Simply Quinoa

One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas

by 69 Comments

This easy Mediterranean Quinoa recipe is made in just one pot and is packed with flavor! It's great for leftovers and is a perfect recipe to add into your weekly meal prep rotation too!

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

Pin It Button - Simply Quinoa

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.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

My Latest Videos

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]

A simple Mediterranean Quinoa made in only ONE POT with tons of flavor and healthy ingredients! [vegan]
4.15 from 7 votes
Print

One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas

This easy Mediterranean Quinoa recipe is made in just one pot and is packed with flavor! It's great for leftovers and is a perfect recipe to add into your weekly meal prep rotation too!

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Keyword chickpeas, one pot, spinach
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 306 kcal
Author Alyssa Rimmer

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.
Nutrition Facts
One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 306 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 596mg 25%
Potassium 737mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Dietary Fiber 9g 36%
Sugars 7g
Protein 12g 24%
Vitamin A 16.8%
Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 7.7%
Iron 26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

For this recipe, I used:

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

 

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

  18. Glad I found this – made it tonight and is delicious. Used kalamata and green olives as well as smoked dried tomatoes – gave it an earthiness that I really enjoyed! Can’t wait to try it tomorrow cold like you mentioned you did the next day. Thanks!

    Reply

  19. I made this tonight and it’s delicious. Didn’t have any chickpeas on hand, so I used black beans. My family doesn’t like olives, so I I left them out. I added capers to offset the loss of saltiness from omitting the olives. Perfection!

    Reply

  21. Hi Alyssa. Can quinoa be substituted for something else? I know that’s the main ingredient but my husband can’t have quinoa. Thanks!

    Reply

  22. Tried it last night and it was delicious ! Perfect after a long day at work: easy and quick to put together. I even took the leftovers in my bento for lunch at work, and it was still delicious cold !
    Thank you for this recipe Alyssa 🙂

    Reply

  23. I used a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of sun dried tomatoes, swapped kale for spinach and Kalimantan olives for green olives. I also didn’t have shallot on hand so I used red onion and I added 1/2 a red bell pepper. I also cooked everything in my crockpot. Yay, awesome!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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.

Seasonal Recipes

Almond Butter Thai Quinoa Salad
Tropical Kale & Quinoa Power Salad
Summer Squash + Zucchini Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts
Blueberry Quinoa Power Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette