Confession: this recipe was a total accident. I attempted to make quinoa crust pizza, ended up failing (what do you mean you can’t broil the crust in the oven?), and I wound up scraping all of the ingredients into a bowl. I was one bite in when I realized my epic discovery. My point is that this pesto quinoa had humble beginnings- but don’t let that fool you. I know a winner when I see one.
With the pesto, tomatoes, and balsamic reduction, this quinoa tastes like a caprese pizza. However, there’s none of the added baddies. Instead, quinoa packs a serious protein punch and contains plenty of vitamins and fiber. Just in case you need another reason to enjoy this bowl of pesto-y goodness.
Vegetable Pesto Quinoa
Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
Using a sharp knife, finely chop the onion and mushroom into thin strips.
In a small frying pan, sauté the mushrooms and onion in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion turns translucent.
In a blender, combine the pine nuts, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.
#SpoonTip: Try blending over a low speed, as the pesto tends to stick to the sides of the blender when put on high-speed.
Mix the pesto into the quinoa using a spoon.
Using a sharp knife, chop each grape tomato in half.
Serve the pesto quinoa on two plates, topping it with the fried mushrooms, onions, and grape tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic reduction to finish.
For a dish gone terribly wrong, this pesto quinoa is pretty epic. With the juicy tomatoes, grainy quinoa, and the sweet tartness of the balsamic reduction, this quinoa gives traditional Caprese pizza a run for its money.