If you want a dinner that’s fastandincludes a whole grain, make quinoa your go-to.
Grains like brown rice, barley, and wheat berries take 45 minutes to a full hour to cook. Not so forquinoa, which is ready in 20 minutes flat. It also packs moreproteinthan any of its slower-cooking counterparts—around 8 grams per cooked cup. So having more of it at mealtime really is a no-brainer.
But we’re not just talking about having a side of plain quinoa. Nope, you can work this tasty wonder grain into all kinds of recipes—including these easy, one-pot dinners that are ready in just 30 minutes.
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One Pan Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa
On the hunt for a no-fuss crowd-pleaser that you can throw together at a moment’s notice? Jaclyn fromCooking Classyhas the answer. This skillet tastes like a classic cheesy casserole, so even picky eaters will give it a thumbs up. And because it uses simple ingredients like boneless skinless chicken breast, broccoli florets (frozen works!), quinoa, shredded cheese, and chicken stock, you’ll almost always have what you need on hand to make this delicious dish.
MORE:11 Ways To Dress Up Your Frozen Veggies
Kale, Quinoa, and White Bean Stew
This recipe is proof that you don’t need hours to make a mouthwatering soup.Simple Veganista's quinoa and white bean stew relies on a base of aromatic veggies like onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, and punchy herbs de Provence. The result? Maximum flavor and loads of nutrition, prepared in a minimal amount of time.
Quinoa Corn Chowder
Warm and hearty yet chock-full of sweet corn, this is what you want to make in early fall when the farmers market is still at its peak—but the evenings are starting to turn cool. (In other words,right now.) Ashley fromThe Recipe Rebeladds quinoa and white beans to bump up the protein content of her veggie- and spice-filled soup, making this a satisfying meal-in-a-bowl. For an extra kick, try finishing off the chowder with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
MORE:7 Genius Ways To Use Up Leftover Quinoa
Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
Taco night is fun because everyone gets to assemble their own meals. But prepping the filling and toppings and putting them all in their own little serving vessels can leave you with a ton of cleanup. The fix? This one-and-done skillet from Ashley ofSpoonful of Flavor. With ground turkey, black beans, veggies, and cheese, it’s got all the Tex-Mex flavors you’re looking for. And thanks to the quinoa, you don’t even need tortillas.
MORE:7 Things That Happened When I Quit Takeout And Home-Cooked Everything I Ate For 2 Weeks
One Pot Sweet Chili Chicken Rice & Quinoa
Kelly fromLife Made Sweeteruses a blend of brown rice and quinoa in this spicy-sweet, Asian-inspired dish. But you can totally keep things simple (and shave down the cooking time) by just sticking to quinoa. While you’re at it, feel free to make other swaps based on what you have around. Try cauliflower or asparagus instead of the broccoli, or thick slices of pan-seared tofu or tempeh in place of the chicken.
MORE:6 Things To Know Before Buying Quinoa
Follow this easy how-to for crispy pan-fried tofu:
Sausage, Kale, and Quinoa Skillet
Husband and wife duo Carrian and Cade ofOh, Sweet Basilare always looking for fast, easy dinner ideas for their three kids. Which is how this super fast, hearty skillet came about. The combo of corn and sliced chicken sausage strikes a sweet-salty note that’s super satisfying. And using pre-cooked, packaged frozen quinoa means that dinner will be ready in 10 minutes flat. (Prefer to use regular dry quinoa? They’ve got instructions for that, too.)
MORE:14 Foods Nutritionists Never Ever Eat
Mexican Quinoa and Sweet Potato Skillet
Stuff it into tortillas, scoop it up with tortilla chips, or spoon it into a bowl and top it with sliced avocado. No matter how you serve it, this black bean, sweet potato, and quinoa skillet fromKristine’s Kitchen Blogis delicious. In part, that’s because Kristine adds cumin, chile powder, and tomato sauce to the quinoa mixture while it simmers. That infuses the grains and beans with tons of extra flavor—with hardly any extra effort or excess calories.
MORE:What You Should Know About Crescendo Fasting—The Intermittent Fasting Diet For Women
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Skillet
Tasty BBQ doesn’t have to take forever, folks. Andi fromThe Weary Chefuses store-bought barbecue sauce to liven up a simple chicken and quinoa skillet—and it’s ready in just 25 minutes. Just be sure to seek out alow-sugar BBQ sauceto keep the total amount of the sweet stuff in check. Options with 7 grams sugar or less per 2-tablespoon serving are best.
Marygrace Taylor
Marygrace Taylor is a health and wellness writer for Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, Redbook, and others. She’s also the co-author of Prevention’s Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet and Prevention’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Visit her at marygracetaylor.com.
