This Curried Quinoa Bake with Vegetables makes for an easy, one-pot, weeknight meal full of plant-based protein. Makes for an easy vegetarian main dish or a delicious side dish. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan.
Quinoa is a great addition to a gluten-free and plant-based diet. This easy curried quinoa bake utilizes pantry staples and frozen veggies for flavor and minimal effort.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Budget-friendly
- Great for busy weeknights
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Quinoa - I like to use white quinoa here, but tricolor (rainbow) would also work.
Broccoli - For convenience, frozen broccoli florets work great.
Mushrooms - Fresh or frozen Baby Bella or white mushrooms can be used. They are also great in this mushroom etouffee!
Chickpeas - Use canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Make sure to drain and rinse.
Full-fat coconut milk - Canned full-fat coconut milk is best. Feel free to substitute light coconut milk or coconut milk beverages, but this will decrease the richness in flavor.
Curry powder, onion powder, ginger, cumin, coriander - These aromatic curry spices add so much flavor to this simple dish.
Garlic - To make things quick and easy, use jarred minced garlic. To substitute minced garlic cloves with garlic powder, use ¾ teaspoon.
Lime juice - Fresh lime juice enhances the curry flavor!
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 2 ½ to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Step 1: Add rinsed quinoa, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, garlic, and chickpeas, followed by salt, pepper, curry powder, onion powder, ginger, and cinnamon.
Step 2: Pour water over veggies and quinoa. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Stir and return to oven for 10 more minutes.
Step 3: Remove veggie bake from the oven and add coconut milk, stir in gently. Place foil back on tight again and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Tessa's Tip: Rinse the dry quinoa seeds with a fine mesh strainer before cooking. This helps remove the bitter outer coating called saponin.
Variations
This quinoa recipe is extremely versatile. It can be used as a vegetarian or vegan main dish, or side, and compliments various added meat. Leftover cooked chicken pieces, ground turkey, or ground beef make great quinoa bowls when added to the cooked quinoa bake.
Add or swap out vegetables like frozen peas, golden raisins, cauliflower florets, black beans, or bell peppers. Garnish with fresh cilantro or sliced almonds!
Don't have quinoa on hand? See my guide for quinoa substitutes. If you have other quinoa meals you're making, check out my friend Kathryne's tips for perfect quinoa!
More quinoa recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Curried Quinoa Bake with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (baby bella or cremini)
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 15 oz full fat coconut milk 1 can
- 1 lime optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Spray a 9x9 (or 2 ½ to 3 quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Add quinoa, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, garlic, and chickpeas, followed by the salt, pepper, curry powder, cumin, coriander, onion powder, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir gently to partially combine.
- Pour water over veggies and quinoa. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, carefully remove dish from oven, uncover (careful of steam), and gently stir. Recover tightly with foil and return to oven. Bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and add coconut milk, stir in gently. Place foil back on tightly and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes. I like removing at the 5 minute mark to have a little extra liquid, but this is most certainly personal preference.
- Uncover, fluff, squeeze juice of one lime (if using), and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir to combine and serve in bowls immediately.
Jennifer
Made this for the second time for my vegetarian family and they love it! It's on the meal rotation from here on out!
Tessa
Yay! I'm so glad. Thanks, Jennifer!
Cindra
This was easy and tasted amazing!! I’m not vegan so I used chicken broth instead of water and added 1/2c chunks of cooked chicken breast.
Delicious!
Tessa
Hi Cindra! I’m so glad! Those additions sound delicious. 😊
DaveTV
Just made this for the 5th time so I thought I'd better give it a review. I've tried a few similar oven baked quinoa recipes and this is the best by far. Super easy to throw to together & delicious.
Sheli
Must the quinoa be cooked or raw?
Tessa
Hi Sheli! The quinoa should be raw, it would cook up in the oven.
Gab
So you don’t cook the quinoa first?
Tessa
Hi Gab! Nope, no need to cook it first. The quinoa will cook up in the oven - makes for one less step.
Kailey
I just started a gluten-free, dairy-free diet a little over a week ago, and this meal has been my favorite thing yet! It was soooo easy and really delicious! My husband loved it too, and he tends to be a little skeptical of my "healthy" meals. ;) I hope I can find more recipes as delicious & easy as this one!
Tessa
Hi Kailey! Thanks so much for your note. I am so happy you both loved it! I know how hard it is to find gf + df meals we both love - thank you for your kind words.
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek
Yes loving the comfort factor! And these flavors are perfect for the cooler weather that's sporadically popping up right now. On the recipe to-do list! xoxo
Jess
Hi Tessa! Had to comment to say that I made this over the weekend to take as work lunches and I LOVE it! It was such a perfect, easy recipe to throw together on a rainy, relaxed Sunday, and it's delicious, comforting and satisfying. I have a feeling it will become a go-to recipe for me!
Just FYI, the garlic is missing from the instructions portion of the recipe. I know it's a pretty foolproof recipe and it doesn't really matter when you add it in, but I thought you might want to know.:-)
Tessa
Thank you, Jess! That makes me so happy! It is definitely a go-to recipe around here. And thank you for letting me know about the garlic - I appreciate it - all fixed!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I love fix it and forget meals that are also healthy like this one Tessa. Sounds just delicious!
Tessa
It really helps take out the anxiety of dinner planning! Thank you, Mary Ann! <3
Casey the College Celiac
OMG this looks FABULOUS! Perfect fall comfort food!
Tessa
Thanks, Casey! I am all about the comfort food these days! :)