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If you haven’t tried quinoa as a rice substitute yet, this quinoa fried rice recipe is the perfect way to start. Just like traditional fried rice, quinoa is cooked with veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and a few seasonings to make it taste like your favorite take-out dish.
It cooks together all in one pan (you don’t even need to scramble the eggs separately) for an easy weeknight meal.
And don’t worry— the quinoa doesn’t add a noticeable flavor. It just has a round, fluffy texture that your whole family will love! Plus, a little extra fiber and protein in each bite.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“From the 1st time I tried this recipe my teenage son requests it all the time now. I do add chicken and use about the same amount of ginger and soy sauce on it too! He likes it better than the take out!
So glad I found this recipe.” – Rebeca
Quinoa Fried Rice Ingredients
- Cooked Quinoa. Just like rice, quinoa is easier to stir-fry when it’s been chilled, rather than freshly cooked. This is the perfect option to make when you have leftover cooked quinoa on hand from a previous meal. However, you can use freshly cooked quinoa if needed.
- Veggies. Carrots and onions are sautéed until tender, then frozen peas and green onions are added. However, this recipe is flexible, and you can use any other veggies you have on hand.
- Garlic & Ginger. Fresh garlic and ginger take the flavor to the next level. I recommend using a microplane to finely grate them directly into the pan. (This is finer than mincing them with a knife.)
- Tamari. If you’re not familiar with tamari, it’s a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce. I don’t use the low-sodium version, but you can if you prefer. (Or use regular soy sauce if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe.)
- Toasted Sesame Oil. This is a finishing oil that’s added for flavor just before serving.
- Eggs. These are optional, but I include them for extra protein and texture. You can use as many as you’d like to!
How to Make Quinoa Fried Rice
Step 1:
Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chopped carrot and onion until they become tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Carrots particularly take a long time to cook, so the smaller you chop them, the more tender they will become.
Frozen vegetables will become tender even faster, FYI. It’s a great time saver for a busy weeknight.
Step 2:
Once the vegetables are as soft as you’d like them to be (they won’t get any softer with the next step), add in the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 more minute. Then, pour in the tamari, quinoa, frozen peas, and salt, and stir often.
The quinoa should warm up quickly.
Step 3: (Optional)
For a protein-packed meal, use a spatula to move the quinoa and veggies to the edge of the pan, creating an empty space in the center. Crack two eggs (or more) into the center of the pan, and use a spatula to scramble the eggs. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
When the eggs look cooked, you can mix them into the quinoa mixture, distributing them throughout the fried rice.
Drizzle a teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil over the top, add in the chopped green onions, and stir well.
Serving Tips
Adjust any seasonings to taste, adding a pinch of black pepper, if you like, then serve the quinoa fried rice warm, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.
You can serve this as a meal on its own, or top it with extra protein, like baked chicken or crispy tofu.
Storage Tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Quinoa “Fried Rice” Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 3 carrots , peeled and chopped (see notes)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced
- 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 3 cups cooked quinoa (see notes)
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onions , chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat, and saute the onion and carrots until they soften, about 10 minutes. If your pan has a lid, you can add a splash of water and cover the pot for 5 of those minutes, to help the carrots soften even more. (They take a while to become fork tender, but will cook faster the smaller you chop them.)
- When the carrots are as tender as you'd like them to be, add in the garlic and ginger, and stir for 1 more minute. Then add in the tamari, cooked quinoa, frozen peas, and salt. Stir for 2 more minutes, until everything is warm.
- To add eggs to this dish, move the quinoa and veggies to the edges of the pan, creating an empty space in the center of the pan. Crack the eggs into the center (use a little extra oil if you're worried about them sticking) then use a spatula to scramble the eggs in the center. They should be soft scrambled in about 3 to 4 minutes.
- When the eggs are cooked, mix them into the warm quinoa and veggies, so there will be pieces of egg throughout the dish. Add in the toasted sesame oil for flavor, and stir in the green onions. Adjust any seasoning to taste, and then the dish is ready to serve when it's all piping hot. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
- Leftover quinoa fried rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will reheat quickly again in a skillet!
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Vegetarian Fried Rice
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad
- Savory Quinoa Pilaf
- Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
If you try this quinoa fried rice recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
From the 1st time I tried this recipe my teenage son request it all the time now. I do add chicken and use about the same amount of ginger and soy sauce on it too! He likes it better than the take out!
So glad I found this recipe.
This was really good and quick- I can’t have eggs so I added lentils for my protein- this will be in my regular rotatation of recipes!
Probably one of my favorite quinoa recipes!
Since I used coconut aminos (instead of tamari), I used and extra 1 tsp of salt. (The 1/2 tsp salt listed in the recipe plus an extra 1/2 tsp salt to the quinoa and added 1/2 tsp of salt and pinch of white pepper directly to the eggs.)
Delicious friend “rice.” 😍
I meant: Delicious fried “rice.”
This was great! I can’t eat rice at all, so it’s very frustrating. This somewhat tasted like fried rice. I didn’t have any extra vegetables so I increased the carrots. I will certainly make it again. Thank you very much for the creative recipe!