The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

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The ultimate recipe round-up featuring all of the very best quinoa Thanksgiving recipes from across the internet – from salads, sides & even breakfast!

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (1)

Do you have your Thanksgiving all planned out? Do you know exactly what you'll bring? Yeah, me either.

Oh and then there's that whole thing about trying to stay healthy during the holidays…yeah, that. It's hard, it sucks and it generally means you'll be missing out on the good stuff. Well I hear ya loud and clear! I've totally got you covered this year.

I searched high and low for all the very best quinoa Thanksgiving recipes I could find. And I made sure they're all healthy and suitable for this year's feast. We've got everything from salads, sides, appetizers and even the morning of breakfast. Everything is Thanksgiving appropriate and everything has quinoa in it.

Now, I'm not expecting your entire Thanksgiving table to be covered in quinoa dishes (because I know mine certainly won't be), but my hope is that you are able to bring at least one healthy, gluten-free, whole-grain dish to the celebration. Why? Because I think even if you can sneak just one healthy meal onto everyone's plate, it's a step in the right direction.

So whether you're looking for an alternative to stuffing, need some inspiration for salads or just want to have something quick and easy to serve Thanksgiving morning, there is something for everyone in today's list!

Quinoa Breakfast Recipes

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (2)

Simply Perfect Quinoa Waffles from Simply Quinoa // 2. Healthy Pumpkin Quinoa Granola from Simply Quinoa // 3. Apple Pie Quinoa Breakfast Cookies from Simply Quinoa // 4. Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Quinoa from Simply Quinoa // 5. Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Simply Quinoa // 6. 90-Second Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Quinoa from Simply Quinoa // 7. Pecan Pie Quinoa Breakfast Cookies from Simply Quinoa // 8. Caramelized Butternut Squash Quinoa Breakfast Bowls from Simply Quinoa // 9. Morning Glory Quinoa Breakfast Bars from Simply Quinoa

Quinoa Side Salad Recipes

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (3)

  1. Fall Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash and Apples from Simply Quinoa // 2. Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad from One Sweet Mess // 3. Roasted Brussels Sprout Quinoa Salad from Simply Quinoa // 4. Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad from Eating Bird Food // 5. Simple Fall Salad with Roasted Acorn Squash + Pomegranates from Simply Quinoa // 6. Winter Kale and Quinoa Salad from Eat Yourself Skinny// 7. Kale + Shredded Brussels Sprout Quinoa Salad from Simply Quinoa // 8. Apple Walnut Quinoa Salad from Two Peas & Their Pod // 9. Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad from Chelsea's Messy Apron

Quinoa Side Dish Recipes

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (4)

  1. Green Bean & Almond Quinoa Salad from Simply Quinoa // 2. from Simply Quinoa // 3. Balsamic Garlic Roasted Mushrooms and Quinoa from Kristine's Kitchen // 4. 5-Ingredient Quinoa Mac and Cheese from Simply Quinoa // 5. Herbed Wild Rice & Quinoa Stuffing from Kitchen Treaty // 6. Roasted Potato + Red Quinoa Salad from Simply Quinoa // 7. Cranberry Quinoa Salad from Erin Lives Whole // 8. Simply Quinoa Loaded Sweet Potatoes from Simply Quinoa // 9. Easy Quinoa Stuffing from Simply Quinoa

Thanksgiving Quinoa Main Course Recipes

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (5)

  1. Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from Simply Quinoa // 2. Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa Salad from Pickles & Honey // 3. Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Whipped Sweet Potato from Simply Quinoa // 4. Thanksgiving Quinoa Bake from Domesticate Me // 5. Vegan Lentil + Quinoa Meatloaf from Simply Quinoa // 6. Apple Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash from Thyme & Love // 7. from Simply Quinoa // 8. One-Pot Root Vegetable + Lentil Quinoa Stew from Simply Quinoa // 9. 30-Minute Roasted Broccoli Chowder from Simply Quinoa

Quinoa Dessert Recipes

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (6)

