Curried Quinoa Vegetable Stew
Curried Quinoa Vegetable Stew is an easy to make and hearty vegan dinner recipe. It's loaded with veggies and quinoa and dotted with black beans and has tons of flavor. It is my favorite vegan stew recipe!
It's Throwback Thursday and it only seemed fair that this quinoa vegetable stew got to make the front page again. Once a month I pick a recipe from the archives to reshare with you. I take new pictures, sometimes tweak the recipe to fit in with the healthy recipes angle the blog has taken, and give the recipe a front-row seat on the blog.
This vegetable stew is super hearty and has so much flavor. It's also crazy easy to make. Once you make it once, you'll add it to your regular dinner rotation.
And because it's high on the easy-to-make scale, I know you'll stop looking at the recipe after you make it once or twice.
Here's how I make this quinoa vegetable stew:
- Raid the fridge and pull out all the veggies I can find. ← This is a great clean out the fridge dinner.
- Saute the veggies then scoop some curry powder into the pot with whatever spoon is closest at hand.
- When the broth and quinoa are in the pot, I rinse the beans, chop the greens, and wash up the couple of dirty dishes I've made.
- Then I mix the greens, beans, and a little peanut butter (trust me on this one) into the pot and Voila! Dinner is ready!
This quinoa vegetable stew recipe came from the cookbook Cooking with Quinoa for Dummies by Cheryl Forberg. I reviewed the cookbook years ago and remember thinking that it could easily be called, “The Encyclopaedia About Everything to Do With Quinoa” or “Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Quinoa, and More.” Seriously, this book has it all.
There are 336 pages of quinoa history, nutrition, facts, cooking tips, and, of course, tons of great recipes.
If you haven't jumped on the quinoa train yet, you're seriously missing out. It is a little bit like couscous or pearl barley but (as I learned after reading this book) it is actually a seed. It is also gluten-free, a complete protein (think meat and soybeans), and a nutritional powerhouse. It's little wonder why it is being called a superfood.
But all that boring healthy stuff aside, it is also really great to eat. I'd take it over rice any day.
Let's chat a little about this Curried Vegetable Stew with Quinoa. I've made this a few times now and can easily see it becoming one of those go-to recipes that, after a while feels like they're yours, only because you've made them so many times. It is a big bowl of warm comfort. It's like getting a bear hug.
The last time I made it I added some eggplant and extra peppers. This time, I used kale instead of spinach. (Only because I didn't see the word spinach written in big letters on my shopping list. Oops.) I prefer it with extra curry powder and some chili flakes, but I like my food spicier than most. 🙂
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Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes:
- Vegan Chocolate Quinoa Chili
- Vegetable Asian Stir Fry Noodles
- Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
- Chipotle Mushroom Sloppy Joes
- Curried Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Coconut Sweet Potato Topping
- Deliciously Rich Lentil Bolognese
Curried Quinoa Vegetable Stew
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, if you like it spicy
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups broth
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans, or one 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 8 ounces kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, carrot, and celery and let them cook for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cayenne (if you're using it), and the chopped tomatoes and let them cook for 1 minute.1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil, 1 medium red onion, 1 green pepper, 1 large carrot, 2 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons curry powder, Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, 2 large tomatoes
- Add the bay leaf and broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the quinoa and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes. Add the black beans to the pot and let them warm through.1 bay leaf, 4 cups broth, 1 cup quinoa, 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the peanut or almond butter, cilantro, and kale and stir. Let the stew sit for a few minutes so the kale wilts then season to taste with salt and pepper.3 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, 8 ounces kale, Sea salt and black pepper
Do you think I could add cauliflower?
Cauliflower sounds like a nice addition!
I used only 2 cups of broth and it was perfect. tasted amaaaaaazing! will definitely be making this again
This was incredible! I have never eaten curry before but I love quinoa so….I don’t like soupy soups. I used 2 cups of broth instead of 4 and I had to put the lid on the pot to get the quinoa to cook. I have had a bowl 3 days in a row! ❤️❤️❤️
This was a huge hit with the kids! Great easy and healthy lunch. I used spinach in place of kale, and probably closer to 1 T of curry powder since that was all I had. I also substituted the ginger for 1/4 tsp ground. The only odd thing for me was that the amount of broth was way too much. 4 cups made it VERY watery, so I ended up having to dump it all through a sieve to get the desired stew-like consistency. Next time I will used an amount of water closer to what is called for on my bag of quinoa. Other than that, great recipe!!
This was so good! I didn’t have kale, so swapped it for spinach. Added sweet potatoes per another commenters suggestion as well. Will make it again!
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe as a hit!
Can you use instant for this recipe?
I’ve never tried it but I suspect you could alter the recipe to make it in an Instant Pot.
Just made this and it was great, although my wife likes the kale very soft so i put it in with the onions and carrots peppers etc. It worked very well. Loved the nut butter curry sauce, very clever and healthy alternative to coconut milk…
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for coming back to let us know!!
That is one of the most comforting looking veggie dishes I have ever seen!! Wow!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
So tasty!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This looks amazing! Do you think I could sub a can of diced tomatoes instead of chopping fresh ones since they aren’t in season right now? If so do you think a 15oz can would be enough? Thank you!!
