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Deep, robust, earthy flavors fill this Mushroom Quinoa. Layered with the rich flavors of cremini mushrooms, fragrant garlic, and sweet onions, it’s no wonder this is a favorite among our challenge members!
Make this dish in under 20 minutes if you have pre-made quinoa, and 30 minutes if you don’t. Either way, it’s a fast and delicious, protein-rich dish for any night of the week.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Benefits of Mushrooms and Quinoa
- Ingredients
- Variations And Substitutions
- TipsTo Make Perfect Quinoa:
- How To Make Mushroom Quinoa:
- Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- How To Serve
- Make Ahead Tips
- Leftover Storage and Reheat Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Mushroom Quinoa (20 Minutes!) Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We’re cooking fluffy quinoa with sautéed mushrooms, sweet onion, garlic, a splash of bone broth or white wine, and a handful of greens…and the result is this rich, savory, deeply comforting dish that works as a hearty side and a meal prep staple you’ll come back to all week long. Here are a few more reasons you’ll love it!
- Rich and Satisfying: Garlic, shallots, and of course mushrooms, give plain old quinoa a deep, robust umami flavor much like a mushroom rice or pilaf.
- Ready Fast: If you tend to have quinoa ready every week in your fridge like I do, then you can make this dish in just 17 minutes and in one skillet! But even if you have to cook the quinoa first, this quinoa and mushroom dish is ready in under 30 minutes because you can sauté your veggies as the quinoa cooks.
- Meal Prep Staple: If you make this once, you’ll want it again and again in your meal preps! It holds up well through the week, makes for days of prep meals, and adds an extra layer of flavor to your lunches that you didn’t even know you were missing! Just add it to your chicken, shrimp, fish, tofu, or chickpeas and you’ve got a complete meal. So, make a big batch and enjoy it all week.
- Gluten Free: Quinoa is among our favorite gluten-free complex carbohydrate options for many of our programs. This recipe not only takes the flavors up a few notches, but it’s completely compatible with WEEK ONE of our popular 30-Day Challenge. Making it sure to be a new member favorite!
- Super Healthy: Mushrooms add their own impressive nutrition: immune-supporting beta-glucans, B vitamins, selenium, and antioxidants. Add in the greens and garlic and you’ve got a genuinely nourishing, anti-inflammatory meal that also happens to taste incredible.
Benefits of Mushrooms and Quinoa
Mushrooms add their own impressive nutrition: immune-supporting beta-glucans, B vitamins, selenium, and antioxidants. Add in the greens and garlic and you’ve got a genuinely nourishing, anti-inflammatory meal that also happens to taste incredible.
If you are not sure what quinoa is, it’s a small seed that can be cooked and used as a gluten-free grain. It’s full of fiber, protein, and considered a complete complex carbohydrate.
Packed with protein and fiber, quinoa has been known to aid in weight loss and lower blood sugar levels. It’s also a great source of amino acids, which are essential in muscle development and immune system activity.
Quinoa can help supply antioxidants to the body, including vitamin E, which has been known to help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
So making quinoa with mushrooms is a super healthy idea for a grain side dish.
Ingredients
These are the simple, clean eating ingredients that make this mushroom quinoa perfect for an easy, gluten-free side dish or meal.
Quinoa: Yellow quinoa is the variety I used, but any color will work for this mushroom quinoa recipe.
Mushroom: I used cremini mushrooms in this dish, but button mushrooms work really well too. Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with because they bring so much depth and umami flavor to a dish without needing a lot of extras. When you let them cook low and slow in butter and olive oil until they’re golden and caramelized, they become very rich, then paired with fluffy quinoa, garlic, and a little broth to deglaze the pan, this dish tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant.
Garlic: The garlic in this dish infuses with the cooking fats which then get absorbed by the mushrooms to elevate their rich umami flavor.
Onion: Sweet onions or shallots both work in this dish depending on what you have in the pantry.
Broth or Wine: The liquid in this quinoa recipe helps deglaze the pan after cooking the vegetables. Bone broth is one option filled with vitamins, minerals, and collagen to support joint and gut health. The other option is white wine, lending the delicately floral notes it’s flavor to the earthiness of the mushrooms. And don’t worry about the alcohol, it will cook off before you actually eat the dish.
Leafy Greens: Adding a green that wilts like baby spinach or kale to this dish is something you don’t see in a typical quinoa mushroom recipe, however it is a way to really amp up the iron, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals.
Oil: Use a high quality avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Butter: Use what you have on hand, but if I can find grass-fed butter on sale, that’s what I like to use. That or ghee (here’s my homemade ghee recipe). The butter/ ghee really gives a lot of flavor to this dish, so don’t skip it!
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations And Substitutions
Add herbs: Herbs can add even more nutritional value to this mushroom recipe while also elevating the flavors. I tend to like oregano, thyme, or parsley best. You can find inspiration from my garlic-herb sauteed mushroom recipe.
Add Protein: Mushroom quinoa pairs really well with just about any protein. Grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish are my favorites, but this healthy side dish also works with tofu, chickpeas, and steak.
Make it Vegan: This recipe is already vegetarian, but to make it vegan you can use ghee instead of butter and vegetable broth, water with a pinch of salt, or wine instead of bone broth.
