Spanish Style Quinoa

This Spanish style quinoa is seasoned with tomato and garlic for a flavorful side dish that can be paired with your favorite protein! It’s a delicious way to add a healthy side dish to your plate!

Quinoa is one of my favorite ingredients because it’s delicious, versatile, and easy to make. It doesn’t have a strong flavor, but it takes on other flavors well, so I’ve used it in everything from a casserole to soup and dessert! You’d be surprised how many things you can make with quinoa.

This Spanish quinoa can be used as a side dish for your favorite tacos or fajitas — or as a base for a burrito bowl. You can use this quinoa almost anywhere that you’d serve Spanish or Mexican rice.

What is quinoa?

Quinoa is technically a seed, although it cooks like a grain. You can use it in many recipes where you’d normally use rice. It’s a good source of protein and fiber, and it’s a complete source of protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids. It’s gluten-free and vegan. You can read more about it in this blog post all about quinoa.

Where to Buy Quinoa

You’ll typically find quinoa sold in bags in the natural section of the grocery store, by the rice or gluten-free products. I also really like the Success Rice Boil-in-Bag quinoa because you can make it in the microwave. You can also find quinoa in the bulk bins, which tends to be the cheapest! You can also find quinoa on Amazon and have it delivered right to your door!

How to Make Quinoa

There are so many different ways to prepare, but for this recipe, I recommend making it on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. You can also make quinoa in an Instant Pot, although I don’t recommend that method for this recipe, as the tomato paste tends to burn in a pressure cooker.

• How to Make Quinoa In a Rice Cooker– I love making quinoa in the rice cooker because I can set it and forget it! It cooks perfect quinoa every time. Use a 2:1 ratio of water or broth to quinoa.
• How to Cook Quinoa on the Stovetop– Just like rice, you can prepare quinoa on the stovetop. Use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Then fluff with a fork!

Spanish Quinoa Ingredients

• Quinoa– You can use white, red, or tricolor quinoa.
• Tomato paste– I used tomato paste but you can use tomato sauce if you prefer.
• Garlic– I used garlic powder but one clove of minced garlic can be substituted for the garlic powder.
• Vegetarian chicken-style broth– I used a “not-chicken” style broth that has the flavor of chicken broth without the chicken. This kind from Edward and Sons is my absolute favorite.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to rinse quinoa? Yes. Unless your quinoa is pre-rinsed, you’ll need to rinse it in a fine mesh strainer before cooking it. This helps remove the bitter coating of the quinoa, called saponin. If you don’t rinse the quinoa, it can have a bitter taste.
• What if I don’t have tomato paste? You can substitute the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of tomato sauce. If using tomato sauce, reduce the broth by 1/4 cup.
• Can I use other colors of quinoa? Absolutely! For this recipe, it doesn’t matter if you’re using white, red, or tricolor quinoa.
• Is this recipe healthy? Quinoa is a great source of protein and fiber! If you’re watching your sodium, be sure to use low-sodum vegetable broth.
• Can I freeze the leftovers? Yes. This quinoa can be frozen for up to 1 month.

More Quinoa Recipes

• Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa
• Quinoa Taco Skillet
• Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili

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