Fried rice with quinoa is a vegan twist on the takeout classic! We use tofu scramble to replace the egg for a protein-packed plant-based meal. Great texture and packed with flavor!
It’s easy to make fried rice vegan by omitting the egg, but you have to admit, it’s not quite the same. So when I was developing this quinoa fried rice, I decided to add tofu scramble for that element of egginess!
I’ve gone around the world and back with vegan scrambled egg replacements and tofu scramble is still my favourite. The colour is spot on and I love not only the flavour that it adds, but also the protein. I’m not going to say it’s IDENTICAL to eggs, but in a dish like quinoa fried rice, it’s very close.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much this recipe tastes like regular fried rice. Just like the traditional version, using day-old cooked quinoa is crucial to the flavour and texture of the finished dish.
Feel free to put your own spin on this quinoa fried rice recipe and make it your own! Add some vegan chicken, extra veggies, pineapple—anything you like in takeout fried rice will work here too.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Tofu scramble
- Coconut oil
- Quinoa – Here’s how to cook quinoa . Make it at least one day ahead of time.
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Frozen peas – Not a fan of peas? You can swap in edamame!
- Liquid aminos – Or use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Rice wine
- Green onions
How to Make Quinoa Fried Rice
Fried rice with quinoa comes together in a few minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Fry the quinoa . Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt a teaspoon of coconut oil in the pan, then add the quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa is beginning to get brown and crispy.
Add the veggies and liquids . Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the carrots, garlic, peas, liquid aminos, and rice wine. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Finish . Stir in the tofu scramble and green onions, then remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
Here are some pointers for perfect quinoa fried rice.
- Cut down on prep time . If your grocery store has a salad bar, you can buy the carrots, peas, and green onions from there and save some time.
- Make sure the quinoa isn’t soggy . If your quinoa is wet, you’ll end up with mushy quinoa fried rice. It should be dry, light, and fluffy.
- Deglaze the pan . If the quinoa is sticking to the pan after frying it, when you add the liquids, you can deglaze the pan and scrape off the burnt-on bits at the bottom of the skillet. This will add lots of flavor to your quinoa fried rice!
Serving Suggestions
Serve quinoa fried rice alongside other Asian-inspired favourites like:
- General Tso Tofu
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings
- Air Fryer Orange Tofu
- Vegan Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings)
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Fried rice with quinoa is great for meal prep! Store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can warm up the quinoa in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of oil.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze quinoa fried rice for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat it from frozen or let it thaw in the refrigerator first.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tofu scramble
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa , made one day ahead of time
- 1 large carrot , shredded
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 2 tablespoons green onions , plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan over medium high heat, add one teaspoon coconut oil and add the cooked quinoa. Stir quinoa while sizzling until it begins to brown a bit, after a few minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in the carrots, garlic, frozen peas, liquid aminos and rice wine. Stir to combine, and allow to cook for about 8 minutes until carrots have softened and everything is combined.
- Add in the tofu scramble and green onions, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Add more green onions for garnish if you desire.
- Serve immediately and enjoy! If not serving immediately, allow to cook then store in an air-tight tupperware container. Enjoy!
Notes
Vegan Quinoa Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup tofu scramble
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa made one day ahead of time
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 2 tablespoons green onions plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan over medium high heat, add one teaspoon coconut oil and add the cooked quinoa. Stir quinoa while sizzling until it begins to brown a bit, after a few minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in the carrots, garlic, frozen peas, liquid aminos and rice wine. Stir to combine, and allow to cook for about 8 minutes until carrots have softened and everything is combined.
- Add in the tofu scramble and green onions, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Add more green onions for garnish if you desire.
- Serve immediately and enjoy! If not serving immediately, allow to cook then store in an air-tight tupperware container. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Quinoa Fried Rice https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-quinoa-fried-rice/ May 25, 2022
These Crispy Quinoa Patties are packed with veggies, loaded with flavor, and so easy to make! Serve them up with tahini sauce for the perfect vegan meal prep option.
These Crispy Quinoa Patties are one of my favorite ways to make a salad into a meal . They are beautifully crispy on the outside thanks to pan-frying, they’re loaded with spinach and tomatoes for flavor, and they pack in protein thanks to the quinoa. They’re gluten-free and vegan, too.
If you’re serving these on a salad like I did, you can pair them with your favorite dressing, but I whipped up a tangy vegan yogurt tahini sauce for spooning over these quinoa patties and the salad. It’s the perfect finishing touch!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Quinoa Patties
There’s a hundred reason why these quinoa patties will be a quick hit with you and your family. Here’s why they’re at the top of my list:
- Made for meal prepping. This recipe makes a big batch which is great for planning meals later in the week. They keep beautifully in the fridge or freezer, plus they’re easy to pack into lunchboxes to enjoy at room temperature, no heating needed.
