35+ BEST Quinoa Recipes for Dinner

Name: 35+ BEST Ways to Cook with Quinoa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons olive oil; ½ medium onion (diced); 3 medium carrots (peeled and diced); 2 stalks celery (diced); 4 garlic cloves (minced); 4 cups bone broth (chicken broth or vegetable stock (use more for a more brothy soup)); 1 15- ounce can chickpeas (drained & rinsed); 1 1/4 cup quinoa (uncooked, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander); 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained); 1 8- ounce can tomato sauce; 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning; Pinch red pepper flakes; 2 cups fresh spinach (coarsely chopped); 1 ½ cups half and half (or heavy cream); Salt and pepper (to taste); Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Looking for some great quinoa recipes? Here are 35+ easy and healthy recipes that use feature this yummy grain. Salad recipes, bowl recipes, soup recipes, and more!

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Wondering the best ways to cook with quinoa?

There are so many great options.

Some of my favorite quinoa recipes are this Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup and these Sweet Potato Buddha Bowls.

But what else can be made with quinoa?

Here are 35+ of the best quinoa recipes to try out!

Our Favorite Easy Quinoa Recipes

Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup

This Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup is not only amazingly delicious, but it’s also packed with protein, fiber and essential vitamins and antioxidants.

Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup

Southwest Beef & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers make a hearty, healthy, protein packed meal that's amazingly delicious and quick and easy to prepare.

Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa & Beef

These Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Beef make a hearty, healthy, protein packed meal that's amazingly delicious and quick and easy to prepare.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa topped with burrito bowl ingredients in white bowl with spoon.

Quinoa Taco Bowls

Quinoa Burrito Bowls with Guacamole make a quick and healthy vegetarian meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

Overhead close up of quinoa salad in bowl.

Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad

Make this copycat Costco Quinoa Salad at home for a healthy, hearty, and delicious grain-based salad studded with fresh veggies and fresh lemon dressing.

Costco Quinoa Salad

Overhead shot of quinoa gyro bowl topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, next to bowl of tzatziki sauce.

Chicken Gyro Bowls

These Chicken Gyro Bowls with Tzatziki turn your favorite traditional Greek sandwich into a quick, healthy dinner.

Chicken Gyro Bowls with Tzatziki

Taco Quinoa & Turkey Lettuce Wraps

These Taco Quinoa & Turkey Lettuce Wraps make a hearty, healthy, protein packed meal that’s amazingly delicious and quick and easy to prepare. They’re perfect for meal prep too.

Taco Quinoa & Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Close up of Quinoa Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate chunks

Quinoa Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt

These Quinoa Breakfast Cookies with Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt are perfect for breakfasts on the go. Not only are they delicious, but they’re packed with protein, whole grains and fiber.

Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

Cauliflower Chickpea Salad

This Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing combines roasted cauliflower & chickpeas with fluffy quinoa and creamy avocados. It’s a healthy, protein-packed salad that can be made ahead of time.

Cauliflower Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

Roasted Squash Salad

This Roasted Squash Salad with Crispy Chickpeas combines roasted butternut squash & chickpeas with fluffy quinoa and a dreamy, creamy maple tahini dressing. It’s a delicious and fresh salad that can be made ahead of time.

Roasted Squash Salad with Quinoa

Overhead close up of baked zucchini boats.

Greek Stuffed Zucchini

Greek Stuffed Zucchini Boats come together in just 30-minutes. Stuffed with quinoa, feta, chickpeas, peppers and olives and flavored with lemon, garlic and oregano.

Greek Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Overhead shot of instant pot quinoa in white bowl with spoon.

Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe

With these easy tips, you’ll see it’s simple to cook perfect quinoa in the Instant Pot with minimal measuring. The result is fluffy and flavorful quinoa that’s super simple to prepare.

Instant Pot Quinoa

Jennifer Aniston Salad

One bite of the viral Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad and you’ll be hooked! It was the actress’ top choice for lunch during her time on Friends for good reason – it’s easy to make, loaded with healthy grains and veggies, and perfect for meal prep.

Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad

Two hands holding assembled buddha bowl.

Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl

These Sweet Potato Buddha Bowls are topped with roasted sweet potatoes, peppers and chickpeas and drizzled with a tangy green mojo sauce. It's a healthy (vegetarian + vegan) dinner or lunch.

Sweet Potato Buddha Bowls

Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Cookies are perfect for on-the-go breakfasts. They're packed with fiber, protein and absolutely delicious!

Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

Asian Quinoa Salad

This vibrant Asian Quinoa Salad has a colorful blend of fresh vegetables topped on a bed of fluffy quinoa. Dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, it’s a delicious and naturally vegan meal you can make for meal prep or a healthy dinner.

Asian Quinoa Salad

Power Bowl

Dig into this Vegan Power Bowl—a hearty and healthy meal brimming with fluffy quinoa, roasted vegetables, crispy chickpeas, and tahini sauce. Top it with your choice of healthy extras for a flavorful powerhouse of protein and fiber!

Power Bowl

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Quinoa and Black Bean salad is the perfect side dish or easy main dish. Bursting with fresh ingredients and a delicious homemade dressing.

Get the RECIPE from Confessions of a Fit Foodie

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Cheesy Pesto Broccoli Quinoa Casserole (Healthy, Vegetarian)

This healthy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole is creamy, cheesy, and comforting. Enjoy this gluten free, vegetarian casserole for dinner or make-ahead lunch.

Get the RECIPE from Dishing Out Health

Cheesy Pesto Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

One Pot Moroccan Quinoa (Vegan, Gluten Free)

One Pot Moroccan Quinoa is as easy and flavorful as it gets for streamlined weeknight cooking. Gluten free, vegan, and sure to become a favorite.

Get the RECIPE from Dishing Out Health

One Pot Moroccan Quinoa

Layered Quinoa Salad

Layered Quinoa Salad THE ULTIMATE make-ahead salad for entertaining! This Salad actually tastes better after spending a few hours in the fridge, so not only is it BEAUTIFUL, but it’s super convenient to serve guests.

Get the RECIPE from Clean Food Crush

Layered Quinoa Salad

One Pan Mexican Quinoa – Chelsea Young

This is a great dish to make for a big group when you don’t have a ton of time. Most ingredients you have on hand so you can make it at a moments notice if you need to!

Get the RECIPE from Chelsea J Young

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

Lemon Dill Quinoa Casserole | Vegan + Dump-and-Bake – From My Bowl

This dump-and-bake Lemon Dill Quinoa Casserole is bright, fresh, & so. dang. delicious. Plus you only need 10 ingredients to make it! Vegan & Gluten-Free.

Get the RECIPE from From My Bowl

Lemon Dill Quinoa Casserole

Spring Quinoa Salad with Shrimp

Spring quinoa salad with delicious cooked shrimp, crisp vegetables, and bright honey-lemon vinaigrette. It’s a satisfying meal-prep salad!

Get the RECIPE from Little Broken

Spring Quinoa Salad with Shrimp

Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

A quick and easy gluten free enchilada casserole full of spices, cheese, and nutrient-rich quinoa.

Get the RECIPE from Fresh April Flours

Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This Mediterranean quinoa salad is fresh, bursting with flavor, healthy, and filling. Perfect for light lunches or meal prep!

Get the RECIPE from Salt and Lavender

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Cucumber Salad with Feta, Dill & Mint

This perky quinoa cucumber salad recipe gets crunch from cucumber and radish marinated in kicky lemon garlic vinaigrette and a fresh bouquet of dill and mint, all topped with briny feta.

Get the RECIPE from Bojon Gourmet

Quinoa Cucumber Salad with Feta, Dill & Mint

One-Pot Chicken, Quinoa, Mushrooms & Spinach Recipe

In this easy one-pot chicken recipe, chicken, quinoa, mushrooms and spinach nestle together for a healthy meal with minimal clean-up.

Get the RECIPE from Cookin Canuck

One-Pot Chicken, Quinoa, Mushrooms & Spinach

Loaded Greek Quinoa Salad.

Loaded Greek Quinoa Salad – healthy, easy, satisfying and delicious – salad done right!

Get the RECIPE from halfbakedharvest.com

Loaded Greek Quinoa Salad

Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Casserole

This spinach artichoke quinoa casserole is packed with protein, tasty veggies, and a cheesy topping – a delicious meat-free meal that is as delicious as it is nourishing for your body.

Get the RECIPE from iFoodReal

Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Casserole

Thai Quinoa Salad

The best EVER Thai Style Quinoa Salad recipe tossed with sesame ginger dressing. Vegan & Gluten free.

Get the RECIPE from Foolproof Living

Thai Quinoa Salad

Vegetable Cauliflower Rice + Quinoa Sushi

An easy quinoa sushi recipe that combines cooked quinoa with roasted cauliflower rice, to create a light, healthy and delicious spin on a classic recipe.

Get the RECIPE from Simply Quinoa

Vegetable Cauliflower Rice + Quinoa Sushi

Caprese Quinoa Casserole Recipe – The Weary Chef

A simple, cheesy Caprese Quinoa Casserole Recipe loaded with turkey, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

Get the RECIPE from Weary Chef

Caprese Quinoa Casserole

Grilled Jalapeño Peach Quinoa Salad.

Grilled Jalapeño Peach Quinoa Salad: with a yummy herb dressing…a colorful, unique, flavorful, and beyond delicious summer salad!

Get the RECIPE from Half Baked Harvest

Grilled Jalapeño Peach Quinoa Salad

Tex Mex Quinoa Casserole

This Tex Mex Quinoa Casserole is delicious, healthy and easy to make.

Get the RECIPE from Eat Good 4 Life

Tex Mex Quinoa Casserole

Mediterranean Quinoa Casserole – Making Thyme for Health

Mediterranean Quinoa Casserole- a healthy and flavorful vegetarian dinner made with baby spinach, cherry tomatoes and fresh dill.

Get the RECIPE from Making Thyme for Health

Mediterranean Quinoa Casserole

🕕 How to Make Ahead and Store

Leftover quinoa will keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Or, you can freeze it for up to three months. I like to make a big batch and portion the quinoa into freezer bags to have on hand for when I’m needing some cooked quinoa

ℹ️ Quinoa FAQs

How much water do I use for 1 cup of quinoa?

While I generally use 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water for stove top quinoa, in the Instant Pot, that ratio drops down to only 1 ½ cups of water for every cup of quinoa.

How do you make quinoa?

Bring quinoa and water to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes before fluffing & serving. Or, try my Instant Pot Quinoa for an even simpler method!

What are the health benefits of quinoa?

Quinoa is a complete protein that’s loaded with essential amino acids. It also has a low glycemic index.

Do you need to rinse quinoa?

Yes. This gets rid of the quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter. And although boxed quinoa is generally pre-rinsed, it doesn’t hurt to give the seeds an additional rinse. Just place it in a fine mesh strainer and run it under water until the water is clear.

More Pantry Staple Recipes

Did you try this any of these recipes with quinoa?

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