Quinotto

🌱 Ingredients & Notes

Here is everything you need for this recipe:

• Quinoa - Make sure it's well rinsed to remove any bitter taste.
• Olive oil - This is used for sautéing. You can use any other oil you prefer.
• Onion - Finely chopped for mild flavor throughout.
• Garlic - Adds depth to the dish. Feel free to add more if you're a garlic lover.
• Vegan white wine - This is used to deglaze the pan and adds flavor. Make sure it's vegan.
• Vegetable broth - This is absorbed by the quinoa while cooking. You can also use water, but broth adds more flavor.
• Lemon - You will need the zest of an unwaxed lemon.
• Salt and pepper - To taste. You can always adjust this at the end.

For the quinotto cream:

• Peas - These add a nice pop of color and sweetness.
• Silken tofu - for the creamiest texture
• Nutritional yeast - Adds a cheesy flavor to the cream.
• Fresh basil - Adds a fresh flavor
• Pistachios - These should be soaked for easier blending. They add a unique flavor to the cream. Alternatively, use soaked cashews or almonds
• Vegan cream or full-fat coconut milk - Use vegan heavy cream (double cream, if you're in the UK). This makes the cream rich and creamy.
• Cherry tomatoes - These are roasted and added to the dish as a garnish at the end for a burst of flavor and a vibrant pop of color.
• Hemp seeds - These add a nice crunch at the end and are full of nutrients.

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for detailed quantities and measurements.

🔪 Equipment

Here is all the equipment you need to make this recipe:

• Large skillet or sauté pan - Make sure it's big enough to hold all the quinoa and broth.
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Knife and cutting board
• Zester or grater: - for zesting the lemon.
• Ladle - for adding the broth slowly to the cooking quinoa.
• Blender - for blending peas, tofu, nutritional yeast, fresh basil, lemon juice, soaked pistachios, salt, and vegan cream. Make sure your blender is powerful enough to blend everything into a smooth cream.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Sauté Onion and Garlic

Heat the olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion and minced garlic until they turn translucent.

Step 2: Toast Quinoa

Add the rinsed quinoa to the pan and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes to toast it.

Step 3: Deglaze the Pan

Pour in the vegan white wine to deglaze the pan and let it cook until most of the liquid evaporates.

Step 4: Add Vegetable Broth

Gradually ladle in the vegetable broth, stirring frequently, and let the quinoa absorb the liquid over 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: Prepare Creamy Mixture

Combine peas, tofu, nutritional yeast, fresh basil, lemon juice, soaked pistachios, salt, and vegan cream in a blender and blend until smooth.

Step 6: Combine Quinoa and Cream

Pour the blended cream into the pan with quinoa, stir well, and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Roast Tomatoes

While the quinoa is cooking, roast cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Step 8: Add Final Touches

Add lemon zest to the quinotto, season with salt and pepper, and serve it up with roasted tomatoes, hemp seeds, crushed pistachios, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice on top.

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🍽️ Serving

Serve the quinotto hot, straight from the stove. You can garnish it with chopped fresh herbs or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for extra flavor.

If you want, add a side salad or some crusty bread to complete the meal!

❄️ Storage

Storing leftovers is easy! Simply transfer any remaining quinotto into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 3 days.

How to reheat

When you're ready to enjoy it again, reheat the quinotto in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is heated through.

If the quinotto has thickened up too much in the fridge, don't hesitate to add a little bit of vegetable broth or water to loosen it up as it reheats. Remember, the key to a good quinotto is its creamy consistency!

🔜 Related Recipes

If you enjoyed making and eating this Vegan Quinotto, you might also want to try this creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto, or the light and refreshing Broad Bean, Courgette and Pea Risotto that's an ideal meal for the warmer months.

Here's a handy recipe card that you can print out and keep in your kitchen for easy reference:

📖 Recipe Card

Easy Vegan Quinotto Recipe (Quinoa Risotto)

Romy

This Vegan Quinotto is a refreshing twist on traditional risotto, made with protein-packed quinoa instead of rice. It's a creamy, gluten-free main course that's both healthy and satisfying. Bursting with robust flavors and topped with sweet, roasted cherry tomatoes, it's the perfect comforting meal for spring or any time of the year, really.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian, vegan

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• 1 Large skillet or sauté pan
• 1 wooden spoon or spatula
• 1 measuring cups and spoons
• 1 Knife and cutting board
• 1 Zester or grater
• 1 Ladle
• 1 blender

Ingredients

  

• quinoa (185g) rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup vegan white wine (120 ml)
• 2 cups vegetable broth (500 ml)
• lemon zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

For the quinotto cream;

• ½ cup frozen peas (100g) defrosted
• 10.5 oz silken tofu (350g)
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 handful fresh basil rinsed
• 2 tablespoon pistachios
• 1 pinch salt
• ⅓ cup vegan heavy cream (80 ml) or coconut milk

For serving:

• cherry tomatoes (240g) roasted
• 1 sprinkle hemp seeds for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add a finely chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent. Add two minced cloves of garlic and continue to sauté the mixture.
• Add 185g of rinsed quinoa to the pan. Stir the quinoa constantly for about 2-3 minutes to allow it to toast.
• Pour 120 ml of vegan white wine into the pan to deglaze it. Continue to cook the mixture until the wine has mostly evaporated.
• Gradually add 500 ml of vegetable broth to the pan, one ladle at a time. Stir the mixture regularly on low heat. This process allows the quinoa to absorb the liquid and should take around 15-20 minutes.
• While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the creamy component of the dish. Combine 100g of peas, 350g of silken tofu, a ¼ cup of nutritional yeast, a handful of fresh basil, juice of half a lemon, 2 tablespoons of soaked pistachios, a pinch of salt, and 100 ml of vegan cream in a blender. Blend the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the blended cream into the pan with the quinoa. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In the meantime, roast 240g of cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
• By now, your quinotto should be thick and creamy. Stir in the zest of one unwaxed lemon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve the quinotto with the roasted tomatoes on top. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of hemp seeds, crushed pistachios, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

Notes

• Serving - The Quinotto is best served hot, straight from the stove. For added flavor, garnish it with chopped fresh herbs or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. You might also want to serve it with a side salad or some crusty bread to complete the meal.
• Storing - Leftovers should be transferred to an airtight container and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating - To reheat, place the Quinotto in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is heated through. If the Quinotto has thickened up too much in the fridge, don't hesitate to add a little bit of vegetable broth or water to loosen it up as it reheats. Remember, the key to a good Quinotto is its creamy consistency!
• Additional Tips:
  • Make sure to rinse the quinoa well to remove any bitter taste.
  • While adding the broth to the cooking quinoa, do it gradually and stir frequently to allow the quinoa to fully absorb the liquid.
  • When blending the ingredients for the creamy mixture, ensure your blender is powerful enough to blend everything into a smooth cream.
  • Feel free to adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Make sure to only grate the yellow part of the lemon skin for the zest as the white pith underneath is bitter.

Keyword Gluten-Free Dinner, Quinoa Risotto, Vegan Quinotto

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