Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (2024)

By: AlyssaRating 4 Comments on 5-Ingredient Kimchi Fried Quinoa

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This easy kimchi fried quinoa recipe uses just 5 ingredients and is ready in less than 10 minutes. It's a perfect side dish or used as a base for stir fry!

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (1)

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We're all about quick and easy here at SQ. So when things come together in under 10 minutes and use just 5 ingredients, you know it's a keeper.

Today we've got just that. A recipe for kimchi fried quinoa that is crazy simple and crazy fast.

Whether you're looking for a tasty side dish, want something new to serve with your favorite stir fry (because let's get real, white rice can be pretty dang boring), or you just have some kimchi that's been sitting in the back of your fridge and you don't know what to do with it, this recipe has you covered.

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (2)

Why is Kimchi Healthy?

First, let's talk kimchi! Kimchi is a classic side dish in Korean cuisine that is made by fermenting vegetables in a spicy Asian-inspired seasoning. To me, it's a more interesting variation of sauerkraut.

Kimchi is one of those foods that has been dazzling the health world for the last few years. All the health experts love it, but I don't think it has quite broken through. Because kimchi is fermented, a lot of people find it a bit funky tasting. Hence why you might have a half eaten jar sitting in the back of your fridge.

Kimchi is healthy for a few different reasons:

  1. It's fermented which means it's packed with probiotics which are healing to the gut
  2. It's made with nutritious veggies
  3. The spices aid in digestion as well

Plus, once you get used to the taste, it's pretty freaking delicious!

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (3)

How to Make Fried Quinoa

Making fried quinoa is actually really simple. You're essentially just sauteeing cooked quinoa with whatever other ingredients you want so it gets a little crispy. As long as you've got cooked and cooled quinoa, this won't take any more than 7 – 8 minutes to cook.

What's great about quinoa is, similar to rice, that it's got a pretty plain flavor. That means no matter what you put with it, it will soak it all up.

For this recipe, we're keeping things on the Asian-inspired path and using toasted sesame oil for cooking and wheat-free tamari to add some umami flavor. The, of course, we've got the kimchi and some fresh green onions to finish things off.

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (4)

A Healthy 5-Ingredient Recipe

Since I know how much you adore simple recipes – especially recipes that use 5 ingredients or less! – I wanted to keep this one as straightforward as possible. So we really are just using 5 simple ingredients:

  • Cooked quinoa: you need to make sure that the quinoa has had time to cool before you cook it again or else it will get sticky and gloopy
  • Toasted sesame oil: adds a really nice nuttiness to the recipe, while also helping it get crispy
  • Kimchi: you can choose any variety you'd like, but make sure it's vegan if you are following a vegan diet!
  • Green onions: they add some bite and some crunch, while also helping to brighten things up
  • Wheat-free tamari: my favorite way to salt Asian-inspired recipes!

And in less than 10 minutes, it will be d-o-n-e!

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (5)

Ways to Serve Kimchi Fried Quinoa

I personally love this dish on its own, but as I mentioned earlier, it also makes a fabulous side dish. Since we are using Asian-inspired ingredients, I would recommend pairing it with other dishes/ingredients that are typical to those types of cuisines.

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this kimchi fried quinoa:

  • As the base for our sesame tofu meal prep bowls
  • Topped with a little sauteed spinach and a fried/poached egg
  • Under our vegan green curry instead of the forbidden rice
  • With our rainbow vegetable stir fry
  • Mixed into our vegan quinoa sushi bowls

Or again, just as a simple side dish!

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (6)

More Quick & Easy Quinoa Recipes

  • 5-ingredient Lemon Turmeric Quinoa
  • 10-Minute Moroccan Quinoa Salad
  • 5-ingredient Quinoa Pizza Crust
  • Cilantro Lime Black Bean Quinoa Tacos

Kimchi Fried Quinoa

4.4 from 7 votes

This easy kimchi fried quinoa recipe uses just 5 ingredients and is ready in less than 10 minutes. It's a perfect side dish or base for stir fry!

author: Alyssa

yield: 4 as a side

Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (7)

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Prep: 2 minutes minutes

Cook: 8 minutes minutes

Total: 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet. Once hot add the quinoa, kimchi and 2/3 of the green onions (reserve some for garnishing). Saute for 3 minutes until the quinoa starts to brown and add in the tamari. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes, then divide between bowls and enjoy.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.4mg

cuisine: Asian

course: Side Dish

★★★★★

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Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (8)

Filed Under:

  • Dairy Free
  • Gluten-Free
  • Quick Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Sides
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
Kimchi Fried Quinoa Recipe | 5 Ingredients & 10 Minutes - Simply Quinoa (2024)

FAQs

What to add to quinoa to make it taste good? ›

Lemon Herb Quinoa: This is one of my go-to side dishes to serve with meat. It is made by cooking quinoa with onion and garlic and then mixing it with lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh parsley. Quinoa Lentil recipe: Cooking quinoa and green lentils together is a great way to flavor otherwise tasteless quinoa.

