Confession: this recipe was a total accident. I attempted to make quinoa crust pizza, ended up failing (what do you mean you can't broil the crust in the oven?), and I wound up scraping all of the ingredients into a bowl. I was one bite in when I realized my epic discovery. My point is that this pesto quinoa had humble beginnings- but don't let that fool you. I know a winner when I see one.
With the pesto, tomatoes, and balsamic reduction, this quinoa tastes like a caprese pizza. However, there's none of the added baddies. Instead, quinoa packs a serious protein punch and contains plenty of vitamins and fiber. Just in case you need another reason to enjoy this bowl of pesto-y goodness.
Vegetable Pesto Quinoa
- Prep Time:10 mins
- Cook Time:15 mins
- Total Time:25 mins
- Servings:2
- Easy
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 small white onion
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 3/4 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- Pinch salt
- Balsamic reduction
Ingredients
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Step 1
Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
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Step 2
Using a sharp knife, finely chop the onion and mushroom into thin strips.
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Step 3
In a small frying pan, sauté the mushrooms and onion in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion turns translucent.
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Step 4
In a blender, combine the pine nuts, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.
#SpoonTip: Try blending over a low speed, as the pesto tends to stick to the sides of the blender when put on high-speed. -
Step 5
Mix the pesto into the quinoa using a spoon.
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Step 6
Using a sharp knife, chop each grape tomato in half.
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Step 7
Serve the pesto quinoa on two plates, topping it with the fried mushrooms, onions, and grape tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic reduction to finish.
For a dish gone terribly wrong, this pesto quinoa is pretty epic. With the juicy tomatoes, grainy quinoa, and the sweet tartness of the balsamic reduction, this quinoa gives traditional Caprese pizza a run for its money.