I’m having vegan guests over for a meal and I wanted to serve them something tasty and fancier, and I was trying to figure out delicious dishes to make, so decided to whip up some quinoa risotto (among other things). This isn’t officially risotto, which is traditionally made with short grain rice and cheese, more risotto style, and a nice change from the standard quinoa recipes.
Added bonus? I threw in some wild greens- sow thistle specifically- to add some more flavor and nutrition and depth. The result? A dish that is wonderful and cheap, seeing as I have a lot of quinoa in my house already that my kids aren’t the biggest fan of, so its just sitting there unused. It also wasn’t a lot of work to make either.

Biggest down side? Risotto isn’t the most photogenic dish, but at least the taste makes it all worth it.

You can use whatever wild greens or store bought greens you want for this, just blanche any bitter greens before adding them so that they don’t make the dish bitter.

My recipe was loosely based on this one.

Quinoa Mushroom and Wild Green Risotto Recipe- Vegan

2 medium onions

1 can sliced mushrooms or 1 box fresh

2 cups quinoa, washed very well

4 cups plus 2 cups water

1 1/2  teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 large handful wild greens or store bought, such as spinach, chard, sow thistle, mallow, romaine lettuce, or kale

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or Parmesan cheese if not making this vegan)

Instructions:
1. Slice or dice your onions. Saute them in oil until nicely browned. Add sliced mushrooms and brown as well- if using canned mushrooms, let the excess water evaporate and then let the mushrooms brown a bit as well.

2. Wash your quinoa very, very well (especially if you have a sensitive stomach like myself), then add it to the pot along with the salt, garlic powder, soy sauce and 4 cups of water.

3. Cover and boil until the water is all absorbed.

4. Add 2 more cups of water, and cook, stirring often, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa becomes more creamy in consistency.

5. Mix in nutritional yeast and chopped greens. If you’re using bitter greens, blanche them first in boiling water, then squeeze out the liquid and the bitterness, before chopping and adding.

6. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Are you a fan of quinoa? What is your favorite way to make it? Does this look like a recipe you’d try?
What is your favorite dish to serve to vegan guests?