I’ve been sharing tons of new vegetarian recipes with you so far this January. Sweet potato, black bean and spinach sauté is a great all-in-one skillet for a vegetarian meal, and I did a refresh with new photos of my favorite easy baked falafel. They are SO good! Oh, and we kicked off the new year with slow cooker vegetarian curry. Warm, hearty and so flavorful. I’ve got some more vegetarian recipes coming this week, so stay tuned. You can sign up for my free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you! OK, on to today’s recipe. It’s a twist on my southwest vegetarian quinoa skillet. I love that dish so much, I had to make a version with some of my other favorite flavors, namely, Mediterranean-inspired ones. This one pot Mediterranean quinoa skillet is a quick and easy vegetarian meal — ready in about 30 minutes — that’s filling and flavorful.
It’s loaded with onion and peppers, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, fluffy quinoa and the perfect blend of spices. Everything simmers away together as the quinoa cooks and then it’s finished by wilting in some fresh spinach and topping it with some feta cheese and olives. Hearty and yummy! This recipe is also naturally gluten-free and can be vegan if you omit the feta cheese. (Though I don’t recommend that; the feta adds such great tang and flavor to the finished dish!) OK, let’s get to cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make this Mediterranean quinoa skillet. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making one pot Mediterranean quinoa skillet:
The quinoa gets added to the skillet uncooked. It will cook in the liquid and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add some extra oomph to the recipe, but you can use regular diced tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand. Chickpeas are my go-to for this recipe. However, you could substitute cannellini beans if you prefer. Vegetable broth will keep this as a vegetarian recipe, but chicken broth is fine to use if that’s not a concern.
Looking for some extra protein? Feel free to add some cooked tofu for a vegetarian option, or some cooked chicken or seafood if desired. You can also check out my Mediterranean shrimp skillet for a quick dinner with some of these same great flavors. As for toppings, I very highly recommend using the feta and olives listed in the recipe card below. They add so much flavor to the dish after it’s simmered away. A good bit of tang and briny bite too. Yum! Fresh herbs - such as basil or parsley - or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice can also help brighten the flavors when you go to serve this. The herbs and lemon juice are listed as optional in the recipe card below, so they are fine to skip if you don’t have them on hand.
Now, let’s talk leftovers. (Trust me, you’ll want to have some to reheat for lunch another day. So easy and delicious!)
How to store leftover Mediterranean quinoa skillet:
- Leftovers of this dish will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove.
- It helps to add some additional salt and pepper or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavors again after reheating.
So there you have it. I hope you give this a try soon for a new, healthy way to enjoy quinoa, a new favorite meatless Monday dinner or just a new vegetarian recipe to enjoy at lunch or dinner. Cheers to a delicious and healthy start to the new year! XO, Kathryn P.S. You can browse all of my easy vegetarian recipes if you are looking for more inspiration.
Quinoa: The quinoa gets added to the skillet uncooked. It will cook in the liquid and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. Tomatoes: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add some extra oomph to the recipe, but you can use regular diced tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand. Beans: Chickpeas are my go-to for this recipe. However, you could substitute cannellini beans if you prefer. Broth: Vegetable broth will keep this as a vegetarian recipe, but chicken broth is fine to use if that’s not a concern. Looking for some extra protein? Feel free to add some cooked tofu for a vegetarian option, or some cooked chicken or seafood if desired. Leftovers: Leftovers of this dish will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. It helps to add some additional salt and pepper or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavors again after reheating.
