This Immediate Pot Quinoa Pulao is a flavorful one-pot recipe made with nutty quinoa, blended greens, fragrant spices, and herbs for a high-protein, high-fiber meal. It is a colourful 30-minute vegetarian meal that is naturally gluten-free and full of all 9 important amino acids.
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In the present day, I am excited to share a fast and straightforward quinoa pilaf recipe that packs a dietary punch. This dish is a weeknight favourite in my family for its simplicity, versatility, and healthful goodness.
This quinoa pulao recipe is a wholesome spin on a basic Indian pulao (Hindi phrase for pilaf) made wholesome by substituting white basmati rice with protein and fiber-packed superseed quinoa!
Because of frozen greens, and the hands-off cooking strategy of the Immediate Pot, it is a tremendous fast, nutritious, and scrumptious meal. Serve it as a meal, or facet dish, or pack it into college lunch packing containers for the children.
Why We Love This Recipe:
- Gluten-free, vegan, excessive protein (11g per serving, together with all 9 important amino acids), excessive fiber (8g per serving), and low energy (315 cal per serving)!
- A one-pot meal prepared in beneath half-hour, because of the fast cooking strategy of the Immediate Pot!
- It is a full meal that comes along with pantry and freezer staples!
Let's get began with this easy and satisfying recipe!
Elements - Notes & Substitutions
The important thing elements for this quinoa pulao recipe are quinoa, aromatics, greens, spices, and herbs. This is a bit extra element about what we want:
- Oil: Use olive or avocado oil to maintain it vegan, or use ghee for a nutty taste.
- Cumin Seeds & Bay Leaves: Each add earthiness and depth and are basic elements in a conventional pulao.
- Aromatics: A flavorful base of onion, ginger, garlic, and serrano chilies offers spice and aroma. If you have already got ginger garlic paste in your fridge or freezer, use that to save lots of your self a step.
- Frozen Vegetable Medley: No time spent prepping or chopping greens right this moment. Choose up a bag of frozen greens from the grocery retailer. My favourite mix consists of carrots, peas, corn, and inexperienced beans.
- Quinoa: I exploit white quinoa because it cooks extra persistently than pink, black, or tri-color quinoa (in my expertise). You will need to rinse it 2-3 occasions, even when the bundle states it has been "pre-rinsed".
- Nuts: Buttery cashews and crunchy slivered almonds add nuttiness and texture. Use each or one selection. Skip these for a nut-free pulao.
- Spices: A easy mix of Kashmiri pink chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala provides warmth, colour, and heat. If you happen to desire a gentle spice degree, change the Kashmiri pink chili powder with paprika.
- Contemporary Herbs: I add contemporary cilantro in two elements, as soon as throughout cooking, and as soon as extra as a last garnish for a pop of freshness.
- Water: In my expertise, one of the best water-to-quinoa ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 1 ¼ cups water. Alternatively, use the same amount of vegetable broth.
- Lime Juice: Contemporary squeezed lime juice, or lemon juice, is non-compulsory, however really useful. It provides that additional little bit of zing.
Scroll to the recipe card for an in depth listing of elements and portions.
The right way to Make Quinoa Pulao
Listed below are the step-by-step directions and photographs for tips on how to cook dinner quinoa pulao within the Immediate Pot:
Prep Tip
Add serrano chilies, ginger, and garlic to a mini meals processor and pulse just a few occasions for a positive chop. If utilizing premade ginger garlic paste, simply pulse the inexperienced chilies with the onion.
Step 1: Saute Aromatics
Choose SAUTE to preheat the Immediate Pot. Now add oil (or ghee) and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds begin scorching, add chopped onion, ginger, garlic, and chilies. Saute for two to three minutes till the onions flip translucent.
Step 2: Stress Cook dinner
Add the frozen greens, rinsed and drained quinoa, nuts, salt, spices, half of the chopped cilantro, and saute for a minute. Add the bay leaves.
Now add water, give it a stir and gently scrape the underside of the pot to make sure nothing is caught to the pot. Cancel Saute and shut the lid. Change the strain valve to sealing place. Choose Handbook or strain cook dinner for two minutes at excessive strain.
Step 3: Fluff & End
When the cooking time is up, let the strain launch naturally, it takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Open the lid when the strain pin drops.
Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add cilantro and lime juice (if utilizing) and gently fluff the quinoa once more to include them. Now let the pot sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to permit any extra moisture to evaporate.
Various Technique: Stovetop Quinoa Pulao
Listed below are the step-by-step directions for tips on how to make quinoa pulao on the range:
- Warmth the oil in a medium saucepan over medium warmth. Add the cumin seeds and saute till they begin scorching.
- Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and chilies, and saute till the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the frozen greens, rinsed and drained quinoa, nuts, salt, spices, half of the chopped cilantro, and saute for 1 minute. Add the bay leaves.
