Easy Quinoa and Kale with Mushrooms

This easy quinoa and kale recipe is perfect for a quick and healthy vegan lunch or as a side dish to accompany any meal.  You can whip up this dish in just 1 pot in about 15 minutes.  It tastes great warm or served cold as a quinoa salad!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s super quick and easy!
• It’s gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free.
• This dish is packed with healthy mushrooms, kale, and quinoa, of course.
• It’s great for meal prep, easy weeknight meals, or packed lunches.
• This is delicious warm or cold!

Quinoa pairs well with kale, and adding mushrooms to the mix makes the combination even more delicious. Quinoa can be a little bland on its own, but it has a tasty, nutty flavor and an interesting texture that you don’t get from other grains.

This is one of my family’s favorites!  We add tofu or vegan chicken strips to make it a meal or simply serve it as a side.  It keeps well in the fridge and can be served hot or cold as a quinoa and kale salad, making it perfect for meal prep as well.

How to cook quinoa

There are plenty of recipes out there for cooking quinoa, but I find many of them to be too wet.  Especially for recipes like this one, where you fry the quinoa in a skillet after it has cooked, you want a light and fluffy quinoa. 

I cook my quinoa with a 1:1.33 ratio – so, add 1 cup of quinoa to 1 1/3 cups of water or broth.  My fluffy quinoa recipe always yields the drier, fluffier texture that is ideal for skillet quinoa recipes.

Using pre-cooked or frozen quinoa

If you don’t have the time or don’t want to cook the quinoa yourself, many grocery stores sell pre-cooked quinoa in the frozen food section, usually near the frozen vegetables. 

Aldi sells frozen pre-cooked quinoa and kale made by Season’s Choice, which is delicious!  Costco also sells a similar frozen quinoa and kale mix.  This will allow you to skip the quinoa and kale prep and make this in just minutes!

How to make quinoa and kale

Step 1 – Pre-cook quinoa by adding 1 cup of washed quinoa to 1 1/3 cups of salted water or vegetable broth.  Heat until boiling, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional 15-20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa before adding it to the skillet.  (This will yield 2 cups of cooked quinoa). See the detailed quinoa recipe for more tips.)

Step 2 – Slice mushrooms and wash and chop kale into small pieces.

Step 3 – Sauté mushrooms along with 2 cloves of minced garlic in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Step 4 – Wash and chop the kale into small pieces, then place them in a large bowl.  Massage the chopped kale with your hands until it becomes bright green and shiny.

Step 5 – Add the kale and stir-fry it with the mushrooms for an additional 2-3 minutes. (Omit this step if you are using frozen quinoa with kale already in it.)

Step 6 – Add the pre-cooked quinoa or a bag of frozen quinoa.  (If using frozen quinoa and kale, omit the steps of cooking the quinoa and preparing the kale).

Step 7 – Fry for an additional 5 minutes, until the quinoa is dry and slightly crispy. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

This dish is also delicious when tossed with vegan feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, or sautéed chickpeas.

Variations of quinoa and kale

1. Sauté vegan chicken strips or shredded vegan chicken along with the mushrooms and kale for a more filling meal.
2. Add some vegan pesto and cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking for a burst of flavor and vibrant color.
3. Add crispy tofu on top for a delicious protein-packed meal.
4. Top with green onions and/or toasted pine nuts for extra flavor

More easy weeknight meals

• Vegan Mexican Quinoa
• Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
• Easy Vegan Stroganoff 
• Vegan Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Simple Vegan Tomato Pasta
• Vegan Artichoke Rice Pilaf

Quinoa and kale recipe

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