On my last trip to P.F. Chang’s, I ordered their seasonal special: Quinoa Fried Rice. I was skeptical at first…I mean, how could quinoa replace traditional fried rice? But this was incredible. Each bite was colorful and full of flavor, with a sunny side up egg to top it all. So, I took to the kitchen to re-create the dish, and the result was pure deliciousness.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups pre-cooked vegetable of choice (I used spinach, carrots and mushrooms; other options include broccoli, kale or peas)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 eggs, beaten
Optional: 1 extra egg for topping
Photo by Parisa Soraya
Directions:
1. Make sure you have cooked quinoa on hand that has already cooled (leftover quinoa works great). Here’s a how-to on cooking quinoa.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions. Sauté until onions are translucent.
4. Add in garlic. Sauté for a few minutes.
5. Fold in cooked quinoa and chopped vegetables. Pour in soy sauce and sesame oil and stir to combine.
Photo by Parisa Soraya
6. With a spatula, push the quinoa to the outer edges of the pan, creating a hole in the center.
Photo by Parisa Soraya
7. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in the hole. Add eggs and scramble in the center of the pan.
Photo by Parisa Soraya
8. Once the eggs have cooked, mix with the rest of the quinoa and vegetables until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
9. Serve hot. Optional topping: cook an egg sunny side up and place on top before serving.
Photo by Parisa Soraya