Easy and delicious quinoa recipes

These easy and delicious quinoa recipes are a great way to incorporate more of this nutritious super grain into your meals. My friend Michelle O. Fried, also known as Señora Quinoa, contributed a wonderful post all about quinoa, including its history/origin, its amazing nutritional value, and some creative cooking ideas. I wanted to put together this collection of quinoa recipes to highlight all the different ways that it can be prepared: salads, side dishes, soups, and even desserts.

Quinoa rice pilaf: Make your own quinoa rice mixed pilaf with this simple recipe, then customize it with your choice of additional veggies and herbs.

Quinoa salad with red pickled onions {Ensalada de quinua}: Simple and tasty salad made with cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper. Served on a bed of salad greens with red pickled onions.

Basic instructions for cooking quinoa: Quick and easy way to cook quinoa, and ideas on how to use it, includes step by step photos.

Quinoa with tomatillo and cilantro sauce: This quinoa with tomatillo and cilantro sauce makes a great side dish for seafood and fish dishes. Can be served warm or cold.

Double quinoa patties or veggie burgers : These tasty patties are made with both regular quinoa and quinoa flakes, eggs, carrots, garlic, onion, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, herbs, and more.

Quinoa and cheese soup {Locro o sopa de quinua con queso}: This thick locro style soup is made with quinoa, potatoes, cheese, milk, onions, garlic, tomato, cumin, oregano, achiote, and topped with cilantro and avocado.

Quinoa cream soup with no cream: A simple and delicious creamy quinoa soup recipe made with a refrito or sofrito of scallions, quinoa, milk, and peanut butter.

Seafood quinoa or quinoa paella {Quinua marinera}: This quinoa dish is inspired by the classic rice with seafood (arroz marinero) and is made with quinoa cooked in seafood broth and sautéed with shrimp, clams, squid, scallops, onions, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro and spices.

Chocolate cake with quinoa: The addition of quinoa to this chocolate cake adds a delicious nutty flavor and texture to the cake.