A simple yet delicious side dish, this Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!
I like to keep things interesting at our dinner table by not always serving the same old sides of rice or salad. If a side is simple enough that I can focus most of my attention on the main dish, all the better! My Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix uses only a few simple ingredients, but is mostly a dish that you can prepare in 5 minutes and then let cook without watching it much so you can get the kids to wash their hands, set the table, or focus on the main meal! It’s a tasty way to get a serving of vegetables, and is vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free! It’ll make a great side to go along with stews, grilled chicken, or fish!
Ingredients
- Quinoa: A surprisingly good source of protein and other nutrients, it has a mild nutty taste and pleasant texture.
- Olive oil: A heart healthy oil used to sauté the veggies and toast the dry quinoa.
- Carrot: Adds a bit of natural sweetness, also a great source of vitamin C and potassium.
- Onion: I use a white onion for mild onion flavor and delicious caramelization.
- Celery: Very mild flavor, but adds a ton of nutritional benefit.
- Broth: Use veggie broth to keep this dish vegan and vegetarian, or you could also use chicken broth. It cooks the quinoa and infuses it with more flavor.
- Italian seasoning: Typically a mix of oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic, and thyme. Adds wonderful flavor to the dish.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds necessary acidity and a bit of tang to the final dish.
How to Make Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix
Start your quinoa pilaf with mirepoix by taking your dry, uncooked quinoa and soaking it in water for about 5 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water.
Next you’ll get started on your mirepoix by taking your chopped carrots, celery, and onion and adding them to the bottom of a large pot with the olive oil.
Sauté the veggies until tender, about 4 minutes, before adding the quinoa and toast until you can smell the nutty aroma.
Stir in the Italian seasoning and season with some salt and black pepper to taste.
Pour in the veggie broth over the veggies and toasted quinoa.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar, then bring to a boil over high heat.
After it’s boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until liquid is fully absorbed.
Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed, then serve garnished with fresh parsley, and enjoy your Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mirepoix?
Mirepoix is French for the combination of onions, celery, and carrots and is used as a base in cooking to provide aromatic flavor.
Can you eat a mirepoix on its own?
It’s typically used as a base to be used in other things, but you could eat it on its own as a veggie dish!
What can you use a mirepoix for?
Like I’ve mentioned, it can be used as the base for many things including soups, sauces, cooked with meat dishes, and more!
Main Dish Ideas
- Coffee Rubbed Ribeye
- Lemon Butter Baked White Fish
- Lemon Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts
- Grilled Shrimp Shawarma Skewers
- Herbes de Provence Grilled Porterhouse Steak
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
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If you make rice frequently as a side with your meals, my Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix is an easy way to shake things up a bit without making things more difficult for you!
Your fork is waiting.
Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot (diced small)
- ½ medium onion (diced small)
- 1 celery stalk (diced small)
- 1 ¾ cup organic or reduced sodium vegetable broth (I used chicken)
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, cover quinoa in water and allow it to soak for 5 minutes. Stir quinoa and pour into a strainer, rinse with cool water.
- Dry the saucepan, then heat it over medium heat and add oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add carrot, onion, and celery and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add quinoa and saute until the mixture emits a nutty aroma, about 1 minute. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil on high.
- Reduce heat to low, add Italian seasoning then cover, and cook for 20 minutes until quinoa is tender and liquid is completely absorbed. Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes and then stir in the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
I made a double batch of this today! I thought it wanted a good bit more salt and pepper, but other than that it was perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh i’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Caroline!!
This recipe is a great idea. I’ve been experimenting with a few mirepoix based recipes, like lamb ragu, and I always end up with a lot of celery left over. This is a great recipe for those leftovers. I used a bit more mirepoix than the recipe suggested, basically covering the fry pan in a 1:1:2 carrot, celery, onion ratio. Cooking time for the mirepoix was more like 10 minutes. The result was excellent. What I learned from this recipe is that you get far better absorption into quinoa using a fry pan instead of a sauce pan. Makes sense, wider boiling area and less height of mixture. Anyway, great recipe, thank you for sharing.
Hi! Wondering how many grams/oz is one serving of this quinoa? The taste is delish! Thank you for the recipe :)
1/2 cup! Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious. I used 3 carrots and 5 celery and my homemade broth from a chicken noodle soup recipe and it was really really good.
So glad you enjoyed this!!!
I make large batches of things like chicken, vegetables, rice, etc. and then use them in different ways throughout the week for meals. This recipe is on my meal list for the week!
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Would love to when a copy of this book :) I always keep plenty of frozen veggies on hand to steam up and fresh fruit my daughter could eat them anytime :)