Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa (Printable)

Sautéed mushrooms and garlic tossed with fluffy quinoa for a protein-packed, flavorful meal ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll 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 (optional)
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Garnishes (optional)

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 sauté until translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
05 - Add dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. If using spinach, stir in and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - 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.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan or vegan cheese and additional fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The way the mushrooms develop a deep golden crust while staying tender inside is absolutely worth the few extra minutes of patient stirring
  • It is one of those rare dishes that tastes even better as leftovers, making lunch the next day something to actually look forward to
02 -
  • Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook, and if you crowd the pan too much they will steam instead of brown
  • The lemon juice might seem like a small detail, but it absolutely transforms the dish from good to memorable
03 -
  • Rinse your quinoa until the water runs mostly clear, or it will have a bitter soapy taste no matter what else you do right
  • Let the finished dish rest for 5 minutes before serving, which allows the flavors to settle and the quinoa to absorb any remaining moisture

Return