Curried Coconut Quinoa Bake makes for an easy, one-pot, weeknight meal full of plant-based protein. Gluten-free, vegan.
Autumn, almost immediately, makes me feel like a better cook. Stews, skillets, chilis, and casseroles become heavy on rotation, and the leftovers they leave seem to make the best-packed lunches.
Maybe it's the fact that these types of dishes are usually one-pot wonders, or maybe it's due to their comfort factor.
Fall vegetables like squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, are hearty, satisfying, and just make you feel good.
This curried-coconut quinoa bake is just one such healthy one-pot meal that makes the term "fix it and forget it" rings true.
All the ingredients—quinoa included—go into the baking dish together. With water to start, and coconut milk added at the end and covered tightly with foil, the oven works magic.
No extra pans to clean. No worries about mushy quinoa. Just pure comfort food in a little over 30 minutes.
Don't have quinoa on hand? See my guide for quinoa substitutes.
If you have other quinoa meals you're making this fall, check out my friend Kathryne's tips for perfect quinoa!
Make a Salted Plains recipe? I'd love to see! Tag your creations on Instagram with #saltedplains.
📖 Recipe
Curried Coconut Quinoa Bake
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 rinsed
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water
- 15 oz full fat coconut milk 1 can
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 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, 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 tight again 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, season if more salt and pepper if desired, stir to combine, and serve in bowls immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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! :)