Easy Quinoa and Kale with Mushrooms

This easy quinoa and kale recipe is perfect for a quick and healthy vegan lunch or a side dish to go with any meal!

Quinoa and Kale is…

• Super quick and easy!
• Gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free clean eating!
• Packed with healthy mushrooms, kale, and quinoa of course.
• Great for meal prep, easy weeknight meals, or packed lunches.
• Delicious!

Quinoa just seems to go well with kale somehow and it’s only better with some mushrooms thrown in for more flavor.  Quinoa can be a little boring on its own but had a delicious nutty flavor and 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 be served hot or cold as a quinoa kale salad, so it’s perfect for meal prep too!

How do you cook quinoa?

There are many recipes out there for cooking quinoa, but I find many of them to be too wet.  Especially for recipes like this one where you will fry the quinoa in a skillet, you want a light and fluffy quinoa.  I cook my quinoa with a 1:1 1/4 ratio – so, add 1 cup of quinoa to 1 1/4 cup water or broth.  This recipe from The Pioneer Woman always comes out with the dryer fluffy texture that you can then cook in your skillet along with the kale and mushrooms.

How can I make this recipe easier?

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

How do I make quinoa and kale?

1. Pre-cook quinoa by adding 1 cup of washed quinoa to 1 1/4 cup salted water or vegetable broth.  Heat until boiling then cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for another 20 minutes.  (This will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa).
2. Slice mushrooms and wash and chop kale into small pieces.
3. Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium heat.
4. Wash and chop kale into small pieces.  Rub the chopped kale with your hands until it becomes bright green and shiny.
5. Toss in the kale and stir fry the kale with the mushrooms for another 2-3 minutes. (Omit this step if you are using frozen quinoa with kale already in it).
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).
7. Fry for another 5 minutes until the quinoa is fairly dry and gets slightly crispy.

Pro Tips for perfect quinoa:

• Make sure to use quinoa that is light and fluffy.
• Some recipes call for a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water when cooking.  This will make quinoa that is very wet.  This may be good in other recipes, but not when frying quinoa.
• Some frozen quinoa gets very wet when thawed.  You can thaw it first and then squeeze out the water before adding to the skillet.

Variations of vegan quinoa and kale…

1. Saute vegan chicken strips along with the mushrooms and kale for a more filling meal.
2. Toss in some vegan pesto and cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking for a burst of flavor and pretty 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.

Did you make this easy vegan quinoa and kale recipe?  Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

5 from 1 vote

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Quinoa and Kale

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Sauteed quinoa and kale with mushrooms.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, gluten free, vegan

Keyword: quinoa and kale, vegan quinoa and kale

Servings: 4

Calories: 389 kcal

Author: Monica | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup mushrooms washed and sliced
• 1 cup kale finely chopped
• 2 cups quinoa cooked (or replace with frozen pre-cooked quinoa)
• 2 tbsp green onions chopped (optional for garnish)
• 1/4 tsp salt or more to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-cook quinoa by adding 1 cup of washed quinoa to 1 1/4 cup salted water or vegetable broth.  Heat until boiling then cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for another 20 minutes.  (This will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa).

2. Slice mushrooms and wash and chop kale into small pieces.
3. Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium heat.

4. Wash and chop kale into small pieces.  Rub the chopped kale with your hands until it becomes bright green and shiny.

5. Toss in the kale and stir fry the kale with the mushrooms for another 2-3 minutes. 
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).
7. Fry for another 5 minutes until the quinoa is fairly dry and get slightly crispy and salt to taste.

8. Garnish with green onions and serve either hot or cold.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips: 

• Make sure to use quinoa that is light and fluffy.
• Some recipes call for a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water when cooking.  This will make quinoa that is very wet.  This may be good in other recipes, but not when frying. 
• Some frozen quinoa gets very wet when thawed.  You can thaw it first and then squeeze out the water.

Quinoa and Kale Variations:

1. Saute vegan chicken strips along with the mushrooms and kale for a more filling meal.
2. Toss in some vegan pesto and cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking for a burst of flavor.
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.

Nutrition Facts

Quinoa and Kale

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 12mg1%

Potassium 637mg18%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 6g25%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 1705IU34%

Vitamin C 21.2mg26%

Calcium 65mg7%

Iron 4.2mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.