vegan quinoa pilaf side dish served chilled

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
Wichita, KS

Who says that cooking vegan has to be tasteless… Well, to be honest with you that was probably me, a few years back. Unfortunately, when you cater, you get into all kinds of fun cooking situations. And you eventually “meet” people that don’t eat “meat” (pun intended). This is a vegan dish, so there are no animal parts or byproducts involved. In my opinion, you don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy this tasty dish. This can be served as a side dish, or eaten as a meal in and of itself.

(1 rating)
yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr 20 Min
method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For vegan quinoa pilaf side dish served chilled

  • 1 c
    quinoa
  • 2 c
    water, filtered
  • 1/2 c
    organic cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 c
    organic tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 c
    organic carrots, match sticked
  • 2
    green onions, sliced (white part only)
  • 2 Tbsp
    italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp
    jalapeño, dices (optional)
  • 4 Tbsp
    olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1/5 Tbsp
    lemon juice, freshly squeezed

How To Make vegan quinoa pilaf side dish served chilled

  • 1
    Cook the quinoa in the water, according to package directions.
  • 2
    Chef’s Note: If you want to add a bit more flavor, substitute vegetable stock for the water, but be careful… Some off-the-shelf stocks, and broths, are not truly vegan. My favorite cubes for making a quick stock are Telma brand. Of course, if you have the time, you could always make your own vegetable stock from scratch.
  • 3
    Once the quinoa has cooked, remove from the heat, and allow to cool, completely.
  • 4
    While the quinoa is cooling, prep your remaining ingredients… Dice, Slice, match stick, and Chop.
  • 5
    Add all the ingredients to the cool quinoa, and toss to combine. Chef's Note: Add the oil last, and start with 2 tablespoons, and then add the other two; one tablespoon at a time. The reason I mention this is that some people don't like that much olive oil... Remember the maxim of cooking: Taste, taste, taste.
  • 6
    Place in the refrigerator, covered, for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled. Chef's Note: This will serve 4 as a side dish, and 2 as a main dish.
  • If you are a vegan, or not, this dish is packed with fresh-from-the-garden flavors. Serve it as a side, or make it your main meal.
    7
    This is an excellent side dish, to just about anything; including fish, chicken, and beef. When I'm serving this as a main dish, I usually lay it on a bed of spinach leaves. Just to give it a bit more substance. Enjoy.
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