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Home » 30 minutes or less

How to Spice Up Quinoa

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In this recipe, I'll show you how to easily spice up your quinoa so that you can enjoy a more flavorful, vibrant, golden version. Whether served cold as a base to a salad or warm as a side to your main, it will be a tasty, filling, and colorful addition. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free (quinoa is technically a seed), oil-free, and satisfies a whole food plant-based lifestyle.

Vibrant golden quinoa in a serving bowl surrounded by cilantro sprigs.

Take your golden quinoa up a notch in color and flavor with this easy method. It's a beautiful addition to a spring table, though it can be eaten year round.

Serve it with soups, salads, mains, side dishes - there are so many ways to enjoy this quinoa! It's wonderful hot or cold.

I enjoy this spiced quinoa in Quinoa Tabbouleh.

Another quinoa recipe I make on repeat is this Easy Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Equipment
  • Instructions
  • Storage
  • Top tip
  • FAQ
  • Related
  • The Recipe
  • general food safety
  • Comments

Ingredients

We only have three main ingredients in this recipe!

Dry quinoa, spice, and broth for making spiced up quinoa.

Golden quinoa: This recipe will taste similar with colorful quinoa, but won't absorb as much golden color, so I recommend using the light gold-colored quinoa here.

Vegetable broth: I like using Better Than Bouillon with filtered water, but use any veggie broth you like (extra points if you use homemade!).

Spice: There are two tasty options. Yellow curry or Ras El Hanout with turmeric. I think you will understand why I'm giving you two options when you see the list of ingredients each is made of. They are both a bit sweet and spicy, with amazing depth of flavor. I am partial to the Ras El Hanout, but they're both wonderful options.

• The yellow curry I use is made of coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, cumin, yellow mustard seed, black pepper, cardamom, anise, cayenne, clove, and allspice. I get it from Mountain Rose Herbs. I would think any yellow curry would work well here.

• The Ras el Hanout I use contains saffron, rose petals, grains of paradise (seed of a pepper plant, not actually a grain), fennel, monk pepper, galangal, orris root, white peppercorns, anise, lavender, ginger cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cardamom, allspice. Doesn't that sound amazing? The brand is Villa Jerada. Because Ras el Hanout does not contain turmeric, I add that seperately.

Optional additions

Salt and pepper: These are optional additions when serving to bring out more flavor.

Squeeze of lime: Or citrus of your choice

Yogurt: A plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt makes a nice creamy addition.

Fresh herbs: I love cilantro, parsley, basil, and/or mint on top.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

Aside from measuring cups, a teaspoon, and a wooden spoon for stirring, you just need an appropriate-sized pot (depending on whether or not you're doubling the recipe, for example), and a cooktop.

Instructions

Our first step is to choose which spice option we're going to use.

Curry powder for making spiced up quinoa.

Choose either yellow curry or...

Spice jars of Ras El Hanout and Turmeric for making spiced up quinoa.

...Ras El Hanout and turmeric

Golden spices added to quinoa in a yellow pot.

To a pot, stir together the quinoa and chosen spice blends.

A pot of golden quinoa cooking in broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

A yellow pot covered with a black nobbed lid.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes

A wooden spoon fluffing up quinoa in a pot.

Remove from heat, stir, then set aside for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff and serve.

Storage

Allow the cooked quinoa to cool before storing. Make sure it sits out less than two hours to keep fresh. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a few days or in the freezer for up to a few months.

Top tip

Double or triple the recipe and enjoy in a variety of ways. Serve cold as part of a salad or warm as a side to your main course, or in a soup - it's wonderful all the ways!

FAQ

How do you fix bland quinoa?

The combination of veggie broth and spices added during the cooking process in this recipe should do the trick. If you still need more flavor, add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Still need something? Add a little more of your chosen spice blend (yellow curry or Ras El Hanout and turmeric) and/or a squeeze of lime.

What can I add to quinoa after it's cooked?

In addition to more of the spices, salt and pepper, or squeeze of citrus, fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, and mint work beautifully with this spiced quinoa.

A closeup side view of golden curry spiced quinoa.

Related

Looking for more quinoa recipes? Try these:

  • A bowl of vegan broccoli quinoa casserole with white beans, breadcrumbs, and sriracha in a man's hands.
    Easy Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
  • Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with Pine Nuts and Lettuce Wraps
  • A plate of bacon bits made using red quinoa.
    Quinoa Bacon Bits
  • 30-Minute Vegetable Curry with Quinoa and Red Lentils

The Recipe

Golden spiced quinoa in a rustic serving bowl and a purple linen.

How to Spice Up Quinoa

Whether served cold as a base to a salad or warm as a side to your main, this golden spiced quinoa will be a tasty, filling, and colorful addition. Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free (quinoa is technically a seed), oil-free, and satisfies a whole food plant-based lifestyle.
____________________________
Plant Diversity: Striving for 30 different plants per week
The number of plants in this recipe: at least 2 plants (+ a small amount of several in spices and broth)
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Moroccan
Lifestyle: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Fiber: 3.41g
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Equipment

  • measuring cups and spoons
  • pot
  • stovetop
  • wooden spoon or other spoon for stirring

Ingredients

  • 1 cup golden quinoa (yellow) dry, rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons Ras El Hanout or yellow curry powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric not necessary with yellow curry
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper to taste optional

Optional additions

  • fresh herbs cilantro, mint, basil, parsley
  • more of your chosen spice
  • lime wedges to squeeze over the spiced quinoa
  • yogurt plain plant-based

Instructions

  • Optional: Toast the quinoa in the pot over medium heat for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the chosen spices, then the broth.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, uncover and stir, then set aside for 5 minutes, covered.
    Stir to fluff. Taste and add more spice or salt and pepper if desired.
  • Serve with fresh herbs, a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper. Or, add to a soup or serve cold in a salad.
  • Once the quinoa is no longer steaming (but within 2 hours of cooking), place the spiced quinoa in a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to a few days. It can be stored in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to a few months.

Rough Nutrition Estimate provided by WPRM (based on generic ingredients and limited specification options)

Nutrition Facts
How to Spice Up Quinoa
Amount per Serving
Calories
165.15
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2.63
g
4
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.32
g
2
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1.41
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.69
g
Sodium
 
472.4
mg
21
%
Potassium
 
253.45
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
 
29.5
g
10
%
Fiber
 
3.41
g
14
%
Sugar
 
1.04
g
1
%
Protein
 
6.09
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
273.24
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
0.04
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
36.06
mg
4
%
Iron
 
2.33
mg
13
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! On Instagram, mention @beautifulingredient and tag #beautifulingredient!

general food safety

  • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
  • Wash hands and ingredients well before using
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave cooking food unattended
  • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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Kari smelling anise hyssop while standing behind her market basket and fresh produce.

Welcome to a world of beautiful food!

I'm Kari, and this is where I celebrate beautiful ingredients and focus on ways to make eating more plants easier. Recipes are centered around whole foods and are vegan, cooked without the need for oil, mostly refined sugar-free and gluten-free. And so delicious!


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