Gluten-free Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Quinoa is an easy, gluten-free side dish that's packed with protein and crowd-pleasing flavors.
Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Quinoa is the answer to your what to serve with dinner prayers! This simple, savory side dish takes 5 minutes to prep, simmers for just 15 minutes, then is ready to serve.
Perfectly garlicky, creamy, and cheesy. Plus quinoa is packed with protein so it’s a side dish with staying power!
Quinoa is quickly toasted in garlic-infused oil then cooked in chicken broth before being combined with salty parmesan cheese. Fast. Quick. Flavorful. Try this!
You’ll only need 5 kitchen staples to whip up Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Quinoa: Quinoa, of course, chicken broth, garlic, parmesan cheese, and extra virgin olive oil.
Start by rinsing 1 cup quinoa under cold running water in a fine mesh sieve if you don’t have the pre-rinsed kind of quinoa.
Let the quinoa drain while you heat 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat then add 3 cloves minced garlic.
Let the garlic saute for 30 seconds to a minute, stirring constantly, until it’s light golden brown. It will go from golden brown to burnt very quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Add the drained quinoa then stir for 1 minute to let it lightly toast, and then add 1-3/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth (or vegetable broth.) Turn the heat up to bring to a boil then place a lid on top, turn the heat back down to medium-low, and then cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Finally, stir in 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese. That’s it!
Let the quinoa cool for 10 minutes before serving so you really get the parmesan-garlic flavor to come through. As with most things in life, it’s worth the wait!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, pre-rinsed
- 1-3/4 cups gluten free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat then add garlic and saute until barely golden brown, 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add quinoa then toast for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add chicken broth then turn heat up to high to bring to a boil. Place a lid on top then turn heat down to low and cook until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 12-15 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese then serve.
Notes
- Look for pre-rinsed quinoa at the grocery store. I like Bob's Red Mill Quinoa.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Grandparents are the best. Quinoa is the best base, love it!
People will always know what Beuller… means!! LOL I have yet to try quinoa, but this sounds like a wonderful way to try it out!! Btw, your little guy is the cutest!! ;) xo
Love your recipes and your site! Sometimes it is like reading my thoughts, I seriously think, “Did I write that?” “How did she know?” Or other times, I think, “Parmesan in quinoa?! But of course! Why didn’t I think of that?!” My husband and I often sit at the dinner table enjoying your recipes and “Thank you, Iowa Girl!” is a common phrase used in my household.
In addition to making my life more delicious, thank you so much for outing yourself on being sleep deprived because of an addictive TV show! I did it to myself with The Good Wife and now I am doing it again with House of Lies (Don Cheadle is uh-maze-ing). I thought it was my own little secret problem to choose TV (really compelling, fabulous acting and writing TV) over sleep, so thank you for letting me know I am not alone!
One other aside, I am a psychologist and run a group with teens/young adults. I just said “Bueller?” last week in our group and they asked what I was talking about. So, it is happening.
Well, it’s late and I’m tired, so gotta go watch another episode of House of Lies. Breaking Bad is next on my list.
Oh my goodness!! I just happened to stumble across your page today and you sold me with your post on this– Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Quinoa!! I cannot wait to make it for myself and my Mother! I’m a total Garlic fan and Quinoa is so awesome being that I had 80% of my stomach removed due to infection so I cannot eat rice or pasta well.. along with the nutrients, it’s just so great. Thank you for sharing this! I must follow along now and see what other goodies that you post. PS- what a cutie pie your Baby is..
I love that you’re always cooking with quinoa! It’s so nutritious and tasty…thanks for all the great ideas!
And I’m going to have to start watching Breaking Bad, I think. It’s been on my husband and my’s list for awhile, but I just convinced him to move it to the top of our queue. :)
You know, I drool over all sorts of cheesy quinoa recipes, but for some reason I never get around to making them. This looks like perfection!
And speaking of perfection, I can so relate to the Breaking Bad obsession. We totally binged watched, completed the entire series in a month or so, and were seriously depressed when it was over. I heart Jesse Pinkman.
Never write in, but first of all, Lincoln makes me smile each time I see him. And my husband and I just finished watching Breaking Bad, and I pretty much felt like I was addicted to meth. Some nights we would watch four episodes. Now we are watching House of Cards. It is very good ,too. And we are grandparents with no young kids around. Not sure how you young people do it. Enjoy! At the end, will be interested who you still like???
I hope we can keep saying Bueller forever! When you’re done with Breaking Bad, you should check out House of Cards if you haven’t yet, its addicting!
Yay Science! I, for the same reason, avoided Breaking Bad while it was on tv. Finally, out of curiosity and boredom, began watching it a few weeks ago and I haven’t looked back since. I’m on season 3 now and trying to pace myself. Ugh, love it. Other Netflix series I love : House of Cards, Sons of Anarchy (can’t believe how much I love), and New Girl. When spring arrives I might have to force myself outside… ;)
Kristin.
you are so hilarous! I have to start Breaking Bad asap! Right now, I am really addicted to Orange is the new black, have you ever watched it?
I just had Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan with pasta for dinner – heavenly and soooo simple! What would dinner be without your delicious recipes?
Lincoln is adorable!
I want to watch OITNB so bad – it’s definitely on our list! :)
I completely get it. I’m binge watching Mad Men on Netflix right now, and have gone through 6 seasons in a month. I’m ready for the April premiere!
Hi! I love reading your blog – I found it through Carrots n Cake. I was so excited to learn that you TOO have a baby boy named LINCOLN! I think they were born a week apart! We named him after my husband and grandfather. His grandfather was born on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday so his parents gave him Lincoln as a middle name. How did you choose the name? I hope motherhood is treating you well! It looks like Lincoln is a very healthy boy AND is super adorable too :)
I eat quinoa every single day, I try new recipes all the time. My latest one is quinoa with greek calamata olives, olive oil, garlic, lemon, cucumbers (no skin) and a pinch of salt. I will try this tomorrow but i hate Parmesan so i’ll try to use an alternative cheese instead. Thanks for the recipe, and great photographs.
http://www.itsmylittlethings.blogspot.com