I came up with this Vegan Quinoa Stir Fry recipe when I was staring at my fridge after a long day at the library, and I all I had was scraps of ingredients leftover from the Thai curry I made the day before. I didn’t have enough to make a whole new curry (nor did I want to do another food shop with my dwindling student loan) so I thought to use what I had left to make this Thai stir fry.
Vegetable fried rice was one of my favourite sides to order with my Chinese Takeaway as a kid, but this is a healthier and less greasy alternative. This vegan quinoa stir fry recipe is really simple to follow too, as there’s not a huge amount of skill involved!
I use mixed quinoa grains for this recipe as I like the different textures- don’t panic though you don’t have to fork out a fortune, as quinoa can definitely be bought on a student budget- I found mine in Aldi for £1.20 a packet!
I served mine with roast white sweet potato which was quite random as I found them reduced in Morrisons for 5p for three of them! It did work nicely though, but you can serve them with a side of extra veggies or stir-fried quorn (if you’re looking for extra protein)
The potatoes were really simple as I just sliced them into rounds and drizzled them with a little olive oil and seasoning and then baked them for around 20 minutes until golden.
I used courgette, onion and pepper for the veggies in my vegan quinoa stir fry recipe, but you can be as creative as you like with what you add- I reckon broccoli and sugar snap peas would work really well!
I topped mine off with a generous drizzle of Sriracha, but if you’re not that much of a spice fan, then Sweet Chili sauce is a nice milder alternative!
I hope you enjoy making this vegan quinoa stir fry recipe- it’s super quick to whip up so a perfect option for a mid-week meal.
If you like this recipe then check out my teriyaki sweet potato recipe and Chinese fried rice recipe
Tofu Quinoa Stir Fry Recipe
A healthier version to the classic take-away of Chinese Fried Rice
Ingredients
For the quinoa
- 1/2 cup quinoa grain mix
- 1 cup boiling water
- salt and pepper
For the Stir fry
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 courgette, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 handful quorn pieces or tofu (optional)
- 3 spears asparagus (or broccoli, chopped)
For the stir fry sauce
- 1 tbsp thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp agave syrup (or 1/2 tsp sugar)
- 2 cm ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 tsp all spice
To serve
- 1 tbsp chopped chillis (optional)
- 1 quarter avocado, sliced (optional)
- sriracha or sweet chilli sauce
- sweet potato slices (see text above) (optional)
Instructions
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Put the quinoa in a pot (with a lid) and add the boiling water and bring to the boil. Season (salt and pepper) and cover. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the quinoa cooks
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Once the quinoa softens drain any excess water with a sieve. Set aside
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In a cup, mix all the stir fry sauce ingredients together (see ingredient list). Set aside
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Heat a wok (or pan) on medium heat. Add olive oil then the garlic, followed by the onion. Fry until slightly golden
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Add all the vegetables and tofu or quorn (if using). Once slightly cooked pour in the stir fry sauce.
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Once the sauce starts the caramelise (thicken) add the cooked quinoa and stir.
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Serve with your choice of sides- enjoy!