Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa

A quick and easy dish, Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa is very flavourful and quite healthy too! Make is as a side or serve it as a main! Light and fluffy, this is a perfect weeknight bowl of comfort food!

Every time I cook with green peas, like in the case of this Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa, I cannot help but think of Nigella Lawson.  That lady loves a green pea like nobody else could!  That’s one of her claims to fame.  If only I could introduce her to my dad.  He absolutely loves green peas!  In fact, it’s a running joke in our family and it goes something like this:

• “Dad, what did you have for dinner?”
• “Oh, I made roasted chicken.”
• “Did you have green peas with it?”
• “Of course I did!”

With him, it’s always, always, always, green peas!  He would most certainly put Nigella Lawson in your place!  Not to be outdone by my dad, I also love green peas, and I always have, mostly because of recipes like this Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa.  I prefer frozen green peas because if you find a good brand, you can be assured that they are picked at the right time and frozen quickly so that they have had no time to wilt or wither.

For the past couple of summers, I have had the luxury of growing fresh green peas in one of my backyard raised garden beds. But, peas that fresh are not needed. Frozen peas are the next best thing.  In fact, they might be better because shelling peas is repetitive and boring. Just don’t ever buy peas in a can!  I grew up with canned vegetables, and I will avoid them at all costs now – with the exception of beans!

Coupling green peas with parmesan is something I did very recently to another recipe of mine.  If you haven’t read my recipe for Parmesan Garlic Potatoes and Peas, I encourage you to do so.  Why?  Because parmesan and green peas work amazingly well together and you’ll love it!

This time, the potatoes were not an option, partially because we have a large amount of quinoa in our pantry that needs to used up, and partially because when I made the Parmesan Garlic Potatoes and Peas, I ate the entire thing.  With quinoa being a healthier option, I thought this recipe would be a safer bet for my summer figure, hence Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa was born.

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
• Green Peas – Use fresh or frozen green peas.
• Butter
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Parmesan – Use good parmesan. The kind you buy in a can will do as well, but freshly grated parmesan has better flavour.
• Water
• Parsley – For garnish and freshness.

HOW TO MAKE GREEN PEA AND PARMESAN QUINOA

Add the quinoa, butter, salt, ground black pepper, and water to a saucepan. Stir to combine. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Add the green peas. Stir to combine. Place a lid on the saucepan and reduce the heat to simmer. Allow the quinoa to simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the burner. Fluff the quinoa and green peas with a fork. Add the parmesan cheese and parsley. Continue to fluff with a fork to mix the cheese and parsley into the quinoa and peas. Garnish and serve hot or cold.

CAN WE CALL THIS A 4-INGREDIENT DISH?

Literally, Dear Reader, all you need to prepare a heaping, healthy bowl of Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa is four ingredients.  I’m not going to count the fresh chopped parsley as an ingredient, because you can leave it out and still end up with a great-tasting dish.  To be completely honest, I very rarely use parsley as a ‘taste’ ingredient, but more as a garnish.

I’m not going to count the water, salt, and pepper ingredients either, because water is readily available and I think every home cook has salt and pepper on hand.  So, what do you need?  Quinoa and green peas, obviously, and parmesan and butter.  That’s it; that’s all!

Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa comes together completely – from start to finish – in about 20 minutes.  Isn’t that a perfect way to end a workday?  You get to sit down and relax with a wholesome, healthy dinner in very little time.  There’s really no excuse not to eat better with recipes like this.

When the quinoa comes out of the pot all nice and hot, and it’s light and fluffy, with these vibrant green peas scattered throughout, it creates an immediate sense of warmth and comfort.  I always get very excited whenever a grain dish turns out nicely.  I’ve mentioned in one of my previous recipe posts that I cannot properly cook rice, but that lack of skill usually applies to almost all grains.  So, in the case of my Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa recipe, thrilled beyond measure! 

Served hot or cold, with or without the parsley, this dish is sure to make you happy and full.  Add extra green peas if you wish.  Load up on the parmesan cheese if you prefer.  In the end, the result will be fantastic and you’ll love Green Pea and Parmesan Quinoa just as much as I do.  Trust me, Dear Reader!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!