Simply Quinoa

One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas

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This easy Mediterranean Quinoa uses only ONE POT and it's SO FLAVORFUL!

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There's nothing worse than sitting down after a long day to a wonderful meal you just cooked, only to realize that your work isn't done yet. DISHES.

Honestly, one of least favorite tasks in the world. Luckily I have this great guy named Matt who lets me cook up a storm and then cleans up after me. I think we all need a Matt.

But even Matt gets tired and doesn't feel like cleaning up my tornado of dinner dishes every night. He'll begrudgingly wash while complaining under his breath that I'm a messy cook. Fair enough. Which is why when we whip up meals that only require one pot, like this mediterranean quinoa, Matt's a happy camper.

ONE-POT MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA with olives, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and chickpeas!

This one-pot meal has it all. Healthy fats, dark leafy greens, filling fiber, plant-based protein and TONS of great flavor.

It starts by simply sautéing some garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes in a teeny bit of olive oil. Then you add in your spices, some white quinoa, some olives and some chopped sun dried tomatoes and then you just leave the whole thing to cook for about 20 minutes. When its' done, the quinoa will be fluffy, the pot will be fragrant and you'll just stir in your spinach and chickpeas.

AND DONE.

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA ... a one-pot wonder that combines fluffy quinoa, olives, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and chickpeas!

Not only is this dish colorful and vibrant, it's one of those “salads” that gets better with age. That sounds strange, but I actually found that the longer this sat and marinated, the more pronounced the flavor.

Here's what we did:

I tested the recipe at home during the day. Tasted it a few times as I was plating it for pictures, but put the rest of it away to save for dinner that night. I put it in one of my glass food storage containers (I have these), then pulled it out for dinner and served it cold over some greens and shredded cabbage. It was delish! The olives make it a little briny, while the tomatoes give it some sweetness and the red pepper flakes just a touch of heat. It's balanced in both flavor and texture too.

Not to mention, it's the perfect meal to make when you really don't feel like doing the dishes 😉

A simple Mediterranean Quinoa made in only ONE POT with tons of flavor and healthy ingredients! [vegan]

One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas

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Preparation 5 mins 2017-09-26T00:05:00+00:00
Cook Time 25 mins 2017-09-26T00:25:00+00:00
Serves 4 – 6     adjust servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup sliced green olives
  • 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water (or more broth)
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas
  • Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots and pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add thyme and dill and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
  2. To the saucepan, add quinoa, olives and sun dried tomatoes. Stir continuously for 15 – 30 seconds. Add liquids, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 20 – 25 minutes until liquid has been absorbed.
  3. Remove lid and stir in spinach and chickpeas. Let sit for a few minutes to allow spinach time to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

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1 review
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
Amount Per ServingAs Served
Calories 404kcal Calories from fat 124
% Daily Value
Total Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Sodium 766mg32%
Carbohydrate 58g19%
Dietary Fiber 12g48%
Sugars 7g
Protein 15g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

Calories2000
Total FatLess than65g
Sat FatLess than25g
CholesterolLess than300mg
SodiumLess than2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate300g
Dietary Fiber25g

For this recipe, I used:

Stainless Steel Saucepan, Organic White Quinoa, Green Olives, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Organic Chickpeas
 

 

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A simple Mediterranean Quinoa made in only ONE POT with tons of flavor and healthy ingredients! [vegan]

Comments

    • You could just leave them out OR if you want that briny flavor, you could toss in some chopped capers. I’d probably only do about 1/4 cup!

      Reply

          • Delicious!! I used capers and also about 2 tblsp of lemon juice since I had it left over. So good. I only used about 1/2 -3/4 tsp of pepper flakes because I wasn’t sure and it was perfect. I think that artichokes might give the same briny flavor also, might try that next time. I meant to tonight but totally forgot to buy them. =) Thanks Alyssa, it is really good and super easy! (I do wish I had a Matt though. lol)

  7. Hi Alyssa, made this recipe the other night and it was very tasty. Didn’t have shallots so I subbed a bit of red onion. It was really easy to throw together and you’re right – it was good warm as well as cold the next day. I only gave it a 4 star because Mediterranean is not my favorite flavor, but the recipe itself was great! Thanks for all the work you do with your recipes. I come here often looking for ideas. Cheers!

    Reply

  13. Alyssa, I happen to have a lot of leftover cooked quinoa and was wondering if it could somehow work to use it instead of uncooked. Would I add any liquid to it or omit the liquid altogether? Absolutely loved this recipe and wanted to double it for lunches. Just as tasty and it is healthy!! love love

    Reply

  15. This recipe is dynamite! I made it this evening and was blown away by the vibrant flavors and simple preparation. It was easy, fast, and very healthy- it will be on my regular meal prep rotation. I used black olives instead of green, which worked well. I’ll serve it with sides of steamed red potatoes and fresh cucumbers. Great job, and thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

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Meet Alyssa

photoAlyssa is the quinoa-obsessed girl behind Simply Quinoa. She's passionate about helping you find health, happiness and balance with wholesome recipes and lifestyle tips.

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