18 quinoa recipes

What is quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wah') is not actually a grain, but a seed. It grows from a plant in the goosefoot family and is considered very healthy – it contains all nine essential amino acids and is a great source of protein. It's actually been a main food staple in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia for thousands of years, so we're very late into the trend!

White, black and red quinoa are all available in the UK, and all are suitable for our best quinoa recipes below. You can basically treat it like rice - it even works wonderfully in sushi.

Easy quinoa recipes

Quinoa chicken salad

A healthy, low-calorie (and gluten-free) quinoa salad recipe. With tender chicken, it's made colourful with red onion, mint and lemon zest.

Chocolate, coconut and raspberry quinoa porridge

Start your morning with this quinoa porridge packed full of guilt-free goodness. This recipe is quick with minimal ingredients. What’s more, it’s easy to make a batch for the rest of the week.

Veggie quinoa meatballs with tomatoes, olives and caper sauce

Quinoa is joined in these veggie meatballs by black beans, breadcrumbs and smoked paprika. Serve them in a roasted red pepper and tomato sauce for a healthy but hearty veggie meal.

Quinoa-coated halloumi with sprouting broccoli and romesco dressing

Coat salty halloumi in a layer of quinoa for an added layer of crunch. Our veggie salad is quick to make and served with an easy romesco dressing and seasonal sprouting broccoli.

Sesame tofu bowl

Combined golden, sesame-crusted tofu with edamame, avocado, quinoa and a soy dressing for a nourishing and satisfying vegan meal that contains 9 different plant foods.

Vegan burritos with black beans, sweetcorn and quinoa

A colourful, vegan burrito recipe, rammed with tomatoes, black beans, sweetcorn, lime, coriander, avocado and red chilli. This is a super lunch idea, ready in 30 minutes.

Quinoa buddha bowls with shredded sprouts and beets

Buddha bowls are generous portions of good-for-you ingredients piled into a bowl as a healthy and filling salad. They’re balanced in grains, protein, veggies and carbs, so choose what you fancy and get filling! Think of this as a savoury smoothie bowl: it’s all about those toppings, We love to pack ours full with delicious quinoa.

Healthy risotto

Swapping rice for quinoa in a risotto is a healthier way to enjoy an Italian classic, offering a protein boost while teeming with lots of soft textures.

Sweet potato and quinoa chilli

This sweet potato and quinoa chilli makes a great veggie alternative to the traditional chilli. It's under 500 calories and is packed with flavour, so you won't miss the meat – perfect for a healthy midweek meal.

Quinoa-crusted haddock with garlic-roasted tomatoes

This recipe makes use of ready-cooked quinoa to make a speedy, satisfying meal that's under 500 calories.

Roasted tomato, halloumi and quinoa salad

This delicious quinoa salad requires minimal effort and makes a great lunch or lighter supper. The halloumi really helps to bulk it up.

Mushroom and quinoa-stuffed courgette

Try this easy recipe for stuffed courgettes. Pack the insides with quinoa, cherry tomatoes mushrooms and goat's cheese before baking. A healthy vegetarian main course.

Hot-smoked salmon salad with teriyaki dressing

A quick and easy recipe for hot-smoked salmon salad with teriyaki dressing. Ready in 20 minutes and under 500 calories.

Vegan quinoa sushi

Using quinoa instead of rice means these rolls are higher in protein. We've kept them vegan too, no fish means leftovers will keep for a healthy lunchbox the next day.

Quick quinoa and black bean chilli

Our quick and easy quinoa and black bean chilli is high in protein, low calorie and vegan – but still tastes impossibly creamy.

Tsukune with Japanese-style quinoa

Peruvian/Japanese fusion food is called Nikkei and this recipe for tsukune with Japanese-style quinoa is a great, easy way to try it at home.

Red quinoa, feta and spinach salad

This tempting quinoa salad is high in protein, making it a great lunch to avoid a mid-afternoon sugar crash. It also makes a healthy and filling dinner.

Harissa salmon with mixed grains and spinach

This salmon recipe is super easy to make, ready in just 15 minutes and gluten-free.