Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpeas
This recipe for one-pot curried quinoa is perfect for when you need a fast nutritious meal. It comes together in less than 10 minutes using simple and easy to find ingredients! Here are the features of this dish that make it one of my go-to weekly meals:
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One-Pot!
Enough said, right? This means the process is super simple and clean up will be a total breeze.
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Minimal chopping.
The only thing you will need a knife for is to chop up the parsley, cilantro and green onion. This makes this dish super quick to pull together. And no crazy kitchen tools needed.
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Serve hot, warm or cold.
This means you can enjoy right away, after it has been sitting out for a bit or after stored in the fridge. This meal is easily portable for a filling and satisfying lunch but also can serve as a speedy weeknight meal when timing a hot and steamy meal can be more challenging.
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Full of flavor.
This dish gets bold flavor from curry powder, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, green onions and a touch of maple syrup and lime. I find this combination totally addictive.
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Colorful and full of texture.
I love the contrast of the fluffy quinoa and the soft, yet firm chickpeas. The pepitas add a subtle crunch and the pomegranate seeds do too. Plus, the pomegranate seeds add a fun pop of color against the yellow curried and green herb studded dish.
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Healthy.
This dish is loaded with plant-based protein from the quinoa, chickpeas and pepitas. It uses minimal oil and just a touch of sweetness from refined sugar-free maple syrup. The fresh herbs add some nice greens to it too. It is naturally gluten-free, grain-free, vegan and nut-free so it works for most diets.
Making Perfect Curried Quinoa
The only thing this meal requires in advance is cooked quinoa. If you haven't tried my method for Perfectly Cooked Quinoa, you most definitely should. It will give you perfectly light and fluffy quinoa every time without any soggy or burnt spots. It is effortless too! I make this at least once a week so that I always have quinoa on hand for recipes like this one!
This dish is incredibly customizable. You can switch up the herbs, seasonings and ingredients to fit what you have on hand. If you have cooked lentils instead of chickpeas, give that a try! No pomegranates on hand? Try dried berries, cherries or cranberries instead. Curry isn't your thing? Use your favorite spice blend instead. You can have fun with this dish and make it your own for sure.
This recipe may remind you of my One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad (my most popular recipe on the blog in 2018!). This new version is quite similar and was inspired by that one. This new version is even easier and faster to make. I recommend both depending on how much time you have. It is also great for variety's sake if you have been making the One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad over the past year.
Other one-pot and easy dinner recipes you might like!
- One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad
- Easy One-Pot Vegan Pumpkin Curry
- Instant Pot Cauliflower and Chickpea Tikka Masala with Coconut Rice (vegan)
This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free. If you eliminate the lime juice it is also Heal Your Headache diet complaint (for those who suffer from migraines). If you give this recipe a try, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations.
Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpea
- Total Time: 8 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This quick and easy one-pot dish is full of bold flavor and vibrant color. It offers satisfying texture and plant-based protein for a filling meal. This is the perfect meal-prep dish since leftovers store well and can be enjoyed hot, warm, room temperature or cold.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups cooked white quinoa (see my easy method for Perfectly Cooked Quinoa and make this in advance)
- 1, 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and dried (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
- ¼ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (large stems removed)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (large stems removed)
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional or substitute dried cranberries, berries or cherries)
- 1 juicy lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a 12-inch rimmed saute pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. I use and love this ceramic, non-stick, non-toxic pan. Add the cooked quinoa, garbanzo beans, pepitas, curry powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine well. Allow the ingredients to lightly toast and warm through over medium to low heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Turn the burner off and stir in the green onions, parsley, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, lime juice and maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. If it is dry add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Enjoy immediately or allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Entree (Lunch or Dinner)
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
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