Red Quinoa Pilaf with Kale and Corn
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I love recipes that are impressive enough to serve guests, yet easy enough to make as an everyday dish. In Vegan Holiday Kitchen, this recipe is offered as a Thanksgiving side dish; it’s so hearty that the addition of a cup or two of beans (yummy with black beans), can make it plentiful entree. Or, to dress it up even more, use it to stuff small squashes like golden acorn or delicata. Can’t find red quinoa? Regular is fine; it will taste just as good, even if it won’t be as photogenic. Photo by Susan Voisin, FatFree Vegan Kitchen.
Serves: 4 to 6
- 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve
- 3 cups prepared vegetable broth or 3 cups water with
1 vegetable bouillon cube - 1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 to 4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooked fresh corn kernels
- 2 jarred roasted red peppers, cut into strips,
or 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips - 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine the quinoa with 3 cups broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the broth is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. If the quinoa isn’t quite done, add an additional 1/2 cup broth (or water) and continue to cook until absorbed.
Strip the kale leaves away from the stems. Discard the stems, or slice them very thinly. Cut the kale leaves into narrow strips. Rinse well and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.
Add the kale, stir together, and cover; raise the heat to medium and cook until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently for 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving container and serve at once, or cover until needed.
Variation: Kañiwa (a miniscule high-protein grain related to quinoa) works well in this, too.
- Here are more recipes and menu ideas for a Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Thanksgiving.
- Find more ways to make Special Occasions and Entertaining easier and healthier.
- See more of VegKitchen’s quinoa recipes.
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FABULOUS! Made this tonight as a main dish using the black bean suggestion (YUM!) and I loved it and my 5 year old boys at it up! Thanks!
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I found a black quinoa at Wegman’s in the bulk section. Is this the same as the red? I am buying regular quinoa at my local co-op in the bulk section and trying to keep some cooked in the refrigerator every week to use as part of a quick meal. I have also found steaming it in the oven works out really well. It frees up stove top space right now that it is canning season.
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Wow, that says a lot for your 5-year-old boys, Tricia—adventurous eaters! And Mia, I do think black quinoa (and red) are pretty much the same as the regular. They taste similar, and sometimes I mix 2 or 3 of the colors just to make the dish look prettier. If you see this, do tell us more about oven-steaming quinoa. That sounds like such a great idea especially if other things are baking at the same time. What temperature? And for how long?
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Nava, I found the recipe for oven cooking quina on the Beyond Salmon blog. The recipe is pretty simple. Preheat the oven to 375; rinse your quina and dump it into a 9×9 pan for 1 cup. (If you are doing 2 cups use a bigger pan.) She says to sprinkle a small amount of sea salt on top of the rinsed quina. Have ready 2 sheets of foil to cover the pan. Pour one cup of boiling water over the quina and immediately cover it with the double layer of foil. Bake for 20 minutes for white quina. She says 30 minutes for red quina. Take out of the oven and remove the double layer of foil & replace it with a layer of paper towels and 1 layer of the foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and it is ready. I have used this method the past few weeks and my quina turns out perfect every time. And since I have been doing a fair amount of canning, it means a burner free! The direct link to the recipe is http://www.beyondsalmon.com/2011/03/how-to-cook-quinoa.html
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Thanks for this additional techinique for enjoying quinoa, MIa.I look forward to trying it!
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I made this as a side dish on Thanksgiving – even the in-laws who eat an unhealthy ‘standard’ diet loved it!
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As I always say, Sarah, it seems more effective to convince people with yummy food rather than speeches! Glad you and yours enjoyed it.