  1. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Quinoa Bread from Simply Quinoa // 2. Fudgy Salted Quinoa Brownies from Simply Quinoa // 3. Healthy Pear and Quinoa Apple Crisp from Simply Quinoa // 4. 2-Ingredient Quinoa Crust from Green Healthy Cooking // 5. Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Sugar Quinoa Topping from Simply Quinoa // 6. Sweet Potato Quinoa Cinnamon Bites from Nest & Glow // 7. Slow Cooker Quinoa Apple Crisp from Simply Quinoa // 8. Dark Chocolate Quinoa Pudding from Simply Quinoa // 9. Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Breakfast Bars from Simply Quinoa

So…what are you bringing to this year's Thanksgiving feast? I'd love to hear, so leave me a comment below with the recipe(s) that you'd pick!

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The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (7)

The Best Quinoa Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you add to quinoa to make it taste better? ›

What can I add to quinoa after it's cooked? In addition to more of the spices, salt and pepper, or squeeze of citrus, fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, and mint work beautifully with this spiced quinoa.

What to pair with quinoa? ›

Quinoa's got the carbs covered, so you'll likely want to add some additional protein (eggs, lentils, beans, tofu, chicken), a fat (olive oil, nuts, butter, cheese), and, ideally, some kind of fruit or vegetable (broccoli, berries, squash, spinach).

How do I season quinoa? ›

If you're serving it as a simple side, season it first. At the very least, toss it with salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. To kick it up another notch, stir in chopped herbs, minced garlic, toasted nuts, or crumbled feta cheese, or use it in one of the quinoa recipes below!

Why should you soak quinoa before cooking? ›

*Soaking grains helps to remove some of the naturally occurring phytic acid in the grain, which helps improve digestibility and speed cook time. To soak: Rinse quinoa thoroughly then add to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover with twice the amount of lukewarm water (2 cups water, 1 cup quinoa).

What happens if you don t wash quinoa? ›

The whole debate started thanks to saponin, a naturally occurring chemical that coats every tiny grain of quinoa. It's there for good reason—to ward off insects—but it has a strong, unpleasant taste. Rinsing the quinoa gets rid of the saponin and thus its bitter flavor—great.

Does quinoa burn belly fat? ›

Quinoa: High in protein, quinoa keeps you full with its high levels of plant-based proteins. It decreases your appetite and promotes belly fat decrease. It can go well with other items on this list, like stuffing it in bell peppers.

Is quinoa healthier than rice? ›

Quinoa is rich in both fiber and protein, contains a much higher amount of other nutrients, and has a similar fluffy texture to the rice. A cup of quinoa contains twice more protein and about 5 g more fiber than white rice. Quinoa contains fewer calories and carbohydrates than white rice.

Is quinoa better for you than rice or pasta? ›

Quinoa not only has more protein and minerals than pasta, couscous, or rice, but it also has a more favorable glycemic index. Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar rise and it's an important metric for diabetics. The lower the number, the less a food will raise blood sugar.

How do you make quinoa like a restaurant? ›

Instructions
  1. Rinse the quinoa.
  2. Toast the quinoa in a saucepan.
  3. Add liquid and bring to a boil.
  4. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
  5. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
  6. Fluff and eat!

What liquid to cook quinoa in? ›

The basic ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid. You can use water (season it with a bit of kosher salt), or you can use any kind of broth (we like to use low-sodium broths and add any extra salt to the finished dish as needed). You can also add a bit of dry white wine to the liquid for another layer of flavor.

How do you make quinoa not boring? ›

I find that some of the best seasonings for quinoa are cumin, dried bay leaf, turmeric, and salt, and black pepper. I also love to flavor it with fresh garlic and herbs such as parsley, dill, and cilantro. You can add the seasonings of your choice into the pot at the same time with the liquid and cook it as directed.

What makes quinoa better? ›

Unlike most plant-based foods, quinoa is a complete protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up your muscles, bones, skin, and blood.

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