- Now add 1 ¾ cups water and stir it nicely. Carry the combination to a boil, cut back the warmth to low, cowl, and cook dinner for quarter-hour.
- When the cooking time is up, flip off the warmth, and let it steam for 10 minutes.
- Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add cilantro and lime juice (if utilizing) and gently fluff the quinoa once more. Now let the pot sit, uncovered, for about 5 minutes to permit any extra moisture to evaporate.
Serving Strategies
Listed below are my favourite methods to serve quinoa pulav to make a whole meal:
The right way to Retailer, Freeze, & Reheat
Leftover quinoa pulao will be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container with room on the prime for growth for as much as 1 month. Thaw within the fridge in a single day.
Reheat: Reheat over medium warmth in a skillet on the range, including a splash of water if crucial. Or, microwave on excessive in 30-second intervals, stirring every time in between.
Recipe Suggestions & Notes:
- Quinoa: For greatest outcomes, rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer beneath cool operating water for 2-3 minutes, rubbing the grains gently along with your fingers. This helps do away with the bitterness and poisonous saponins. I even rinse the baggage of "pre-rinsed" quinoa.
- Water amount: If following the Immediate Pot methodology, use 1 ¼ cups of water. If making the quinoa pulao on the range, improve the quantity to 1 ¾ cups water.
- Scrape: Ensure to scrape the underside of the pot when you add the water. This prevents burning and picks up any flavorful bits caught to the underside.
- Relaxation: Permit the quinoa to take a seat for five minutes after fluffing with a fork to evaporate any extra moisture. This permits each grain of quinoa to glisten and never adhere to one another.
- Protein increase: Add 1 cup of cooked chickpeas or edamame for added protein.
Often Requested Questions
Whereas there are numerous forms of quinoa together with white, pink, black, or tri-color, I've discovered white quinoa to cook dinner essentially the most persistently. If you happen to use one other selection, the cooking time could differ.
Sure, quinoa is of course gluten-free, making quinoa pulao an optimum alternative for these following a gluten-free food plan.
Quinoa is a pseudograin with an earthy, barely nutty taste much like brown rice. The seeds are a lot smaller than grains of rice, with a mushy, chewy texture.
Pulao is made by boiling grains in a seasoned broth whereas biryani is made by layering cooked rice with seasoned meat or greens. Biryani additionally makes use of many extra spices than pulao.
Extra Vegetarian Quinoa Favorites
📖 Recipe
Quinoa Pulao
Immediate Pot Quinoa Pulao is a simple one-pot meal made with fluffy quinoa, blended greens, fragrant spices, and herbs for a flavorful high-protein, high-fiber meal.
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Directions
Add serrano chilies, ginger and garlic to a mini meals processor and pulse just a few occasions to finely chop all. You possibly can skip this step when you have premade ginger garlic paste. In that case, simply finely chop the inexperienced chilies with the onion.
Choose SAUTE to preheat the Immediate Pot. Now add oil (or ghee) and cumin seeds. When the cumin begins to sizzle, add chopped onion and finely chopped ginger, garlic and chilies. Saute for two to three minutes till the onions start to show translucent.
Add the frozen greens, rinsed and drained quinoa, nuts, salt, spices, half of the chopped cilantro, and saute for a minute. Add the bay leaves.
Now add water, give it a stir and utilizing your spoon scrape the underside of the pot to make sure nothing is caught to the pot. Cancel Saute and shut the lid. Change the strain valve to sealing place. Choose Handbook or strain cook dinner for two minutes at excessive strain.
When the cooking time is up, let the strain launch naturally, takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Open the lid when the strain pin drops.
Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add cilantro and lime juice (if utilizing) and gently fluff the quinoa once more to include them. Now let the pot sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to permit any extra moisture to evaporate.
Switch to a serving bowl and serve heat with a cooling cucumber raita. Get pleasure from!
Notes
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- Quinoa: For greatest outcomes, rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer beneath cool operating water for 2-3 minutes, rubbing the grains gently along with your fingers. This helps do away with the bitterness and poisonous saponins. I even rinse the baggage of "pre-rinsed" quinoa.
- Spices: Because the quinoa cooks so shortly, we would like a mix of complete spices and floor spices in order that it could possibly actually take in the flavors. Use 2 bay leaves and add half the cilantro throughout cooking.
- Water: If following the Immediate Pot methodology, use 1 ¼ cups water. If making the quinoa pulao on the range, improve the quantity to 1 ¾ cups water.
- Scrape: Ensure to scrape the underside of the pot when you add the water. This prevents burning and picks up any flavorful bits caught to the underside.
- Fluffy texture: Permit the quinoa to relaxation for five minutes after fluffing with a fork to evaporate any extra moisture. This permits each grain of quinoa to glisten and never adhere to one another.
Vitamin
Energy: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fats: 11g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 6g | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3652IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg
