Easy Healthy Quinoa Fried Rice Recipe (Vegan)
Jun 27, 2019 • Updated Jan 08, 2024
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A healthy quinoa fried rice that is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free. Made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients, this is a nourishing dish you can enjoy for lunch or an easy weeknight meal.
What Makes This Recipe Great
Today’s easy Quinoa Fried Rice recipe is brought to you by… a happy accident! This is one of those recipes that came to me as I was throwing together leftovers in the fridge. When I’m in a hangry rush, something I love to do is throw whatever veggies I have in the fridge into a pan and sauté with seasonings galore. One night this week, I decided to throw some quinoa into the mix for a little extra protein and more substance, and by chance, the veggies I used were all typical “fried rice” veggies.
I had a moment where I thought to myself–why haven’t I made a quinoa fried rice before? Well, realistically… because I do love rice and never needed an alternative. With that said, I know many people have sensitivities to rice or prefer not to eat it, so this is a great alternative to making rice-free fried rice.
Side note: this is also a great way to get rid of any leftover quinoa you have in the fridge before it goes bad!
We’re also keeping this recipe gluten-free, and instead of soy sauce, which is traditionally used, we’re using a wheat-free alternative. This recipe is also oil-free, so it’s technically an un-fried rice, but you can always sauté everything with a little bit of oil of choice if desired. Either way, I can guarantee that this recipe will be far healthier than your average takeout fried rice.
Also, if you miss Chinese takeout, try my better-than-your-takeout noodle recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked quinoa: Fluffy quinoa, the star of the show!
- Veggies: Carrots, broccoli florets, and corn. Feel free to use fresh or frozen vegetables.
- Tamari: Liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or other gluten-free soy sauce alternatives.
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and Black pepper to taste
- Oil: You can make this oil-free, but if you do want to use oil, I recommend using a neutral oil like avocado oil or even sesame oil for added flavor.
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Spring onions for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large pan or large skillet on medium-high heat, pan-fry garlic until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add veggies, and continue to cook/stir fry until veggies are bright in color and slightly tender, about 3-5 more minutes at medium heat
- Next, add cooked quinoa and break up any clumps with a spatula.
- Add tamari and stir to cook until well incorporated. Taste, and add additional tamari and pepper to the quinoa mixture as needed. Garnish with green onions and/or sesame seeds.
Secrets to Success
- If you’re missing any of the veggies I used or prefer to season your quinoa fried rice differently, feel free to switch it up. I say this all the time, but when swapping out an ingredient or making substitutions to “healthify” a recipe, it’s always a good idea to use the same seasonings you usually would.
- This is a great way to “clean out your produce drawer” and use the vegetables and ingredients you have on hand. Some other great stir-fry veggie options are snow peas, bell peppers, and green beans. Plus, you can always add some protein with vegan chicken pieces, tofu, an egg replacement (scramble) or another plant-based protein, and cashews or other nuts for crunch!
- I kept the ingredients basic because fried rice is seasoned a little differently depending on what country you’re enjoying it in. For example, in Thailand, it’s a little sweet and usually made with fish sauce. In Japan, it’s a little sweeter, and within the different regions in China, the flavors vary wildly. Some regions pack the spice in heavy, while some don’t even add soy sauce and rely on simply garlic for flavor. Coming from a mixed Asian background, I couldn’t pick just one style of fried rice, so this is just a simple, classic fried rice, and you can add additional seasonings if you’d like!
- If you don’t have leftover quinoa, make a fresh batch. It’s made similar to the way white rice or brown rice is made: in a large pot, bring water to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15-20 min. Follow the instructions on the package when in doubt.
Serving Tips
Serve this quinoa fried rice as a main dish or a side dish, depending on your hunger level and ingredients! To make it a complete meal, throw a protein into the skillet as well.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Use for meal prep throughout the week.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Taiwanese Scallion Pancake Recipe
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Easy Healthy Quinoa Fried Rice Recipe (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1-2 cups cooked quinoa
- 3/4 cups carrots very finely diced
- 3/4 cups broccoli florets chopped
- 1/2 cup corn frozen or fresh
- 2-3 tbsp tamari liquid aminos, coconut aminos or other gluten-free soy sauce alternative
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- pepper to taste
- optional
- sesame seeds for garnish
- spring onion for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pan or skillet on medium high heat, pan-fry garlic until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add veggies, and continue to cook until veggies are bright in colour and slightly tender, about 3-5 more minutes.
- Next, add cooked quinoa, and break up any clumps with a spatula.
- Add tamari, and stir to cook until well incorporated. Taste, and add additional tamari and pepper as needed.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- If you’re missing any of the veggies I used or prefer to season your quinoa fried rice differently, feel free to switch it up. I say this all the time, but when swapping out an ingredient or making substitutions to “healthify” a recipe, it’s always a good idea to use the same seasonings you usually would.
- This is a great way to “clean out your produce drawer” and use the vegetables and ingredients you have on hand. Some other great stir-fry veggie options are snow peas, bell peppers, and green beans. Plus, you can always add some protein with vegan chicken pieces, tofu, an egg replacement (scramble) or another plant-based protein, and cashews or other nuts for crunch!
- I kept the ingredients basic because fried rice is seasoned a little differently depending on what country you’re enjoying it in. For example, in Thailand, it’s a little sweet and usually made with fish sauce. In Japan, it’s a little sweeter, and within the different regions in China, the flavors vary wildly. Some regions pack the spice in heavy, while some don’t even add soy sauce and rely on simply garlic for flavor. Coming from a mixed Asian background, I couldn’t pick just one style of fried rice, so this is just a simple, classic fried rice, and you can add additional seasonings if you’d like!
- If you don’t have leftover quinoa, make a fresh batch. It’s made similar to the way white rice or brown rice is made: in a large pot, bring water to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15-20 min. Follow the instructions on the package when in doubt.
Serving Tips
Serve this quinoa fried rice as a main dish or a side dish, depending on your hunger level and ingredients! To make it a complete meal, throw a protein into the skillet as well.Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Use for meal prep throughout the week.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love & quinoa,
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