Quinoa Stir Fry

Quinoa Stir Fry is a super quick and easy recipe filled with nutrition and a healthy balance of ingredients! By intentionally choosing a combination of effortless steps using everyday ingredients, this recipe takes the fuss out of dinner and your day! Pork quinoa stir fry is family friendly, freezer friendly and time friendly!

Recipes like my Honey Glazed Pork Chops and Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are ones that pair exceptionally well with store bought (pre cooked) quinoa.

🤍 Recipe Highlights

I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:

• Budget friendly: there is nothing in this recipe that will break the bank. Mince pork is cheaper than other cuts of meat and you can freeze it! It also cooks quickly and you can barely go wrong with it!
• Smart easy: there is a couple of things that I do with this recipe such as using frozen peas and store bought pre cooked quinoa that makes this recipe easy for week nights and not time consuming in cooking techniques.
• Versatile: you can cook and eat this recipe on the same night, take leftovers to work the next day or freeze it. There are lots of options available to you!
• Quinoa peas pork: these 3 ingredients combine exceptionally well and yet keep the recipe as effortless and week night possible! 🥰😉😘.
• Meal prep: this recipe freezes exceptionally well. So it is perfect to make on the weekends, let cool, then portion for week nights ahead when you know you are not going to feel like cooking!
• Options galore: I also provide you with a number of different substitutions and variations when it comes to switching the recipe up a little or adding different ingredients to those listed to suit your personal preferences.

🥗 Ingredients

The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.

As you can see the recipe calls for:

• Pork mince: (also known as ground pork): budget friendly, freezer friendly, a nice change from beef or chicken. This versatile ingredient can be used in so many delicious ways!
• Quinoa: I recommend store bought pre cooked quinoa. This is one of the things that makes this recipe so easy! My preference is the quinoa only packets, but you can use the quinoa and rice version if you prefer.
• French onion shallots: these are great to use in this dish for both texture and taste. They are much sweeter tasting than a regular onion and once you buy them they have a good shelf life. This saves running out for 'one ingredient' as you can use something that you bought a week ago that doesn't perish quickly over time.
• Frozen peas: one of the easiest vegetables that always needs to be in every freezer! We microwave these to cook them and then add them to the pan to stir and combine.
• Basil pesto: I recommend using the store bought dip version of this. The one that you find in the fridge. It makes such an easy, full flavoured sauce that is effortless for week nights!
• Peanut oil: we use a little of this in the pan to cook the onion shallots and the pork. Peanut oil is my preference for Asian style recipes (and works better with non stick fry pans) than olive oil.
• Salt and pepper: a little of each of these 2 for seasoning. We add them to the pan after adding the pork mince to season it.

🍳 Instructions

Here at the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by frying the French Onion Shallots in the pan with a little bit of oil.

• Add oil to pan and shallots, fry for 2 to 3 minutes (Photo 1)
• Add pork mince and cook until browned (Photo 2)
• Then add the cooked quinoa to the pan (Photo 3)
• Followed by the microwaved peas (Photo 4)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Quinoa Stir Fry

To make the quinoa stir fry, start by adding the peanut oil to the pan at medium heat. Allow this to heat before adding the shallots and then fry them for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are slightly browned.

Next add the pork mince to the pan and cook this for 5 or more minutes till it is browned. Once this is done add the cooked quinoa to the pan. Ensure the peas are in a microwave safe jug and cook these for 3 minutes, stirring after the 2 minute mark. Once cooked add the peas to the pan and then dollop in the basil pesto.

• Add basil pesto to pan (Photo 5)

Once the pesto has been added to the dish, keep the pan on the stove and allow the dish to heat through. Using high heat, this will take only 2 to 4 minutes.

• Stir to combine the dish and allow to heat through (Photo 6)

🍽 Serving Suggestions

This recipe is a meal in one and you won't likely need a start or a side dish!

Portion and serve with forks for an easy breeze dinner any night of the week.

👍 How to Guide

How to Store

Portion and store the recipe in sealed, air tight containers in the fridge for 3 days.

How to Freeze

Allow the dish to fully cool.

Once cooled, transfer into freezer friendly containers. The portions can be frozen for up to 3 months. The containers I use when doing this are shown in this picture. They are great as they are flat and you can heat the contents from frozen without having to thaw 1st.

How to Reheat

If reheating leftovers, place in the microwave. It will only take 2 to 3 minutes for them to heat through (high heat).

If using plastic containers, it is best to thaw and then heat for the same time specifed above.

If using glass containers, you can reheat the frozen dish in microwave. Using high heat, the meal will be ready in 6 minutes. I find it best to open the lid or value and set it slightly ajar when doing this as to not heat the frozen sealed container without ventilation.

😉 Substitutions and Variations

Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:

• You can use beef mince, chicken mince, ground lamb or turkey mince as alternatives to the pork mince.
• You can use tofu if you want to make a vegan quinoa stir fry (check the pesto as you will need to use a vegan pesto. Many pesto's contain parmesan cheese, but you can find alternatives that don't).
• Sesame oil can be used in place of the peanut oil if you want (better for non stick pans than olive oil).
• If you want to, you can use sun dried tomato pesto instead of the basil pesto.
• You can make your own pesto for the recipe if you wish (My Rocket and Cashew Pesto is a great starting place 😉😘).
• Switch in green onions in place of the French Onion Shallots.
• Use frozen corn kernels in place of the frozen peas if you want to.
• Add chopped red bell pepper for an extra pop of colour!
• Buk choy is a great ingredient if you want to add more veggies to the dish!
• Add 2 cloves of garlic at the start when frying the shallots if you like.

💡 Tasty Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:

• Honestly, use store bought pre cooked quinoa, it is so handy on week nights!
• Use high heat and keep things moving in the pan when cooking.
• No need to use a wok. A fry pan (with sides) will be fine!
• For the peas, use the microwave to cook them. 2 minutes to start, then remove and stir, followed by 1 more cooking minute.
• You will need to break up the pork mince as you go. This means that there will be no pink bits as the meat will turn a light grey colour when it is cooked. If you use a silicon flexible turner (vertically) this is a quick and simple process 😉.
• When adding the pesto to the pan, it is fine to dollop in as a wad of sauce. Then use the wooden spoon to stir and combine this so that it is consistently mixed throughout the dish.

🤓 Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make quinoa taste good?

Quinoa tastes good either when cooked using stock instead of water or paired with a number of complimentary flavours.

Can quinoa be used in place of rice?

Yes, quinoa and rice interchange with each other very well.

You will also find that some stores like Walmart, Safeway, Aldi, Tesco or Coles have pre cooked packets of either only quinoa or quinoa and rice.

What foods go well with quinoa?

Ground meat is great to use with quinoa as it cooks quickly. You can also use a number of stir fried vegetables, such as snow peas, mushrooms, green onions, bell pepper and corn kernels.

How do you make quinoa not soggy?

Adding too much liquid or not cooking the quinoa for the right amount of time will result in soggy quinoa.

If you read the packet instructions and follow those with the quantity of dried ingredient and water or stock the quinoa will be fluffy and not soggy.

😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes

If getting dinner on the table every night of the week is your focus and you are looking for some fuss free ways to do this, try these recipes:

• Chicken Mince Stir Fry
• Tuna Pesto Pasta
• Slow Cooker Pulled Lamb
• Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
• Curry Beef Mince
• Pork with Asparagus in Oyster Sauce
• Pork Chops in Mushroom Soup
• Air Fryer Chicken Skewers
• Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly

It is winner, winner, get dinner on the table time my friend and we are going to make that super easy tonight 😘.

Adrianne xx

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