Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa is a rustic and simple side dish, but hearty enough to be a cozy main too! Prepared with meaty cremini mushrooms which have been pan-fried in lots of garlic and butter, this dish is both garlicky and savoury.
GARLICKY MUSHROOM QUINOA
I have a crush on a girl. It’s true! She doesn’t know this yet, but she will if she reads this post. As you know, Dear Reader, Lord Byron’s Kitchen did not start with the intention of becoming such a large collection of recipes. When I started this blog, it was with the sole purpose of posting recipes that were inspired by the comfort food I had grown up with. But, there was one catch – that comfort food had to be made into a vegetarian version without sacrificing texture or taste.
Much to my surprise, I fell in love with blogging, and coupled with my love of cooking and baking, Lord Byron’s Kitchen as you see it today is a result of that very basic and humble beginning. And, to this day, I pride myself on being a source of homestyle recipes that are not only inexpensive but delicious too!
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FOOD BLOGGERS ARE A RARE BREED
Once I began to learn the ropes – and there were so many! – one of the first things I did was to join a few Facebook groups that were full of other food bloggers. Initially, my goal was to increase my readership and hopefully have some of those other food bloggers share some of my recipes with their social media outlets.
I have to say that food bloggers are some of the most genuine and helpful people I’ve ever known. It’s such a great community to be a part of. They are always there to offer advice, wisdom, or to lend a helping hand.
I cannot tell you how many times I have run into issues with the technical side of blogging, only to have one of my fellow food bloggers walk me through the steps to correct the issue – saving me $$ in the long run! (Kylee at Kylee Cooks has become one of my blogging tech heroes!)
MY GIRL CRUSH
One blogger, particularly, stood out for me. She prepares meals and dishes which I would gladly serve to my friends and family. She’s so real and authentic; she’s down to earth and non-pretentious about her food. Her food is all about feeling comfortable in the kitchen and eating homemade foods which won’t break the bank. Her name is Amanda, and her blog is affectionately called The Chunky Chef.
This dish was actually inspired by Amanda’s Garlic and Mushroom Quinoa. I was perusing her blog, as I normally do, and came upon this particular dish. I had to prepare it and once I did, I knew I had to share it with my readers as well.
BRING ON THE MUSHROOMS!
As you know, my new found love for mushrooms has found me searching for ways to incorporate the ingredients into our day-to-day meals. Amanda’s recipe was easy to follow, and used cremini mushrooms, which to me, are the best kind! I knew I had to make this dish!
The only difference between her dish and mine is heat. I added a small amount of dried red chili flakes just to add my own little spin, and besides, it’s very cold here in Toronto, and the heat was a welcomed addition! Oh, and I also left out the parmesan cheese. You can totally add parmesan to your version if you prefer, but I just wasn’t feeling it for this particular recipe.
Because food bloggers are very supportive of each other, please be sure to visit Amanda’s blog to read her version of this recipe as well. Just don’t tell her I sent you or my secret foodie love affair just might be revealed! 😉
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Quinoa
- Olive Oil – You can use any light cooking oil, like vegetable, sunflower, avocado, etc.
- Butter – I prefer to use salted butter when cooking mushrooms simply because salted butter just makes for a better tasting fried mushroom, but unsalted butter will work just fine.
- Mushrooms – Use good meaty mushrooms like cremini.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic and mince it really finely.
- Thyme – Fresh thyme leaves are the best option. They add an earthy, slightly minty and lemony flavour. If you only have dried thyme, be sure to only use a third of the required amount because dried herbs are more pungent and flavourful.
- Dried Red Chili Flakes – These are optional, but the little bit of spiciness they add to this dish is quite nice!
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Parsley – For garnish.
HOW TO MAKE GARLICKY MUSHROOM QUINOA
Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Set aside. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Sauté the mushrooms until very well done. (Strive for a meatier-tasting mushroom by cooking for a longer period of time. Of course, you can stop cooking the mushrooms whenever you have reached the desired outcome for your personal tastes.)
Add the garlic and dried red chili flakes – if using. Stir into the mushrooms. Allow the garlic to cook with the mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir all the ingredients together until the quinoa has heated through once more. Serve immediately.
PERSONAL TASTE DOES CHANGE OVER TIME
Dear Reader, I am not a vegetarian. And, although red meat is not my favourite thing to eat, I do enjoy a steak about twice a year. And, until a few years ago, I wouldn’t eat mushrooms at all. So, as a meat eater, and a new convert to mushrooms, you must trust me when I say mushrooms need to be properly cooked for maximum flavour and consistency.
If the mushrooms are sautéed properly and seasoned just right, they can most definitely be a wonderful substitute for steak. You have to fry the mushrooms in a combination of oil and butter because butter makes everything taste better. You see, I have found, after 39 43 years on this earth, that I love mushrooms as long as they are cooked my way. Oh, and I will only eat cremini mushrooms.
Cremini mushrooms are meaty and unlike other mushroom varieties that I’ve tried, they don’t have a slightly slimy texture. Cremini mushrooms are portobello mushrooms which are harvested before the cap has opened. When I prepare mushrooms, I like to sauté them in a little butter and olive oil until they are a deep brown colour and have shrunk tremendously in size. I feel this adds to the meat-like consistency because the cooking process releases moisture and allows the mushroom to reduce in size and take on a meatier texture and flavour.
