Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa Bowl (Printable Version)

Protein-packed quinoa with golden mushrooms and aromatic garlic, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 12 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Garnishes

13 - Grated Parmesan or vegan cheese (optional)
14 - Extra fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before combining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and their released liquid has evaporated completely.
05 - Sprinkle in dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. If using spinach, add now and cook for 1-2 minutes until just wilted.
06 - Add cooked quinoa to the skillet. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss everything together until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley.
07 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan or vegan cheese and extra fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The mushrooms develop this incredible meaty texture that makes even devout carnivores forget theres no meat involved
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if you manage to have any
02 -
  • The most common mistake is not rinsing the quinoa well enough—that bitter coating makes an otherwise perfect dish taste soapy and unpleasant
  • Mushrooms need space in the pan or theyll steam instead of brown, so if your skillet looks crowded, cook them in two batches
  • Lemon juice is the secret ingredient that makes all the flavors pop, so dont skip it even if it seems like a small addition
03 -
  • Toasting the quinoa in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before adding liquid gives it a nutty, deeper flavor that most people assume must come from butter
  • Letting the mushrooms cook undisturbed for longer periods between stirs creates better browning—resist the urge to constantly move them around

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