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Quinoa Lentil Pulao – Protein-Rich, Low-Carb, & Gluten-Free

Quinoa Lentil Pulao – Protein-Rich, Low-Carb, & Gluten-Free

What to make for dinner is always a challenge. We want something quick, easy, wholesome, and something light too. Sometimes it feels like a lot of pressure. I understand. We all sail on the same boat. And that’s why I want to make your life easier by sharing some delicious dinner recipe ideas.

This quinoa lentil pulao is perfect for lunch and dinner too. It needs a little bit of preparation but trust me, it doesn’t take much of your time and energy. It is protein-rich, gluten-free, and low-carb. This recipe contains the goodness of quinoa, lentil, tofu, and a lot of different veggies. It is nourishing, wholesome, light, and very tasty. You must try it today!

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa has been introduced into the western diet only recently and it is described as a superfood. But humans have been eating quinoa for 7000 years (source: www.nutritionfacts.org). Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal or technically a seed. It is exceptionally nutritious with high protein content compared to cereals.

Quinoa is also rich in vitamin B complex, vitamins E & C, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, copper, and sodium. It contains fibers too. And for those who are on diet and need to reduce weight, this is just for you. It is gluten-free too. Perfect, isn’t it?

How to cook Quinoa?

Rinse quinoa once with some water.

In a pan, add quinoa (one part) and water (two parts). Add some salt to taste. Cook on high flame till it comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, simmer the flame, cover it and let it cook till all the water is absorbed. Once it is done, let it cool down and then fluff using a fork. Using hot quinoa for recipes makes it mushy and sticky.

Make sure the quantity of water is double the quantity of quinoa. You will notice a change in texture once completely cooked. They become translucent and look like tiny pearls 🙂

Can we eat Quinoa during fasting?

Quinoa is a superfood that can be consumed during fasting. It is not a grain, legume, or pulse. It is a seed or a pseudo-cereal. So, just like we consume samak ke chawal, singhade ka aata (chestnut flour), kuttu ka aata (buckwheat flour), we can consume quinoa too during fasts.

It is just that quinoa has never been marketed as a fasting ingredient. In the Indian market, we only know about some common food items like Samak, buckwheat flour, and chestnut flour. But if you want another healthy food to be included in your diet during the fasting season, give this a try. It is nutritious, and wholesome and keeps you energetic during fasting time.

Quinoa Lentil Pulao

Is this recipe vegan?

Yes. Of course.

This quinoa lentil pulao recipe is vegan because all the ingredients used in this recipe are plant-based. Generally, some ghee is added in pulao at the end for some extra flavor but I don’t add it.

This pulao tastes good with some curd on the side and if you are a vegan, you can use plant-based curd too.

How to serve quinoa pulao?

You can serve this pulao with curd or Beetroot Raita. This pulao tastes very good with Amla Fry, Instant Chilli Pickle, or Cranberry Pickle.

P.S. We have two more quinoa pulao recipes that you can tryNo Onion, No Garlic Quinoa Pulao, Mix Veg Quinoa Pulao.

Can we store Quinoa Lentil Pulao?

You can refrigerate this quinoa lentil pulao for up to 2 to 3 days. Heat it up while serving.

Easy Swaps

  1. Vegetables: Add any vegetable of your choice.
  2. Tofu: Tofu is vegan and tastes better in this recipe. But you can replace it with paneer (not vegan).

More Dinner Recipes – just as good

  1. Green Moong Dal Pulao
  2. Chilli Peanut Ramen
  3. Vegan Spinach Basil Pesto Pasta

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make this delicious quinoa lentil pulao for your lunch or dinner. It is quick, easy, and very tasty.

If you like the recipe, please share the photo on Instagram and tag us too @thefearlesscooking. We love to see your recreation of our recipes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa

Quinoa Lentil Pulao – Protein-Rich, Low-Carb, & Gluten-Free

Wholesome Fasting Recipe

Tell us what you think

The goodness of quinoa, lentils, tofu, and a lot of different veggies - this recipe is something that you would want to try again and again. It's delicious, nourishing, and absolutely light which makes it a perfect dinner companion. TRY IT!

3

Servings

15 min

Prep Time

45 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

Cuisines


Ingredients

Steps

Cook Quinoa
  1. Rinse quinoa one to two times with water. 
  2. Add quinoa, salt, and water to a saucepan and let it come to a boil. 
  3. Once boiled, simmer and cook till water is absorbed and the quinoa is well-cooked. It takes around 7 to 10 minutes. 
  4. Once done, remove it from the flame. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff using a fork.
Cook Lentils
  1. Rinse lentils (masoor chilka dal) 2 to 3 times with water.
  2. Add masoor chilka dal, salt, and water in a saucepan. Cover and cook on medium-low flame till the water is absorbed and it is just cooked. It takes around 10 minutes. 
  3. Don't overcook or else it will become mushy.
Roast Tofu
  1. Brush oil on a heated pan and sprinkle salt. 
  2. Place tofu cubes and brush oil all over. Cook from one side until golden brown. Flip and cook from other sides too. 
  3. Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside. 
Tempering
  1. Heat oil in a saucepan or kadhai and add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds or until brown. 
  2. Add dry red chili and saute for a couple of seconds. 
  3. It burns fast so keep an eye on it.
  4. Add onion and saute until translucent. 
  5. Add mixed bell pepper and broccoli. Saute and cook for around 4 to 5 minutes. 
  6. Do not overcook. It tastes better when it is slightly crunchy.
  7. Add quinoa, lentils, tofu, green chilli, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything well. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes. 
  8. Once done, remove from the flame. Add baby spinach and lemon juice. Mix well and serve right away. 
  9. Baby spinach cooks with the steam itself.

FAQs

What is Quinoa and what are its benefits?
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Quinoa has been introduced into the western diet only recently and it is described as a superfood. But humans have been eating quinoa for 7000 years (source: www.nutritionfacts.org). Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal or technically a seed. It is exceptionally nutritious with high protein content compared to cereals. It is also rich in vitamin B complex, vitamin E & C, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, copper, and sodium. It contains fibers too. And those who are on diet and need to reduce weight, this is just for you.

Which material is best for lunch box?
+

These days Tupperware or air-tight plastic lunch boxes are quite popular. But they are not good for health. Stainless steel or glass lunch boxes are good and leakproof. These days you can even get good quality and beautiful bamboo lunch boxes.


What is a superfood?
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According to the dictionary meaning, it is a food that is exceptionally nutritious, rich in antioxidants, and is beneficial for health. It includes food like ghee, broccoli, salmon, berries, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, etc.

In my opinion, most of the food we eat is a superfood in itself. Consider oats or spinach or garlic. Are they any less? They are nutrition dense and very versatile too. Apart from that, they taste good. So, eat everything but eat in moderation. Every food is a superfood when consumed in moderation.


Can we eat quinoa in fasting days?
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Not a lot of people know this but quinoa is a pseudo-cereal or technically a seed. You can and should eat it on fasting days. It is much more nutritious than sabudana. You can make pulao or kheer from quinoa or simply boil and eat it with any fasting sabzi like tari wale aalu tamatar.


How to cook quinoa?
+
Rinse quinoa once with some water. In a pan, add quinoa (one part) and water (two parts). Add some salt to taste. Cook on high flame till it comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, lower the flame, cover, and let it cook till all the water is absorbed. Once it is done, let it cool completely to prevent stickiness and mushiness. Make sure the quantity of water is double the quantity of quinoa. You will notice a change in texture once completely cooked. They become translucent and look like tiny pearls 🙂

Tell us what you think

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