

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    This flavorful dish is full of the good stuff!
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings.

    Ingredients

    Curried quinoa:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 3/4 cups water
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Veggies:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 large carrots
    • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 bunch scallions, washed and sliced (white and green parts)
    • 1 - 2 cups snap peas, slivered (or shelled english peas)
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • a few handfuls of cilantro leaves, chopped
    • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
    • 1 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt

    Instructions

    Cook the quinoa:

    • Soak the quinoa in cool water for 5 minutes or so. Strain in fine mesh sieve, give it another rinse, and drain well.
    • In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the quinoa, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes to toast slightly. Add the water, curry powder and salt, stirring once to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Steam the quinoa for 15-20 minutes until it is tender and all the water is absorbed. Let stand off the heat 5-10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.

    Prepare the veggies:

    • Meanwhile, grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, curry powder and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the scallion, and cook for a few minutes minutes until tender. (If using fresh shelled peas, add now and cook for a minute or two until tender. If using snap peas, add in the next step.)
    • Dump the quinoa into a large bowl and add the carrot-scallion mixture, snap peas and lemon juice, tossing gently to combine.
    • Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of yogurt, a sprinkling of almonds and a flurry of cilantro.

    Notes

    If your scallions seem at all sandy, clean them like so: rinse the scallions and cut off the roots. Slice the white and green parts thinly, and put in a medium bowl filled with cold water. Leave for a few minutes, swishing them around a bit, letting any sand fall to the bottom. Scoop out the scallions with your fingers, leaving the dirty bits behind.
    Nutritional values are based on one of six servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 11gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 546mgPotassium: 668mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 7485IUVitamin C: 27.6mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 3.6mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Curried Quinoa with Spring Veggies and Yogurt

    Makes 6 servings

    If your scallions seem at all sandy, clean them like so: rinse the scallions and cut off the roots. Slice the white and green parts thinly, and put in a medium bowl filled with cold water. Leave for a few minutes, swishing them around a bit, letting any sand fall to the bottom. Scoop out the scallions with your fingers, leaving the dirty bits behind.

    Curried quinoa:
    1 1/2 cups quinoa
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 3/4 cups water
    1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
    1 teaspoon salt

    Veggies:
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    4 large carrots
    1/2 teaspoon curry powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1 bunch scallions, washed and sliced (white and green parts)
    1 - 2 cups snap peas, slivered (or shelled english peas)
    juice of 1 lemon
    a few handfuls of cilantro leaves, chopped
    1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
    1 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt

    Cook the quinoa:
    Soak the quinoa in cool water for 5 minutes or so. Strain in fine mesh sieve, give it another rinse, and drain well.

    In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the quinoa, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes to toast slightly. Add the water, curry powder and salt, stirring once to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Steam the quinoa for 15-20 minutes until it is tender and all the water is absorbed. Let stand off the heat 5-10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.

    Prepare the veggies:
    Meanwhile, grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, curry powder and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the scallion, and cook for a few minutes minutes until tender. (If using fresh shelled peas, add now and cook for a minute or two until tender. If using snap peas, add in the next step.)

    Dump the quinoa into a large bowl and add the carrot-scallion mixture, snap peas and lemon juice, tossing gently to combine.

    Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of yogurt, a sprinkling of almonds and a flurry of cilantro.

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    the cover of the award-winning cookbook, Alternative Baker

    Hungry for more?

    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bria says

      January 28, 2011 at 7:05 pm

      This was delicious--made it last night. I used red and black quinoa and added some cubed tofu fried in harissa on top. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        July 03, 2012 at 4:42 am

        Tofu fried in harissa sounds amazing - thanks for the tip!

        Reply
    2. Anonymous says

      May 23, 2014 at 12:28 am

      About to try it... It's waiting in the kitchen, because I made ahead. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        May 24, 2014 at 4:06 pm

        Yay! You're welcome. :)

        Reply
    3. Karimeh says

      March 20, 2016 at 6:49 pm

      This is my new favorite recipe. I toasted the almonds and omitted the salt in the veggies, but otherwise followed exactly. It is simple to make, healthful, and absolutely delicious. Thank you for a great recipe!

      Reply

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