This quick and easy Spanish Quinoa recipe uses just 5 ingredients and one pot. It's a perfect side dish, but can also be bulked up with protein and veggies!
Move over Spanish rice, there's a new kid in town! And yes, it's quinoa.
Ever since quinoa popped onto the health scene about 8 years ago, it's been slowly taking the place of rice in many of my recipes. I now make things like quinoa burrito bowls instead of traditional burrito bowls, quinoa sushi, and even quinoa fried rice. Pretty much anywhere that you use rice you can use quinoa in its place.
So today we're doing just that. We're taking a classic rice recipe ā Spanish Rice or Red Rice ā and turning it into this fabulous Spanish quinoa!
What is Spanish Rice?
Classic Spanish rice ā or what most Americans think of as Spanish rice ā is actually not Spanish at all. It's a Mexican side dish that can also be called red rice or arroz rojo. It's typically served alongside a protein or beans and is meant to add flavor to the meal without overpowering things.
Red rice is made with just a few simple ingredients: onions, garlic, rice, oil, salsa and seasonings.
An Easy 5-Ingredient Quinoa Recipe
I wanted to keep this Spanish quinoa as simple as possible. It's made in just one pot and uses just 5 ingredients!
All you need to make it are:
- olive oil
- chopped onion
- jarred salsa
- quinoa
- vegetable broth
We'll start by sauteing the onion until it's soft, then adding in the rest of the ingredients and cooking it until the quinoa is fluffy. It's really that simple! And it's one of those recipes you can absolutely bulk up to turn it into an actual meal instead of just a side dish.
How to Serve Spanish Quinoa
This is one of those recipes that pretty much goes well with anything! If you want to have it on the side of your favorite grilled protein and beans, awesome. And if you want to turn it into the base of a meal, equally as awesome!
Here are some ways that I would serve up this Spanish quinoa:
- Mixed with black beans & sauteed veggies
- Over romaine salad with tofu and avocado
- In tacos with cabbage and beans
- Inside a burrito with your favorite fillings
But really the possibilities are endless. And later on this week, I'm going to show you how to take this recipe and turn it into vegan taco meat!
More Quick & Easy Quinoa Recipes to Try:
- 5 Ingredient Quinoa Mac and Cheese
- Kimchi Fried Quinoa
- Moroccan Quinoa Salad
- 10-Minute Vegetable Quinoa Fried Rice
- Vegetarian Taco Mason Jar Salad
- 5 Ingredient Ginger Miso Quinoa
- One-Pot Italian Quinoa with Tomatoes & Basil
Spanish Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped white onion
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup chunky salsa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and saute until tender and golden brown.
- Add the quinoa, salsa and broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, fluff and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then serve.
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