TipsTo Make Perfect Quinoa:
This is how I make sure my quinoa turns out perfect every single time:
- Always rinse your quinoa first: Put the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. This removes the natural coating called saponin that makes it taste bitter or soapy. This single step makes the biggest difference overall.
- Use the right ratio: 1 cup dry quinoa to 1 3⁄4 cups water or bone broth. Broth adds so much more flavor: chicken, beef, vegetable, or even just water with a pinch of salt works great.
- Simmer: Bring the liquid to a boil, stir once, then reduce to the lowest simmer, cover with a tight lid, and cook for 15 minutes. Don’t lift the lid.
- Let it steam: After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes. This is what makes it fluffy instead of mushy.
- Fluff it: Fluff with a fork (don’t smash it by using a spoon)
- Set your quinoa aside.
How To Make Mushroom Quinoa:
Step 1. Chop your veggies and heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2. Add your chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden, then add the cloves garlic and mushrooms and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms lose their moisture and begin to brown.
Step 3. Pour the bone broth or white wine into the mushroom mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Allow to simmer 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
Step 4. Add your your cooked quinoa and spinach or kale, then stir until wilted, around 1 minute.
Step 5: Season with salt and pepper and serve hot!
Enjoy!
Rachel
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- Remember: The biggest mistakes people make with quinoa are skipping the rinse, using too much water, and stirring it while it cooks. Follow these steps and it comes out perfectly fluffy every single time.
- If you add the liquid with the mushrooms too soon they can become rubbery, so follow the instructions and sauté the mushrooms really well first.
How To Serve
Serve mushroom quinoa on its own in a large bowl garnished with a sprig of parsley, a few shavings of parmesan cheese, or with a crack of black pepper. You can also use it as a side dish to a main course. Here are some of my favorite mains to use:
- The chicken in my creamy garlic chicken dish would pair really well with the garlic and mushrooms in this dish.
- This easy air fryer fish cooks up in just 15 minutes and would be a fast way to get some extra protein with this quinoa.
- If you have 7-10 minutes, you can make this parmesan shrimp to add to the mushroom quinoa. The parmesan and lemon flavors really add to the earthy flavors of the mushrooms.
Make Ahead Tips
You can save a lot of time by making the quinoa ahead of time. You can also make the entire dish ahead of time, storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and the freezer for up to 2 months. Then just warm it up over the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Leftover Storage and Reheat Tips
IF you have any leftovers…and that’s a big IF… you will want to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This dish also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
Reheat over the stove on medium low heat until warmed through or pop it in the microwave and heat in 10-15 second bursts until it’s heated throughout.
Recipe FAQs
Why is my quinoa bitter tasting?
It is very important to rinse quinoa before you cook it to remove the bitter starches that cling to the outside of the seed. Once you do that, your quinoa should taste less bitter.
Why is my quinoa mushy?
Oftentimes if you use too much liquid or cook the quinoa for too long, it can become mushy. Be sure to follow the instructions above in the “How To Make Mushroom Quinoa” section for best results.
Why are my mushrooms rubbery?
Mushrooms are very absorbent, so if you add liquid before they have fully sauteed, they can absorb the liquid and become rubbery. Make sure to sauté the mushrooms for the full 5-8 minutes before adding any bone broth or wine.
Did you try this Mushroom Quinoa recipe? If so, it would mean so much to me if you would comment and rate this recipe!
🩷Rachel
More Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Mushroom Quinoa (20 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, (Instructions Above)
- 2 tsps high quality olive oil , or avocado oil
- 2 tsps ghee , or grass-fed butter
- 1 cup sweet onion , or shallots, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (cremini or white)
- ¼ cup bone broth , or dry white wine
- 2 handfuls baby spinach or kale, roughly chopped
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set your cooked quinoa aside.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add your chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden.
- Stir in cloves garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.
- Pour the bone broth or white wine into the mushroom mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
- Allow to simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add in your cooked quinoa and stir gently to combine.
- Add chopped spinach and stir until just wilted (1 minute).
- Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
Rachel’s Tips For The Best Results
- Remember: The biggest mistakes people make with quinoa are skipping the rinse, using too much water, and stirring it while it cooks. Follow these steps and it comes out perfectly fluffy every single time.
- If you add the liquid with the mushrooms too soon they can become rubbery, so follow the instructions and sauté the mushrooms really well first.
Make Ahead Tips
- You can save a lot of time by making the quinoa ahead of time. You can also make the entire dish ahead of time, storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and the freezer for up to 2 months. Then just warm it up over the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Leftover Storage and Reheat Tips
- IF you have any leftovers…and that’s a big IF… you will want to store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- This dish also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
- Reheat over the stove on medium low heat until warmed through or pop it in the microwave and heat for 10-15 second bursts until it is heated throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you make this dish with some other grain? Just not a fan of Quinoa. Brown rice maybe?
Hi Linda! You can try this very similar recipe instead which uses brown rice: https://cleanfoodcrush.com/herbed-mushroom-brown-rice/
Enjoy! ❤️ Let us know how this one goes for you! – Rachel