Thyme Scented Quinoa

Looking for a basic quinoa recipes that can enhance your other recipes? Try this thyme scented quinoa. It’s easy to make and has a great flavor.

This is not a quinoa recipe that I use by itself, but rather a base that I use as a base for other quinoa recipes. I like cooking quinoa on Sunday afternoons so that I have some in the refrigerator once a week. This recipe, adapted from a grains recipe in Food and Wine magazine, is a perfect base especially when you want a little something special. Try it in a warm quinoa dish, quinoa casserole or in a quinoa salad!

If you are making a dish that would benefit from an herb other than thyme, by all means use your substitutions. This is a flexible quinoa recipe that is difficult to mess up!

1 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed
2 cloves garlic
1 diced onion
2 sprigs of thyme
3 cups of water (I use broth if I know I am going to be eating within 3 days)
1 tsp salt

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add quinoa and cook over medium heat until lightly toasted. (2 -3 minutes) Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring frequently so that garlic does not burn. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Discard thyme springs and salt to desired taste.
This quinoa will last in the fridge for at least 5 days. If you are not going to use it in that time frame, you can also freeze it for a month.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet (other): Low calorie

Number of servings (yield): 6

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Calories per serving: 146

Fat per serving: 4.7g

Saturated Fat 0.6g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 394mg Total Carbohydrates 27.7g Dietary Fiber 3.1g Sugars 0.8g Protein 5.9g

One recipe that I like to use with this thyme scented quinoa is Quinoa with Red Cabbage and Ricotta Salata.

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Tagged as: basic quinoa recipes, Cooking Quinoa, inspired by food and wine, Quinoa Salad, thyme scented quinoa

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Alysia Meink February 4, 2011 at 2:23 AM

I am trying Quinoa for the first time, trying to eat heathier,

Brenda January 12, 2011 at 2:00 PM

I have just bought quinoa after reading of its health benefits & wanted to make your quinoa/red cabbage recipe; however, I don't have ricotta salata(don't even know what it is) Could you maybe offer a substitute for some items in your recipes (I also don't have fresh thyme)

but I really wanted to make this today as I am home because of bad weather and have everything else.

Wendy Polisi January 12, 2011 at 6:31 PM: You can substitute dried thyme for fresh – do you have that? If not, you could always use basil or parsley. When substituting dried herbs for fresh, you want to do this in a 1 to 3 ratio. This means you will use one teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh herbs that a recipe calls for.

Ricotta salata is a cheese, but it is much firmer than the type of ricotta you are used to. I would just substitute any semi-firm to firm cheese that you have on hand.