Do You Like This Recipe?
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Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Sauté the mushrooms until very well done. (Strive for a meatier tasting mushroom by cooking for a longer period of time. Of course, you can stop cooking the mushrooms whenever you have reached the desired outcome for your personal tastes.)
- Add the garlic and dried red chili flakes – if using. Stir into the mushrooms. Allow the garlic to cook with the mushrooms for 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked quinoa, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir all the ingredients together until the quinoa has heated through once more.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Amanda | The Chunky Chef says
Ahhhh, well the foodie crush is totally mutual! 🙂 I LOVE your food, and how you can make even an omnivore like me crave veggie meals. Thank you SO much for your kind words… you’re awesome!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Well, I guess my secret is out! 🙂 I guess it’s always best to put it all out in the open anyway. 🙂 Thank you, Amanda, for your kind words. And for sharing your recipes and allowing me to recreate my own version. Looking forward to more great recipes from you!
Whitney says
Byron I love mushrooms, and the color of your sauteed mushrooms looks amazing. I love a bit of “crust” that they get when sauteed really nicely. I am SO ready to make this!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Whitney. I overcook mushrooms just so that they get that meaty/chewy consistency, and yes, the crusty, charred edges make the extra cooking time all worth it.
Paige says
Mushrooms are my total comfort food — I could eat them everyday! And I love Amanda’s blog too — such wonderful recipes 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Amanda is great, isn’t she!? 🙂
Hillary Reeves says
Ooh I love Amanda’s blog!! This looks awesome–such a good meal to pack for lunch at work!
Mary says
<– also a fan of Amanda's blog! 😉 I love the way this recipe looks. I may need to make it with farro or barley one day because, well, mushrooms and garlic. 😉
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Oooohhh… that sounds promising!
Whitney says
I have a newfound love for mushrooms as well… I need to cook with them more though, I’d definitely add the heat too, I’m a huge fan of spicy! This looks so GOOD!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Who knew mushrooms actually tasted good? 😉 I’m still new, but experimenting with mushroom flavours more and more. Still loving it!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Those mushrooms look fantastic, I can’t even wait long enough for them to crisp up a little because I am lazy! LOL I have never had the pleasure to eat such a gourmet dish like this, but I know one thing those mushrooms would be all gone and no one would get one! Great dish delicious!
Danielle Wolter says
I love Kylee too! She has been such a great help to me as well 🙂 I have always had a love for mushrooms, and these sound nothing short of amazing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Isn’t she the best!? 🙂
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
Those mushrooms look fantastic! I love mushrooms, and I find that they are often in my favorite side dishes. This is a great recipe to serve with marinated grilled chicken or grilled steak. I can’t wait to try this!
Jo says
I want this mushroom quinoa for my dinner. I love mushrooms and quinoa. So this is going on my dinner list soon. Can’t wait to try it
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Jo. 🙂
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Byron, I loved reading through your post and have to agree that food bloggers are by far the most genuine people I have met in my life as well. I love your recipes and the way you write them. Congratulations on coming this far!
Coming to the recipe, we don’t eat mushroom as it closely reminded us of meat and since we are vegetarians by birth, stayed away from it. My boys tasted mushrooms in few different occasions and fell in love with it and I have started to use them now. I am always looking for inspiration to use them in everyday cooking and this is a great recipe. I would be adding the heat as well to the dish.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Sandhya. 🙂
Emma says
Make sure you rinse your quinoa! Ugh, so sad. I was really excited for this because I am obsessed with sautéed mushrooms. But I’m a quinoa noob and didn’t know you have rinse it to get the weird bitter taste off of it. The mushroom part is really good but the quinoa is pretty unbearable. Will definitely try again, maybe with a different grain.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Aw, that’s too bad, Emma. Did you package not say to rinse first?
Cassi Fleming says
Hi Lord Byron, this recipe is amazing. I wonder if it could be written for an Instant Pot chef (well – cook/heater of food). I’m a new veggi head and IP cook because I love that I don’t have to stand over a stove as much. I’m also an avid camper and want or try make a pre-prep/instant pot menu plan for my family. Being new to both vegetarian & I stand pot cooking I have yet to get over the timing & liquid ratio conversion curve. Any help you or anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated
Enid Joyce says
Made this last weekend. It was so delicious! The only thing I added was a sprinkle of soy sauce. I’m not sure why, it already had so much flavour. I will definitely be adding this to my rotation of “go to” recipes as I love quinoa and cook it often. Thanks for sharing.
Annie says
Well, this was AMAZING. I cooked my quinoa in my homemade beef stock. Definitely putting this on permanent rotation!
Markie Spell says
Only had ground thyme so used 1 1/2 tsp.
It seemed a bit dry. Flavor was very good so will try again with a bit of vegetable broth.
Kscott says
After reading some comments about being dry or lacking something, I cooked the quinoa in a mushroom broth and added basalmic vinegar (1 tsp) to the final product. Absolutely delicious!
Shari says
First time making this dish. Who knew something so simple could be sooooo amazing! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Kate says
Love this! I made the quinoa in a mushroom broth for a little extra flavour and used 1/2 tsp of dried French thyme, as I didn’t have fresh thyme; it turned out amazing. I will definitely be making this again!! Thanks for sharing.