- Highly versatile. Enjoy them solo, on top of salad, sandwiched between bread, or soaking in your favorite soup. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there’s always a place at the table for these patties!
- Plant-based protein. You get a complete plant protein in a compact, delicious package with these brilliant little bites.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
For the quinoa patties:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Parsley
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Coconut oil
- Raw spinach
- Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer
- Gluten-free flour – Or use all-purpose flour if you’re not avoiding gluten.
- Tomatoes – You can swap in sun-dried tomatoes to add texture and a more intense flavor.
- Cooked quinoa – Here’s how to cook quinoa .
For the yogurt tahini sauce:
- Vegan Greek yogurt
- Lime juice
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Tahini – Here’s how to make your own tahini .
- Parsley
- Pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
How Do You Use Bob’s Egg Replacer?
If you’ve never used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer before, you simply mix one tablespoon of the egg replacer with two tablespoons of water. It works really well, and you’ll be glad to have it on hand in your pantry because you can use it to replace eggs in so many of your favorite recipes!
How to Make Crispy Quinoa Patties
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make these quinoa cakes, along with the sauce for topping them.
Make the yogurt tahini sauce:
- Whisk together the ingredients. Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste.
- Chill . Cover the bowl and place the sauce in the refrigerator until the quinoa patties are done.
Make the quinoa patties:
- Cook the vegetables. Set a skillet over medium heat and melt a teaspoon of coconut oil in it. Add the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the spinach with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Make the quinoa patty mixture . In a large mixing bowl, stir together the quinoa, cooked veggie mixture, parsley, salt, pepper, egg replacer, flour, and tomatoes.
- Form the patties . Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the quinoa mixture for each patty and shape it with your hands. Repeat with the rest of the mixture; you should end up with about 10 patties.
- Cook . Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the patties and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or work in batches if needed to avoid over-crowding the pan.
- Finish . Transfer the cooked patties to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Once the patties have cooled a bit, serve them with the yogurt tahini sauce.
Tips for Success
Here are some pointers for perfect quinoa patties.
- Make sure the quinoa isn’t soggy . It should be light and fluffy, not wet; you don’t want to introduce extra liquid into the batter because your quinoa patties won’t hold together.
- Press the patties together . When you’re forming the patties, press them together firmly to keep them from falling apart when you flip them.
- Add more oil if needed . If the oil is absorbed, you might need to add more to the pan before you cook the next batch of quinoa cakes.
Can I Bake These Instead?
Yes, if you want to try baking them, I would recommend baking these quinoa patties at 450ºF for 10-15 minutes to crisp the outside while cooking the inside.
What to Serve with Quinoa and Spinach Patties
With a little creativity and inspiration, there’s no limit all the different way you can enjoy your quinoa patties. Here are my top suggestions:
- On a bed of greens
- Tucked into pita bread with your favorite Mediterranean toppings and spreads (try them with my Perfect Homemade Hummus )
- Served as an appetizer with Homemade Marinara Sauce for dipping
- Soaking in your favorite soup or stew
- Sandwiched between bread, optionally grilled to make a panini
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
These quinoa patties are at their best fresh out of the pan, but you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, so they work for meal prep too. To reheat, warm them up in the microwave, a 350ºF oven, or in a skillet with a splash of oil.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze these quinoa patties for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Vegan Lunch Recipes
- Vegan Tempeh Gyros
- Quinoa Pizza Bites
- Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Vegan Fish Sticks
- Nourishing Vegan Buddha Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons parsley , chopped
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 cups raw spinach , chopped into bite size pieces
- 2 Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer **
- 5 tablespoons all purpose gluten free flour mix
- ⅓ cup tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup Greek vegan yogurt
- Juice of ½ lime
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
- pinch of pepper
- ¼ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- You can make this sauce before the patties are made, to allow the flavors to meld. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly until combined. Taste test and add a little more salt if needed, or any more of your favorite flavors. Place in the fridge covered until ready to use.
Quinoa Patties
- In a pan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Once hot, add in the garlic and the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add in the spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, add in the quinoa, the garlic, onion and spinach mixture, the parsley, salt, pepper, egg replacers, flour and tomatoes. Stir together with a wooden spoon to mix until combined.
- Using a tablespoon measurement, scoop out a heaping tablespoon for one patty. Using your hands, form together into the shape of a small patty. Do this with the rest of the mixture. You should get about ten.
- In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil to medium high heat. Once hot, add in one patty. Allow to sizzle and cook on one side for about 2 to 3 minutes while it cooks, then flip and repeat. The pan will get hotter after this, so feel free to turn it down. Add the rest of the patties and cook. You can add them one by one, or as many as you can without overcrowding the pan. The rest of the oil is if you need a little extra.
- Remove from the pan and onto a paper towel to remove any extra oil from the patties. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with the yogurt tahini sauce and enjoy!
