A twist on a classic, a fridge surprise, leftover magic… Call it what you will this creation is one of my favourite ways to use quinoa.
Truth be told it’s one of my favourite ways to use pretty much anything. Clearing out the crisper has been quite a trend round these parts lately and it’s bound to continue.
The good thing about re-inventing leftovers is that they cease to be tired and simply become an entirely new meal. How terribly convenient.
Tell me, what is your top tip to give leftovers a makeover?
Quinoa Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of the best ways to clean out your crisper without anyone being the wiser. This twist uses leftover quinoa and green veggies for a fresh twist on the classic.
Serves: 2-3
INGREDIENTS
- 2 c quinoa, cooked and cooled – perfect for leftovers from the night before
- olive or avocado oil
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 4 slices ginger, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 to 1 small red chili, finely diced
- roots and stems from 1 bunch coriander [cilantro]
- 1/2 green capsicum [bell pepper], diced
- large handful green beans, cut into small lengths
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- handful samphire, woody ends picked off, optional
- 3 scallions [green/spring onions] white and light green part only, thinly sliced on diagonal
- 1/2 to 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- sesame oil
To serve:
- sliced scallions, sliced chili, coriander [cilantro] leaves
- Saltbush leaves or lettuce leaves, optional
METHOD
This comes together very quickly so have all ingredients ready before you preheat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add a small splash of oil to the hot pan. Fry ginger and garlic for 30 sec stirring constantly, add chili and coriander and fry for a further 30 sec.
Add capsicum and beans, toss or stir for 2 mins. Add zucchini and toss for 2 mins. Add green onions and samphire [if using] and toss for 1 minute.
Push veggies to edges to make a hole in the centre. Drizzle in 2 tsp sesame oil, wait for it to heat up and dump in quinoa. Stir in centre of pan for 30 seconds then toss with veggies to mix everything together. Drizzle in tamari and toss to combine.
Serve with extra scallions, sliced chilli and coriander. You can also serve with fresh saltbush or lettuce leaves to wrap up the filling.
COOK’S NOTES
- Feel free to change up the veggies or add less or more of anything.
- Add a protein: Stir-fry chicken, beef, salmon or tofu with a splash of tamari, sesame oil and a dash of ginger. Toss with the cooked Quinoa Fried Rice. You can also mix through a lightly beaten egg at the end of cooking or simply top with a fried or poached egg and blotch of sriracha.
vegan // vegetarian // gluten-free // dairy-free // nut-free
Fried rice is a brilliant way to clean out the fridge! As long as it’s good and gingery, it’s a total win.
I never thought to use quinoa as a rice replacement. This is a genius idea – thank you!!
I love fried rice, what a fabulous idea to use quinoa!
Delicious.
My sister gave me a big bag of quinoa last week and I hadn’t even thought about how to use it. Looks like I’ll be cleaning out the crisper too!
Love it. I am continually doing ‘clean outs’ too and loving quinoa at the moment. What are the beautiful looking salt bush leaves, I’ve never heard of them?
Great idea! I love crispy quinoa and this dish looks like a lovely alternative to rice fried rice 🙂
I often cook up a big batch of quinoa so I love this idea of turning leftovers into fried rice. And I haven’t seen salt bush leaves for sale either, but what a great Aussie canape idea!
this is such a brilliant idea! thank you for the inspiration!