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Mushroom Quinoa Risotto is a low-effort riff on traditional risotto. It uses high-protein quinoa instead of rice. It’s naturally gluten-free and made in one-pan!
This side dish doesn’t call for butter or Parmesan cheese, but it’s easy to customize if you’d prefer a cheesy risotto. (Or quinotto, if you will.) As written, it’s vegan and dairy-free.
If you don’t love mushrooms, swap them for any other vegetables you like.
Quinotto Ingredients
This recipe starts with sautéed onion, garlic cloves, mushrooms, and thyme. I use dried thyme for convenience, but fresh thyme will work, too.
Quinoa is cooked in vegetable broth for extra flavor, and a splash of tamari adds an umami flavor without using dry white wine. (Which is often in traditional risotto.)
You can add some milk at the end for a creamier finish, but it’s not necessary for a flavorful dish.
How to Make Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the surface is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the onion until it turns translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Next, add the mushrooms to the sautéed onion and stir occasionally, cooking for 5 more minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and dried thyme to the pan and stir for 1 more minute.
Add the tamari to the mushroom mixture and stir briefly.
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Pour the dry quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse the quinoa under running water until you see no more bubbles forming on top. Add the rinsed quinoa to the pan along with the veggie broth. Season with salt and black pepper, then bring the liquid to a boil.
Once the liquid is bubbling, cover the skillet with a lid and lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
Let the quinoa cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat but keep the lid on for 5 more minutes. This will let the quinoa finish cooking, without burning or sticking to the pan.
When the extra 5 minutes are up, remove the lid and check on the quinoa. Each piece should look translucent with a visible ring, like it has popped open.
Stir in the fresh spinach while the quinoa is piping hot. The greens will wilt quickly.
This quinoa risotto will have a wet texture, but it won’t be as creamy as traditional risotto. Give it a taste and make any adjustments as you see fit. You can add a 1/2 cup of milk for a creamier finish, or add some Parmesan cheese, if you like.
Serve this quinoa warm as a side dish, or serve it as a main course with your favorite protein on top. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Looking for more quinoa recipes? Try Black Bean Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Fried Rice, or Hearty Quinoa Soup.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- salt and black pepper
- 1 cup baby spinach , roughly chopped
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a large, deep skillet with a lid over medium high heat. Once the surface is warm, add the olive oil and saute the onion for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add in the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme and stir for 5 more minutes.
- Add the tamari to the pan and stir briefly. Rinse the dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until you no longer see any foam or bubbles form on top. Drain well, then transfer the rinsed quinoa to the pan. Add the vegetable broth and season with a 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and a 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a boil. Once it's bubbling, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat but leave the lid on for 5 more minutes. This will let the quinoa finish cooking without burning on the bottom.
- When 5 minutes have passed, remove the lid and stir the quinoa, making sure all of it looks cooked. (It be slightly translucent.) Add the spinach and stir until it has wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm right away with your favorite protein or a side salad. Leftover quinoa risotto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Mushroom Quinoa Risotto, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Another simple but magnificent idea from the lady who never disappoints… thanks again Megan 🙂
Have never made real risotto or if I did it wasn’t memorable lol. I wanted to make use of the quinoa in an interesting way and this recipe did that. It was super easy and super tasty no need to make ‘real’ risotto ever. I just substituted the water in the blender for almond milk to make it even more healthy and tasty.
I added the spinach to the pan before I put it in the blender along with not adding any water just a 1/4 cup of white wine. I also swapped out the quinoa with white basmati rice. Taste amazing!
I’m a sucker for easy/filling/delicious recipes! Skipped the blender step and made this in the the instant pot and added peas at the end! Came out awesome! 🙂
Superb! Loved every bit.
Great recipe! Its fast and nutritious while also a delicious way to serve mushrooms and quinoa. Thank you, Megan!
Yum! I added some shredded carrots and green onion at the end for color and more texture.
i just tried it and it was so good! im not that great at cooking, but this was easy to make and tasted wonderful 🙂
Delicious recipe. I added some dried shutaki mushrooms that I had soaking over night and sliced them up and added them. Plus used the water they were soaking in instead of just water for the stock. I would probably add more liquid as I had it over a couple days and it was a bit dry upon reheating. Very filling and tasty meal .
One of my favorite recipes I have tried so far! I love it.