These tiny quinoa seeds really are sponges for flavor. I was really surprised how decadent and satisfying this seemed, and with only a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a handful of very lean smoked ham.
Yum delicious! This recipe inspired me to write my first review. I did just as directed but added some diced squash to the ham/veggie mix and substituted the Sriracha with some red pepper flakes for spice. Even my quinoa-skeptical boyfriend said it was "surprisingly flavorful." Will definitely be making this again.
Read MoreYum delicious! This recipe inspired me to write my first review. I did just as directed but added some diced squash to the ham/veggie mix and substituted the Sriracha with some red pepper flakes for spice. Even my quinoa-skeptical boyfriend said it was "surprisingly flavorful." Will definitely be making this again.
This is by far the best fried recipe I have found! I tweaked it a little because I didn't have fresh onion. I added garlic salt and about a tablespoon of dried chopped onions to the quinoa while it was cooking. I fried the ham, garlic, and bell pepper in a pan. Then added fresh steamed asparagus at the end. This recipe is fantastic!
Awesome recipe! First time DH tried quinoa and he said it was better than rice. Used green and red bell pepper in the dish.
This is a healthier version of fried rice and as such, that's exactly what it tastes like. I found it to be rather bland and lacking in vegetables for my taste. Thanks for sharing. :o)
Made this recipe as we were looking to try something new with Quinoa. It was very good. Made a couple of changes -used leftover Pork Chops cubed instead of Ham (not a big Ham fan) -added Sesame seed oil to finish as I didn't have any sesame seeds on hand -added Firm Tofu (cubed to same size as pork chops) -used EVOO for oil. Otherwise followed it exactly. Results were good. Servings are small if using this for a main dish. Agreed with other reviewers that it probably needed more veggies if it is to be a main dish. Rice Vinegar was a nice touch as it gave flavour without adding too much sodium. I topped my servicing with Sriracha/hot sauce as I like it spicier. All in all, a very healthy meal.
The rice vinegar and soy sauce just make it perfect. I used ground pork in place of ham so I could combine this with my pork empanadas. I left out the vegetable oil since there's plenty of fat in the pork, then sauteed the pork into very fine pieces for about 10 minutes first. Then add an entire bunch of diced green onions and one medium red pepper and 6 cloves of garlic. After it's done I put half of it aside for the empanadas and add the quinoa to the other half in the pan. This gives a little more meat in the quinoa which is never bad. Next time I'll brown the garlic for just a minute to get more flavor from it.
This was delicious. Similar to fried rice dishes, I used whatever I had laying around. I substituted leftover turkey bacon for the ham, an inferno pepper (seeded and chopped very fine) instead of bell pepper, and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. Otherwise, I followed the directions pretty closely. I definitely would like to make this again.
Wow! So surprisingly satisfied with how good this turned out. I really do think I like it more than fried rice! Ready to try it with other ingredients mixed in!
Very good! I had bacon and chicken in the fridge, so I cut them into small pieces and cooked them together before adding the veggies. I also added carrot and celery. Definitely still needs a few more veggies (in my opinion) and a little more soy sauce. Overall, VERY good and VERY easy!
Added more veggies (red cabbage, peas, white onion, grated carrots) so doubled the sauce. Doubled the garlic and used about 2/3 of the cooked quinoa. Did the poached egg on top. Really good.
This was surprisingly delicious. The only change I made was to add two tablespoons of rice wine vinegar to the quinoa while it rested. The acidity was definitely necessary to balance the salty sweetness of the pork. So good!
This was delicious, light, and an easy recipe to follow. I omitted the spicy sauce because I'm not a spicy eater and the sesame seeds because I didn't have any. I added bean sprouts and I'm so glad I did - they add such a nice crunch. Next time I'll try adding peas - they'll add a lot more color to the dish and hopefully will pair well in taste. If you watch the video, the chef touches on why he doesn't use scrambled egg - I followed his recommendation and didn't miss the egg nor felt it was needed. Thank you.
Yum! Tasted very close to pork fried rice (I'm Chinese), but was thrilled it was a lot healthier than eating a ton of white rice! Used pineapple chicken sausage from Costco rather than ham, and an extra clove of garlic. I think next time I will add half of a regular chopped onion for extra crunch. Green onion is really better on top at the end. Rice vinegar was a nice touch and not something I would normally think to put in fried rice. Will keep making this!
Love this recipe. When I'm feeling scandalous I add pineapple and substitute the ham with six strips of crumbled crispy bacon because... well... everything's better with bacon.
I enjoyed this dish very much, but my husband didn't like it. It was our first time trying quinoa in a main dish and that was the part he didn't like. I found it very flavorful, easy to fix, and healthful. I'll just have to make it for me to eat for lunches.
This was scrumptious! We are now quinoa fans. The seasonings were wonderful. I never would have thought to add rice wine vinegar and we loved it. I didn't have ham or green onions, so I made it with red bell pepper, purple onions, and half a large jalapeno. Can't wait to try it again with the specified items. This is a keeper to make often. We can't eat rice or pasta. Hope quinoa works in a number of other recipes. Beef tips? Other stir fries? Thanks, Chef John, for your videos and fun humor. We'll be tryin' the dumplins next cold snap.
