How To Make Quinoa Taste Good

If you want to know How To Make Quinoa Taste Good, this recipe is for you! Our seasoned quinoa is made with white quinoa, onion, garlic, chicken broth and seasonings. It is so simple to make and the flavor is SO good!

This flavored quinoa is a family favorite and we make it at least once a week.  We serve it with chicken and fish, and it’s really good with fried eggs for breakfast too! 

What You Will Need

To make quinoa taste good, we cook quinoa with olive oil, onion, garlic, seasonings, chicken broth and water. 

• White Quinoa.  We 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 which adds a lot of flavor. 
• Olive Oil. We use olive oil to sauté the onion and garlic with, but you can use avocado oil if you like.
• Chicken Broth.  We use a low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe.
• Seasoning. We add onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and freshly ground black pepper to this seasoned quinoa.  

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Season Quinoa Variations

If you want to know how to add flavor to quinoa, here are some variations for you to try.

• After the quinoa has cooled, toss 1 cup cooked quinoa with 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan.
• Toss cooked quinoa with mixed herbs, like fresh parsley, mint or basil.
• Toss the quinoa with homemade Basil Pesto, Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Cilantro Pesto or Arugula Pesto. Use 1-2 tablespoons pesto with 1 cup cooked quinoa.
• Add roasted or steamed vegetables to the cooked quinoa and toss. 
• Toss cooked quinoa with the juice and zest of one lemon.
• Melt 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter and toss with cooked quinoa to add a buttery flavor.

How To Make Quinoa Taste Good 

This 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 olive oil or avocado oil.
2. Toast Quinoa. Stir in the quinoa and cook for a minute or two or until the quinoa starts to turn slightly golden.
3. Simmer. Pour in the broth, water, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Place lid on the pot and lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Fluff Quinoa. Set the pot aside. Leave the lid on the pot and let the quinoa cool for 15-20 minutes before fluffing with a fork. 

Tips For Making The Best Quinoa

• Rinsing quinoa before cooking it will help remove the natural coating called saponin which makes it taste bitter and can cause foam. It will also make the texture of the cooked quinoa a bit softer. Some quinoa that you’ll find in grocery stores are already manufacturers pre-rinse the quinoa, so check the outside of the package first to see if the quinoa has already been rinsed.
• Let the quinoa rest in the pan with the lid still on for 15-20 minutes after cooking before fluffing with a fork or spoon.

What Does Quinoa Taste Like?

Quinoa has a mild earthy with a slight nutty flavor.

Quinoa Rice Alternative

Quinoa makes a great alternative to rice! You can easily turn your favorite rice side dish recipes into delicious quinoa side dishes by simply swapping out the rice and using quinoa instead. Use the same amount of quinoa and liquid as you would use to make your rice dish recipe.

More Seasoned Quinoa Recipes

• Spanish Quinoa. This is our favorite seasoned quinoa recipe! It’s made with onion, garlic, seasonings, chicken broth and tomato sauce, this has all the classic flavors of Spanish rice. Serve it with tacos, burritos, taquitos, or grilled chicken and fish.
• Cilantro Lime Quinoa. Made with chicken broth, onion, garlic, seasoning, cilantro and lime juice.
• Salsa Verde Quinoa. Made with onion, garlic, salsa verde, broth and cilantro.
• Pineapple Coconut Quinoa. This one has an incredible combo of exotic flavors. It’s made with coconut milk, pineapple juice, pure vanilla extract, lime juice and mango salsa! It so good to serve with grilled fish or chicken!
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.  One of our favorite quinoa salad recipes. Its loaded with classic Mediterranean flavors.
• Best Quinoa Salad. Loaded with vegetables all tossed in a lemon mustard vinaigrette.
• Quinoa Beet Salad. Made with red quinoa, steamed beets, arugula, green onion, raisins and almonds all tossed in a simple curry vinaigrette.
• Mango Arugula Quinoa Salad. We love everything about this salad! It’s great to serve with grilled fish! It’s made with fresh mango, red pepper and arugula all tossed in a delicious lime vinaigrette. It’s simple, but SO good!
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  Yield: 4 Servings

  How To Make Quinoa Taste Good

  Prep Time 10 minutes

  Cook Time 20 minutes

  Additional Time 15 minutes

  Total Time 45 minutes

  If you want to know How To Make Quinoa Taste Good, this recipe is for you! Our seasoned quinoa is made with white quinoa, onion, garlic, chicken broth and seasonings. It is so simple to make and the flavor is SO good!

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 onion, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  Instructions

  1. Sauté diced onion in olive oil or avocado oil for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the quinoa and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the quinoa starts to turn slightly golden.
  3. Pour in the broth, water, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and place the lid on the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed but it still looks slightly moist on top. The length of time will vary depending on the size of your pot. Only stir the quinoa once or twice during the first 3-5 minutes, then leave it alone and let it simmer with the lid on uninterrupted.
  4. Remove the pot from heat and set aside for about 15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If properly stored, leftovers should last up to 5 days.

  Notes

  How To Make Quinoa Taste Good Variations

  • After the quinoa has cooled, toss 1 cup cooked quinoa with 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan.
  • Toss cooked quinoa with mixed herbs, like fresh parsley, mint or basil.
  • Toss the quinoa with homemade Basil Pesto, Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Cilantro Pesto or Arugula Pesto. Use 1-2 tablespoons pesto with 1 cup cooked quinoa.
  • Add roasted or steamed vegetables to the cooked quinoa and toss. 
  • Toss cooked quinoa with the juice and zest of one lemon and 2-3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and toss with cooked quinoa to add a buttery flavor.

  Nutrition Information:

  Yield:

  4

  Serving Size:

  1
  Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 239mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

  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. See full disclaimer on About page.