Quinoa Pilaf
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Add a bunch of vegetables to the popular gluten-free grain for a nutritious one-dish dinner.
Ingredients
- cup (180 g) uncooked white quinoa 3 tbsp vegetable oil 20 whole cashews, split in half lengthwise (nuts optional -see note below) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 small onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 medium russet potato (about 1/2 lb/225 g), peeled and diced into 1/4 in (6 mm) cubes 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4 in (6 mm) cubes
- 1/4 cup (60 g) frozen or fresh green peas
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- Place the quinoa in a large sieve. Run cold water over it to thoroughly wash the grains. While washing the quinoa, rub the grains with your fingers to thoroughly clean them. Drain the quinoa.
- Pour 1 tbsp of the oil into a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the cashews. Sauté until the cashews are light golden, stirring frequently, about 30 seconds. Remove the cashews from the saucepan and place aside.
- Pour the remaining 2 tbsp of the oil into the medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the cumin seeds and onion. Sauté the onion until lightly golden, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sautéed cashews, potato, carrot, peas, and quinoa. Stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the water, salt, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Stir and reduce the heat to medium- low. Cover the saucepan. Simmer undisturbed until the water is completely absorbed and you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the quinoa, about 13 minutes. The grains will have turned slightly transparent, and the spiral-like germ (the part of the grain that sprouts into a plant) will have separated from the grain and curl around it like a small thread.
- Turn off the heat. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes on the warm stove. Keep covered until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later. Before serving, gently fluff the quinoa with a fork to mix the cashews and vegetables. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the cashews sautéed separately at the start instead of added with the vegetables?
The cashews go into the pan first with 1 tablespoon of oil and are sauteed until light golden (about 30 seconds), then removed and set aside. This keeps them crisp — if they cooked with the potatoes and carrots for the full 13-minute simmer they would turn soft and lose their texture.
How do I know when the quinoa is fully cooked?
The recipe gives two visual cues: the grains will have turned slightly transparent, and the spiral-like germ will have separated from the grain and curled around it like a small thread. Once the water is fully absorbed and you see no liquid at the bottom when you insert a spoon — about 13 minutes — remove from heat and rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing.
