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Mexican Green Quinoa
5 from 3 votes

Mexican Green Quinoa

If you're a fan of Mexican Green Rice (Arroz Verde), you'll love this Green Quinoa! Packed with fresh spinach, cilantro, and a touch of lime and jalapeño, it's a savory and healthy side dish that pairs well with just about everything!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 190 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups quinoa dry
  • 5 ounces baby spinach about 4 cups tightly packed
  • 1 small bunch cilantro about 1¼ cups leaves and thin stems, thick ends trimmed
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper roughly chopped
  • 1 large shallot roughly chopped; or half of an onion
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 1 small lime halved
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil optional; omit for oil-free
  • 2¾ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus a pinch, fine sea salt
  • black pepper optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. For an optional step to remove more of its bitterness, place the quinoa in a bowl, cover with water, and soak for about 5 minutes, agitating the water several times. Then rinse again and drain very well.
  2. In a large food processor, combine the spinach, shallot, jalapeno, 2 cloves of garlic, juice from half of the lime, and about ¼ cup of cilantro (mostly thin stems; we'll use the leaves later). Process until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. In the food processor, pulse the remaining cilantro, 1 clove of garlic, a squeeze of lime juice, and a generous pinch of salt until finely chopped. Set aside.
  4. Preheat a large pot over medium heat, and add the oil. Saute the spinach mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the quinoa, water, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and all of the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
  5. Season the quinoa with black pepper and taste for salt. Add the chopped cilantro mixture to the pot, and fluff again to incorporate the greens. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Substitutions
  • Store leftover quinoa in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
  • Cilantro is a key ingredient in this recipe, but if you're not a fan, the dish is also delicious with fresh basil and parsley.
  • If you avoid oil, it's fine to omit it.
  • To prepare Mexican Green Rice, replace the quinoa with 1.5 cups white basmati rice, and reduce the water to 2 cups. The cook time is the same.

Nutrition Information

Calories 190kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 30g (10%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 5g (8%) Fiber 4g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190

% Daily Value*

Calories 190kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 30g 10%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 5g 8%
Fiber 4g 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.