I recently revised an old recipe that I made years ago — it was winter squash marinated in yogurt and spices, and served with a herby green sauce and quinoa.
While the recipe is definitely delicious, i forgot about the quinoa trick. It’s easy, requires only a few minutes, and will take anything you serve with quinoa to a new level.
The trick? Sear cooked quinoa in a skillet with a little bit of hot oil. That’s it.
When you do this, it becomes crunchy, crispy, and has a deep toasty flavor that will make your taste buds sing. It may pop a little — that’s okay. If you’re nervous about burning it, use white quinoa so that you can tell if it gets too browned. And remember, it will keep browning after you turn the heat off so remove it from the pan as fast as you can.
You can use this your crispy toasted quinoa anywhere you want — under some stir fried veggies, in a green salad, or you can add some seasonings and fresh herbs to make a flavorful side dish to grilled chicken or fish.