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    Hummusapien » Recipes » Lunch and Dinner » Quinoa Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

    ★★★★★ from 2 reviews

    Quinoa Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

    Published Sep 7, 2022 · Modified Sep 13, 2022 · by Alexis Joseph · 11 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy 30-minute Quinoa Stir Fry packed with veggies and flavorful peanut sauce! A healthy vegetarian meal the whole family will love.

    pan of stir fry with scallions and spoon

    Say hello to a weeknight dinner that's CHOCK FULLA plants and quinoa and stuff. If you loved this Instant Pot Pad Thai Stir Fry or my Easy Vegetable Teriyaki Stir Fry, you're in for another treat.

    She's healthy! She's tasty! She feeds a crowd! And isn't she a dish? Oh la la. I mean anything peanut sauce + one pot wonder and I'm in.

    The best part about this veggie stir fry is that you've got your healthy fats, veggies, and plant protein all in one so there's no need to fuss about side dishes. Celebrate the small wins!

    How to make quinoa stir fry

    Consider this your empty-the-fridge meal. Throw it all in there! The best part about this vegetarian stir fry is that it makes a LOT. And the leftovers taste even better!

    1. Cook quinoa.
    2. Whisk together the sauce.
    3. Sauté veggies until softened. Stir in quinoa and sauce and devour!
    bowl of stir fry

    Key ingredients

    Don't fret about the lengthy looking ingredient list---it's mostly veggies and you don't have to use them all. The peanut sauce couldn't be easier to make.

    Did I mention it's a dream drizzled on veggies and and all the things?

    • Quinoa: The base of our stir fry! Packed with protein, nutty tasting, and quick-cooking. It's technically a seed (that's what they mean by "pseudo-grain.") I used white quinoa for this recipe, but you could also use red or tri-color.
    • Veggies: Bell pepper, carrot, broccoli and bok choy are my go-to for this meal but you can use whatever veggies, fresh or frozen, yo have on hand.
    • Aromatics: Plenty of onion, garlic and ginger for flavor!
    • Peanut butter: This makes the sauce super creamy and crave-worthy. I love Costco's organic creamy peanut butter in the sauce, but whatever peanut butter you fancy will do. Or even almond butter!
    • Soy sauce: The best salty, umami flavor to form our yummy sauce.
    • Maple syrup: A bit of natural sweetness helps round out all the flavors.
    • Sesame oil: I love sesame oil in Asian-inspired dishes! Olive oil works, too.
    • Lime: A bit of bright acidity for balance.
    • Sriracha: I love a tiny bit of heat. Red pepper flakes work too!
    stir fry ingredients on cutting board.

    How to cook quinoa

    1. Rinse quinoa under cold water a fine mesh strainer to get rid of the bitter tasting outer layer.
    2. Place in a small saucepan with 1 ¼ cups water. (I typically do a ratio of 1 part quinoa to 1 ½ parts liquid).
    3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed and quinoa looks fluffy.
    4. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a medium bowl, and allow it to cool.

    Time saving tips

    • Use pre-cooked quinoa if you so please! Or rice! It's a thing. You can find it in the frozen section of most grocery stores. Time is money, people.
    • Try frozen veggies. I get massive bags of frozen stir fry veggies at Costco that I often use in place of fresh veggies so I don't have to chop anything. It saves tons of time!
    • Use fridge leftovers! This stir fry is really forgiving. Peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, green beans, zucchini, asparagus, wilty greens...throw them in the mix. The more veggies the merrier.
    • Go dried. Use garlic powder, bottled ginger (or dried!), and bottled lime juice (I always have this one on hand) if you don't have fresh. No shame!
    pan of stir fry with sauce

    Health benefits of quinoa

    As a Registered Dietitian, I love quinoa because it's a complete plant protein with all 9 essential amino acids, trumping the protein content of other whole grains.

    It's also higher in minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc (compared to corn, rice and wheat). It has a good amount of filling fiber as well.

    Why do you rinse quinoa?

    Quinoa has naturally occurring compounding called saponins that taste bitter. They definitely need to be rinsed off for optimal flavor! Some come come pre-rinsed so check the package.

    Simply rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until it's no longer foamy then proceed with cooking.

    How to store

    Store leftovers in an air tight container in fridge. They will keep for up to three days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.

    bowl of stir fry with spoon

    Can you freeze stir fry?

    Yes! You can freeze it for up to 3 months.

    More 30-minute meals

    • Butternut Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese
    • Thai Pasta Salad with Tahini Lime Dressing
    • Baked Cod with Tomatoes and Pesto Orzo
    • Easy Vegan Black Bean Burgers
    • Thai Quinoa Fried Rice
    • Peanut Noodles
    Print
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    Quinoa Stir Fry Recipe

    ★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 20 min
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    • Category: Main Meals
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Asian
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Easy, crowd-pleasing 30-minute Quinoa Stir Fry packed with veggies and peanut sauce! A flavorful, healthy vegetarian meal the whole family will love.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the stir fry:

    • 2 cups dry quinoa
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 bell peppers, chopped
    • 2 large carrots, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (I use this, can sub 1 tsp dried)
    • 1 head of broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
    • 1 cup edamame (thawed from frozen)
    • 2 baby bok choy (can sub spinach or kale), chopped
    • optional: chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish

    For the sauce:

    • ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce (sub tamari for gluten-free)
    • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
    • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
    • Juice of ½ large lime (more to taste)
    • 1 tsp sriracha (more to taste)

    Instructions

    1. Place quinoa and water in a medium pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
    2. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
    3. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, peppers, carrots, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, ginger, and broccoli, cooking for another 5 minutes or until broccoli is softened. Stir in edamame and bok choy at the end, cooking just until wilted.
    4. Add cooked quinoa and sauce to veggie mixture, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

    Keywords: quinoa stir fry

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Suzanne says

      August 31, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      Love this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 31, 2021 at 10:58 pm

        Thank you so much!!!

        Reply
    2. Meghan Simons says

      November 16, 2020 at 4:48 am

      Loved this! You always hit it out of the park with recipes! Toddler approved too 😊

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:03 pm

        That's so sweet, thanks Meghan!

        Reply
    3. Audrey Campos says

      August 30, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      OMG delicious......

      Reply
    4. Audrey Campos says

      August 30, 2019 at 12:39 am

      OMG....delicious...one of the easiest and most flavourful vegan recipes I have ever made...

      This is a must try.....mmmmm good

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 30, 2019 at 10:24 pm

        Heck yes! I love that kind of feedback. Thanks, Audrey!

        Reply
    5. Anna says

      August 26, 2019 at 11:15 pm

      OMG just made this. Incredible. Will absolutely make again and tell all my friends. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 27, 2019 at 1:41 am

        WAHOO! Thrilled you like it. Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    6. Dylan Miles says

      August 19, 2019 at 11:35 am

      I legit make this weekly! Give me ALL of the peanut sauce!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 25, 2019 at 12:56 am

        Peanut sauce all dayyyy!

        Reply

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    Well HELLO there, pal! I'm Alexis. Welcome to Hummusapien, a fantastical food blog brimming with nourishing (always delish!) recipes from a Registered Dietitian plus life tidbits to inspire you to live your most joyful, balanced life. Grab a super hot cup o' joe and let's get cookin'.

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