This recipe is one of over 25 recipes in my Vegan Kosher for Passover Guide! While designed to meet the requirements of keeping Kosher for Passover as a vegan, the recipes in the guide are delicious year-round and offer options for folks who are vegan and gluten-free. Interested in the guide? Click here.
My apartment is ridiculously drafty – the windows, the walls, and, yes, even the floors, let in everything from a small, constant flow of air to strong gusts of wind. Which is why, when the temperatures start to drop to unbearable lows in the fall, we add plastic to our windows and stuff blankets in drafty corners and hang curtains in open doorways. This can help raise the temperature above 55 degrees in our apartment in the winter, which is a major improvement!
So, when the temperatures start rising in the spring and the opportunity begins to open the windows and let the fresh air in, all I want to do is rip the plastic off the windows and throw every single one open. For the last three or four weeks, every time the weather has gotten above 63º I’ve mentioned this to my partner. And every time, he’s asked me what the low was going to be at night. And, for the most part, it’s always in the 30s or 40s. Damn you, DC weather!
But on our morning walk with our dog, my partner mentioned to me that it looked like the lows were going to be in the 50s starting next week! And that maybe – maybe – we could think about taking the plastic off. Hallelujah! With just one set of windows without plastic, it’s hard being stuck inside all day. I can’t wait to throw every single window open and feel the spring breeze throughout the entire apartment.
I may not be able to go outside, but maybe I can bring the outside in to me.
This Spanish Quinoa Bowl is my take on Spanish Rice. I worked on a Spanish Rice recipe a while back and posted it on my instagram, and this recipe is very similar to that one. Instead of rice, I subbed in quinoa to make this recipe accessible to folks keeping Kosher for Passover in a wide variety of ways. The quinoa also adds in an extra punch of protein to make this a great lunch or dinner bowl if you didn’t want to add in any beans or tofu.
I also really like how the quinoa adds a different texture than rice does, both fluffy and a bit chewy. The quinoa really absorbs the tomato, lime, cilantro, and chili flavors very well in the recipe for a very flavorful dish. You can, of course, top this with tons of different ingredients – I mentioned tofu and beans before, but you could also try tempeh, alternative meat products, fresh veggies, guacamole, salsa, vegan sour cream, vegan cheeses, and more. This quinoa is a great dish for a creative bowl!
I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and how you made it your own. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!
Spanish Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped finely plus more for garnish
- ½ tbsp lime juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 2 minutes until you can smell the garlic.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes and stir with a spatula frequently.
- Then add the quinoa, chili powder, and cumin and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Continue stirring frequently throughout.
- Add the vegetable broth. Bring the quinoa to a boil and then let simmer (covered) for 8-12 minutes, or until the broth has boiled off.
- While the quinoa is simmering, add the lime and cilantro.
- Once the quinoa has finished, fluff with a fork and add the salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm with cilantro on top and add toppings.