How many calories are in kimchi fried quinoa? ›

Per Container: 1, Amount Per Serving: Calories 430, Total Fat 17g (22% DV), Saturated Fat 2g (10% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 900mg (39% DV), Total Carbohydrate 51g (19% DV), Dietary Fiber 11g (39% DV), Total Sugars 3g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 20g, Vitamin D 0.2mcg, Calcium 470mg (35% DV), Iron 6.1mg ( ...

How much quinoa per person? ›

You'll need about 50g of quinoa per person (make sure to rinse it first) and chicken or vegetable stock. We can't emphasise using stock enough. It really makes a difference to the flavour, yet is subtle enough not to distract from your final dish.

How is quinoa made? ›

Quinoa seems like it should be a grain, but it's actually a dried seed. The quinoa plant is native to South America, and the seeds from it are harvested, dried, and then cooked by people like you and me!

Is quinoa better for you than rice? ›

Quinoa is rich in both fiber and protein, contains a much higher amount of other nutrients, and has a similar fluffy texture to the rice. A cup of quinoa contains twice more protein and about 5 g more fiber than white rice. Quinoa contains fewer calories and carbohydrates than white rice.

What does kimchi taste like? ›

But generally, kimchi has a tangy, spicy, and slightly sour taste, with a hint of umami flavor from the fermentation process. Some people compare kimchi's spiciness to that of hot sauce or salsa, but with a more complex and layered flavor profile.

Does fried kimchi have probiotics? ›

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Is quinoa high in calories? ›

Quinoa is hardly considered a low-calorie food source — just 1 cup of plain, cooked quinoa is 222 calories. But high-fiber foods like quinoa can help you lose weight when they're part of an overall balanced and varied diet.

Is 1 cup of quinoa too much? ›

You can eat one-two cups of cooked quinoa in a day. You should avoid eating it if you experience stomachache, itchiness or vomiting after consuming it. A study by Harvard Public School of Health has reported that eating a bowl of quinoa daily is healthy and without any side effects.

How many minutes to cook quinoa? ›

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear. Transfer quinoa to a medium pot with water (or broth) and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until quinoa is tender and a white "tail" appears around each grain, about 15 minutes.

How much does 1 cup of quinoa make? ›

For 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, you'll want to use 2 cups of water—this will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the temperature to medium-low and pop the lid on securely.

What is the main ingredient in quinoa? ›

Though technically a seed, Quinoa is classified as a whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fiber. One cup cooked provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

What to add to quinoa to make it better? ›

I love dehydrated onions with some veggies stock in mine . I also add some Adobo powder and some cayenne powder for heat. I just put them right in the water with everything else . Also a helpful tip is cooking your quinoa in a rice cooker with a bit of parboiled rice since they have pretty much the same cook time .

Is quinoa good or bad for you? ›

Quinoa is considered a whole grain, which is better for you than refined grains like white flour. Quinoa has a glycemic index of 53, which is a measure of how quickly it will raise your blood sugar levels. That score puts quinoa in the middle range of “good” vs. “bad” carbs.

How do you make quinoa not boring? ›

Serving suggestions: I love to stir a drizzle of olive oil and clove of garlic into warm quinoa for extra flavor. Other options include chopped fresh spinach or arugula, or massaged kale. Fresh herbs and/or dried spices are nice, as well as grated or crumbled cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, pitted and sliced olives, etc.

What makes quinoa better? ›

Higher in fiber than many grains

Another important benefit of quinoa is its high fiber content. A 1-cup (185-gram) serving of cooked quinoa contains 5.18 grams of fiber. That's about 18% of the current 28-gram DV ( 4 ). Quinoa contains more fiber than several other popular grains, like brown rice.

What is the best way to eat quinoa? ›

Toss it in salads.

Quinoa is a complete source of protein and makes a great addition to a healthy salad. The combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats can turn a light side salad into a robust entrée.

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