Added blueberries for the last ten minutes so they would cook and add more flavor. Yummy
This was good for what it is. I love quinoa and I love fried rice, but I don't feel like the texture of quinoa fit this recipe. With the left overs I heated and added an egg and sesame oil to make it different and I liked it that way better. I made this with the Szechwan Shrimp from allrecipes.
This was a hit at a dinner party I hosted. I substituted sesame seed oil for the vegetable oil, used low salt soy sauce, added bean sprouts, and left out the rice vinegar. This recipe is full of flavor, and the quinoa does a great job of performing as a platform for it all.
Yum!!! I'm trying new Quinoa recipes and this was my first one. FABULOUS! I didn't use the ham... but I could see how that would be yummy too! I could see chicken or SHRIMP in this and it would be even better! The chili-sauce and the rice vinegar is what makes it scrumptious.
I had added too much salt to the water and maybe too much soy sauce. Next time don't put any salt in the water and less soy sauce. Its a super food so I would like to make it again.
We liked this quinoa recipe a lot. The add-ins along with the soy and vinegar give it a great Asian flavor.
Followed the recipe exactly as written. I loved it! Next time I will try it with shrimp.
Fabulous! I had some leftover fresh pineapple that I threw in with it and must say it added a nice Hawaiian contrast but Im sure it would be delicious even without. Definitely will be making this again!
Super and delicious. My wife is addicted and this is her new comfort food. We will make this as a supplement to stir fry if we have company over and it's a big hit. Delicious with Sriracha.
Very pleased with this recipe. I did up some of the ingredients the second time I made it. The first time it seemed there was way too much quinoa compared to the rest of the ingredients. So I did 2 cups of ham, 1 cub of red pepper, and 1 cup of scallions. The rest I left as is. I love this recipe.
I like the quinoa idea but what's healthy about salty, nitrite and fat loaded ham? how about a leaner protein like egg whites, turkey breast, or pork loin? And to the reviewer that said it was bland.... ADD MORE SOY SAUCE!!!
Was a very easy recipe to follow. Didn't have any peppers so I used frozen mixed vegetables instead. I think it came out more like the traditional fried rice.
Flavor is a bit.. lacking. Not a lot of depth to it. Mostly sour. It's the best recipe for quinoa in terms of liquid and time, though. Quinoa turned out fluffy right on time.
Really yummy. I didn't have rice vinegar, so used champagne vinegar instead. Really good flavors and my kids loved it.
I made it according to the recipe. Then I shared with the relatives. Everyone loved it. I will make it again. Maybe even try the egg too, maybe not. Thank you for another good recipe!
Made this just as directed and it was wonderful. I see lots of opportunity for adaptions but think I will always come back to this. Made a hit with family members that have never tasted Quinoa before. Thank you.
I followed this recipe exactly and I really liked it. I have been trying to find a recipe to suit me and this fit the bill!
Yum! I made a couple changes, but this is a great base recipe. I used chicken bone broth instead of water to cook the quinoa; added carrots, asparagus, and white onion to the veggies; used beef summer sausage instead of ham; added red pepper flakes and red chili paste to the seasonings; added two beaten eggs to the final step to preserve that diner fried rice feel. Again I say, yum?
double your recipe because you will be wanting more. I put the sauce out with the meal for the differing pallets in my family. Made a spicy sauce for myself and non-spicy for the rest.
didn't use rice vinegar, put green onions, mushrooms and ham. used sesame oil and did use the chile garlic sauce. not bad, maybe with more veggies but use as side-dish not as main meal.
I made this without salt and soy sauce to cut down on sodium. I did use turkey sausage instead of pork. Turned out absolutely fantastic. Highly recommend!
Made this as directed, except that I used chicken tomato sausage (I had it on hand), a medium sized white onion, and added diced carrots and sweet peppers to make it more of a meal. I also added a teaspoon of chicken bullion to the quinoa water, and doubled the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Very tasty, and makes for a nice, easy lunch to take to work.
We would like to try this recipe again with Asian sausage. Might try adding some peas or snow peas.
I used left over grilled chicken and added thinly sliced red cabbage. I also used fermented red pepper paste instead of the chili-garlic sauce. The dish tastes delicious this way. I will make it again with some pork chops or ham next time.
Added soy beans and a little broccoli. Everyone loved it! Absolutely a keeper! Even the kids asked for seconds!
Just made this for dinner and really enjoyed it. I love spicy food and this wasn't inherently spicy. Next time I'll add some red pepper flakes and perhaps a little more Sriracha to kick it up just a bit. I might cut back just slightly on the quinoa or add more red bell pepper and ham to change the ratio slightly, but this is a keeper.
I made this using boneless skinless chicken breast. I baked 3 small breasts with pepper and soy sauce just till cooked through. I cut the chicken into bite size pieces. I made the quinoa as noted as well as the other ingredients. I finished it off just the way Chef John stated. Absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it. I may add some sliced mushrooms next time.