I think that would work perfectly!
My mother used to make a very similar stew. She would add quinoa, coconut milk, kale, spinach, chickpeas, sweet potato, and a bunch of spices! The addition of peanut butter and the bay leaves has sparked my curiosity, though. I HAVE to replicate this dish and see what the taste impact would be, but I bet it would be stupendous!
Do try adding the peanut butter. It’s so good! I like the idea of coconut milk, too. Coconut makes everything better!
Oh my goodness!
Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe. I made a huge batch and have shared it with all my veggie hating work mates and it is just delish!!
I’m so happy you liked it!
I felt that adding the quinoa just at the end made the vegetables overcooked by the time the quinoa was done. Any solutions for this? Could I add the quinoa with the broth?
Thanks!
I’m sorry to hear that happened to you! If you like your veggies a little less done you could always add the quinoa a little earlier. 🙂
I love quinoa and could eat it everyday in so many ways! If I could win this cookbook I would learn many different ways to cook it! Thanks for the giveaway challenge and chance!
This recipe is DIVINE goodness! It is hearty and perfect for a cold winter day. I happen to be a true avocado lover and added a quarter of a medium avocado after serving myself a bowl. It was perfect!
So happy to hear you loved the recipe! I think I’ll add some avocado next time I make it too 🙂
Amazing. I love everything about this meal. Simple to make, I didn’t change a thing about the recipe, it is perfect how it is.
Is it best to stick with white quinoa, or is black or red okay as well? I thought red might hold up a little better, since ( at least in my experience) regular quinoa can get a bit mushy when cooked.
Hi Neha,
The white quinoa holds up really well, probably since it is added just at the end of cooking. Definitely feel free to switch it up for red or black though if you want. 🙂
I enjoy quinoa, but I’d love to learn more about it so that I can do more than just the breakfast cereal version that I know how to make. 🙂
I have been wanting to try quinoa for quite some time now. This would be perfect as I don’t know where to start! 😉
I’m just learning how to cook with quinoa and this looks so yummy! Would love to check out the book!
Winning the book would be fab.
Uuuuuuuu!!! The thought of winning this book makes me all twitterpated and misty-eyed!!!! I’m so excited!!
Love love love quinoa!
I have a curry stew that calls for couscous, but quinoa sounds much more nutritious, and this stew sounds tasty and filling. I can’t wait to try it this week.
I’ve just started looking into quinoa, and this is a great place to start!
I love quinoa!
mmmhhh this looks simply delish. i’ve recently started cooking more and quinoa is my new favorite addition to any meal! it is so versatile, yummy, healthy and filling. cannot wait to try this out!
I’ve been at a loss on how to cook with quinoa — this would sure help! I’d love to win it!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
I’d love this cookbook — I’ve only tried quinoa with rice.
Just learning to love quinooa and I still fall into the “dummy” category.
I would this cookbook!! Healthy and delicious cooking –can’t beat it!
Just started trying out different quinoa recipes. This one looks great!
“I’d really love to win this book!”
I love quinoa!
I am a first time reader (saw your beer ice cream on America’s Test Kitchen) and I’d love to learn how to cook quinoa =)
This recipe looks amazing! Love that you added almond butter…
I need this cookbook badly: I’ve only had quinoa once!
I’m not commenting in hopes of winning the book (I live all the way in Bulgaria, so that’s not even a possibility), but wanted to share that I read the recipe yesterday at work and immediately tried it for dinner last night (surprisingly, I had all of the ingredients at home). It turned out incredibly delicious, but a little too watery (perhaps the quinoa we get here is different and does not need as much liquid? I don’t know …) – next time I will cut the broth amount by half and I think it will be perfect! Good day to you, Kristen!
This recipe sounds amazing. I’m always looking for delicious meatless recipes for my family and I. Winning this book would be great!
I love cooking with quinoa so much! It is so under appreciated so i am glad they are coming out with a book solely dedicated to its awesomeness!
Mm, I’m going to try this recipe tonight! And I love quinoa…a book all about it would be awesome.
I absolutely adore quinoa and I am constantly searching for new recipes to expand upon the limitless possibilities and potential it possesses. So far I’ve tossed it into delicious Italian and Asian styled salads, cooked it with taco seasoning to substitute for beef in vegan Tacos and of course, thrown it into all kinds if delicious soups and stews. I wonder if this book can teach me tasty new meals 😀
My mom has just borrowed my quinoa cookbooks (she is diabetic, and her dietician just told her to “eat more of these fancy grains” without telling her how/what, so she’s completely confused), so this would be great for her 🙂
I love quinoa, always looking for new recipes to add to my stash 🙂
Gonna try this recipe, but as a sidedish! Whole family loves Quinoa, soo it would be great to win the cookbook!
I’m obsessed with quinoa!! I love telling people that they “need to try it!”
Great post and I can’t wait to try the recipe! I love Quinoa and this book looks amazing!
I REALLY need to win this cookbook!
I can’t wait to try this !!
I love quinoa, and the Dummies Cook Book would be the best. Thanks for the giveaway.