Quinoa Pilaf with Shiitake Mushrooms, Carrots and Pecans
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This quinoa pilaf is dressed up with sautéed onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and pecans, making it an earthy and hearty dish that’s full of flavor.
This quinoa pilaf is proof that eating healthy doesn’t have to leave you feeling hungry. That’s one of the reasons I love quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). It looks like couscous and eats like a grain, but it’s actually the tiny seed of a plant related to leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard. Quinoa is incredibly high in protein and fiber, and it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. Plus, it’s gluten-free, cooks quickly (just 15 minutes!), and can take on limitless flavors. Here, I’ve dressed it up with sautéed onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and pecans, making it an earthy and hearty dish that’s packed with flavor.
What You’ll Need To Make Quinoa Pilaf
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Combine the quinoa and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes. If the quinoa is still undercooked or has a slight bite, add a few tablespoons of broth and continue cooking for a few more minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the grains turn translucent and the white germ partially detaches, forming a spiraled tail.
While the quinoa cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the carrots and thyme, and cook until the carrots are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, along with the mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the vegetables with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Stir the cooked quinoa into the vegetable mixture.
Add the pecans and parsley.
Stir to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm.
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Quinoa Pilaf with Shiitake Mushrooms, Carrots & Pecans
This quinoa pilaf is dressed up with sautéed onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and pecans, making it an earthy and hearty dish that’s full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, pre-rinsed or rinsed
- 1⅔ cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 small carrots, peeled and diced
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans, toasted if desired
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes. If the quinoa is still undercooked or has a slight bite, add a few tablespoons of broth and continue cooking for a few more minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the grains turn translucent and the white germ partially detaches, forming a spiraled tail.
- While the quinoa cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the carrots and thyme, and cook until the carrots are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, along with the mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the vegetables with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Stir the cooked quinoa into the vegetable mixture. Add the pecans and parsley, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm.
- Note: Shiitakes never come in contact with dirt, so the only washing usually necessary is a gentle wipe with a damp cloth or a paper towel. Use a knife to remove the stems where they meet the cap.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 4 servings
- Calories: 341
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 186 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I made this yesterday and it’s a keeper! I did add about another teaspoon of salt to the end result. I’m sure the level of salt may depend on the brand of broth used.
We have a variety of diets in our house and this was a great gluten free, plant based and delicious dish. We paired it with traditional and plant-based sausage. I can see based on others comments that this can easily be adapted with the veggies or mushrooms you have on hand. Thanks Jenn!!
Would it work to use fresh thyme instead of dried? I have an abundance of it in the garden right now😊!
Hi Ruthie, Yes, you can use fresh thyme. You’ll need more; I’d suggest just shy of 1 tablespoon and I’d stir it in with the pecans and parsley. Hope you enjoy!
Can I freeze this recipe? Quinoa Pilaf with Shiitake Mushrooms, Carrots and Pecans
Thanks.
ellenleo@gmail.com
Hi Ellen, I’ve never tried freezing it, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I found this recipe by Googling “best quinoa pilaf” or something like that. I did not have fresh shitake mushrooms, so I soaked some dried shitake mushrooms I had nearly forgotten that were at least three years old. I also used dried parsley. I was hesitant about the thyme from the beginning but used it in approximately the proportion called for. Overall, it turned out extremely well. It was easily the best quinoa pilaf I have made. I recommend the dried mushrooms for this dish. While the thyme seemed less appropriate than Chinese five spice when I first tried my pilaf, my leftovers tasted better after forty-some hours in the refrigerator, and I decided that thyme was the right seasoning after all. I did find, however, that, even using the recommended ratio of vegetable broth to quinoa, my doubled batch of quinoa took more like 21 to 25 minutes of simmering, rather than 15, to absorb the liquid. Thank you for posting this.
I just made this for my meat eating boyfriend and he LOVED it. I used baby bella mushrooms – 8 oz – and since he isn’t vegan also added a few teaspoons of ghee – and it was delicious and hearty. Thanks, Jenn, for your curated recipes that deliver every time.
Hi Jen,
Happy holidays. Thanks for all your hard work. Greatly appreciated! Would tri-color quinoa work here?
Thanks?
Janelle
Yes, definitely. Happy holidays!
Tastes delicious but I think I made a mistake by leaving the quinoa in the pot with the lid on after it was cooked. It ended up to be a bit gummy.
Delicious! Thank you for the accompanying photos and tips, especially about cooking quinoa. The only shitaki mushrooms at the store were pre-sliced and too thick, so I sliced them thinner. Made it perfect! I cooked this dish for my sister, she better hurry up and get here.
Best quinoa I’ve had. Used sweet potatoes instead of carrots and coriander instead of parsley. Wow!
Really good dish. My husband always prefers rice but he really liked this. Will be a keeper for sure. I used cocktail peanuts chopped up as that is all I had on hand. Thanks Jen!