Spanish Quinoa

This Spanish Quinoa recipe has all the authentic flavors as Spanish rice, making it a perfect quinoa side dish recipe to serve with your favorite Mexican meal.  And this one pan Mexican Quinoa recipe is super  quick and easy to make and it turns out perfect every time!

If you love easy one pot recipes, you’ll love this one pan Mexican quinoa! It has the same delicious flavors as classic Spanish rice. 

I love everything about this Spanish Quinoa so much that I can eat leftovers cold.  Straight from the refrigerator. And I love leftovers heated up in the morning served with fried eggs.  That’s the best!  Hot or cold, I never tire of this Spanish Quinoa. This easy one pan quinoa recipe was inspired by my Spanish Rice recipe, which I love and used to make all the time before I started cooking with quinoa.  If you like good classic Spanish rice, you’ll love this Spanish Quinoa recipe!  It’s an easy recipe to make and it turns out perfect every time! 

Spanish Quinoa Recipe

I make this one pan Mexican quinoa at least once a week.  Sometimes I serve it as a quinoa side dish, and other times I just crave it and eat it as a light vegetarian main course with a green salad.  This was the first quinoa recipe I ever made when I started cooking with quinoa.  

• White Quinoa. I use white quinoa for this recipe, but you can also use tri-color quinoa. Be sure the quinoa is rinsed well in a strainer before cooking. Rinsing quinoa before cooking helps to get rid of the bitter-tasting compound (called saponin) that coats quinoa. 
• Aromatics. We use garlic and yellow onion (don’t use sweet onion) which adds a ton of flavor. 
• Olive Oil. I use olive oil for this recipe, but you can use avocado oil or canola oil if you like.
• Tomato Sauce. We add just a little low-sodium tomato sauce. It’s really more for adding color to the rice rather than flavor (though it adds a little bit of flavor too).
• Chicken Broth. I use a low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe.
• Seasoning. A little onion powder and garlic powder adds a nice flavor to this quinoa. 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Variations

Here are a few variations for you to try:

• Vegetables. Add corn, peas and carrots to the quinoa.
• Tomatoes. Toss in fresh or canned chopped tomatoes.
• Seasoning. Sprinkle in a little cumin or chili powder or celery seed.
• Cilantro. Toss cooked quinoa with chopped cilantro.
• Legumes. After the quinoa is cooked, toss in black, pinto or navy beans.

How To Make Mexican Quinoa 

This one pan Mexican quinoa recipe comes together in about 40 minutes start-to-finish.   Five minutes prep, 20 to cook and 15 to sit and absorb all liquids before fluffing.

1. Saute Aromatics. – Saute onion and garlic in oil.
2. Toast Quinoa. Stir in quinoa and cook for a minute or two.
3. Simmer. Add tomato sauce, broth and onion and garlic powders and simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid on the pot.
4. Fluff Quinoa. After the cooked quinoa has been removed from the heat and cools for 15 minutes or longer, fluff with a fork and serve.

How Long Will This Spanish Quinoa Last

If you have any leftovers, they’ll keep in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. To reheat it, just add a few tablespoons of water to a skillet and add the cooked quinoa. The water should keep the quinoa from sticking to the pan and it’ll evaporate into the quinoa as it warms up.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this Spanish Quinoa (just as you would serve Spanish rice) as a healthy side dish with grilled chicken or fish or any of your favorite Mexican meals. 

• Baked Chicken Fajita
• Taco Salad Bowl
• Mexican Style Shredded Chicken
• Enchilada Style Baked Chicken

This easy quinoa recipe was inspired by this Spanish Rice and this Spanish Brown Rice, which I love and used to make all the time before I started cooking with quinoa.  If you like good classic Spanish rice, you’ll love this Spanish Quinoa recipe!  

Looking For More Quinoa Recipes To Make?

If you love this Spanish Quinoa recipe, you’ll want to try one of these other quinoa side dish recipes.

• Salsa Verde Quinoa
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Lemony Quinoa with Turmeric
• Pineapple Coconut Quinoa
• Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 6 servings

Spanish Quinoa

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

This Spanish Quinoa recipe has all the authentic flavors as Spanish rice, making it a perfect quinoa side dish recipe to serve with your favorite Mexican meal.  And this one pan Mexican Quinoa recipe is super  quick and easy to make and it turns out perfect every time!

Ingredients

• 1 cup white quinoa (rinsed well for a good minute in a strainer before cooking)
• 1 whole yellow or brown onion, finely chopped (don't use sweet onion)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons oil (olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium tomato sauce (roughly about 1/2 of an 8 ounce can)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (you'll ne one 14.5 ounce can)
• 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chopped onion.
3. Cook the onion for a minute or two or until it starts to soften.
4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
5. Stir in the quinoa and blend well. Cook another minute or two while stirring.
6. Add the tomato sauce and stir to incorporate well.
7. Add the chicken broth and the onion and garlic powders.
8. Place a lid on the saucepan and turn the heat to a low simmer.
9. Stir about 3 times or so for the first 5 minutes, then leave it alone and let it simmer uninterrupted.
10. Cook on low heat for about 15-20 minutes (depending on your stove) or until the liquid is mostly absorbed but it still looks slightly moist on top.
11. Remove from heat and set aside for about 15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Notes

VARIATIONS 

Here are a few variations for you to try:

• Vegetables - Add corn, peas and carrots to the quinoa.
• Tomatoes - Toss in fresh or canned chopped tomatoes.
• Seasoning - Sprinkle in a little cumin or chili powder or celery seed.
• Cilantro - Toss cooked quinoa with chopped cilantro.
• Legumes - After the quinoa is cooked, toss in black, pinto or navy beans.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 144Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 28mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.