Quick Ratatouille on Quinoa
Whenever I cook quinoa, I always make LOTS of extra and then use it in just about everything. I’m surprised I haven’t tried it in a smoothie just yet, but I get the feeling that it will eventually happen, and probably sooner than later!
Last week, when my daughter asked me to make my Quinoa Cakes and Poached Eggs again, I stayed true to myself and made WAY more quinoa than I actually needed. Oh, and by the way, I had forgotten just how good these cakes really were. Wow, I oughta make them more often! What a fantastic meal that was!
So anyway, my cooking too much quinoa means that you can expect to see a few recipes that call for cooked quinoa showing up here in the next couple of days… but if you’re anything like me, you won’t mind at all, because frankly, can you ever get enough quinoa? 😉
Apart from this quick ratatouille, which I chose to serve on a bed of warm quinoa, I’ve also made an Instant Apple Quinoa Bake, and some really yummy Pumpkin Zucchini Quinoa Muffins that contain no added sugar whatsoever. I can’t wait to share THAT recipe with you.
Because, well, you all know how I don’t care for muffins… at all! 😉
But for now, I give you this super quick and easy recipe for a simple ratatouille-like creation, to which I’ve added chickpeas for a little bit of extra protein. Also, I was lucky enough to have some leftover lentil tomato sauce from my Stripetti Squash au Gratin, which added even more protein and worked beautifully with the rest of the flavors, but if you don’t have any of that on hand and don’t want to go through the trouble of making some, you can go ahead and use your favorite tomato sauce.
I’m sure the dish will be just as good!
Quick Ratatouille on Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small eggplant, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1" pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups tomato sauce, canned or home made
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, canned would work too
- ¼ cup water
- 2-3 cups cooked quinoa
Instructions
- Coat a non-stick pan with cooking spray or drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes
- Add eggplant and zucchini and continue cooking until the vegetables start to brown and become tender, again about 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, chickpea and water, bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Serve over warm cooked quinoa.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
You can also FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER for more delicious, healthy recipes!
16 Comments on “Quick Ratatouille on Quinoa”
What a great idea! This looks so delicious, and the colors are so pretty!
We must think alike! I’ve been craving this exact meal lately.
I absoutely adore quinoa! mostly because its so versitile. quinoa makes a great rice pudding too!
Oooooh! I’d never thought of that one. Must be really really good indeed. Mental note taken! 😉
Very nice lighting in the photos! Not to mention the ratatouille looks great! I have never tried it before….. on the “to-make” list now =D
Thank you Livvy! If you like eggplants and zucchinis, you’re in for a treat! 🙂
Another recipe to add to my “must make” list. I’m looking forward to your apple and pumpkin recipes in the days ahead.
Guess what I just cooked for dinner? 🙂 My very first time trying quinoa and oh god, did I get hooked instantly!
Sonia, thank you so much for this super simple, easy and most importantly healthy and absolutely delicious recipe, I will be making this again over the week-end when a vegetarian girlfriend will be visiting. I am so grateful for all that you do! I just found your blog a few weeks ago and ever since I have been a daily visitor. Thank you so much for your health consciousness, creativity, intelligence, kindness and fantastic photography that you all add to your very tasty dishes!!! I hated cooking and it’s Nigella Lawson’s “doing” that I took the courage to even enter the kitchen just a few months ago (what a shame at 38, no kids obviously), but it was you, who actually made me spend more time in there than I would have ever imagined and I want to thank you for that! I am loving my newly found pleasure, it has brought me back the warmth of the home that I have been longing ever since I have been living on my own (i.e. away from the parental home). Please keep up this wonderful work, I hope you will never stop, you inspire me every day!!! Warmest wishes to you!
OMG, Kinga, you so must made my year! That is the nicest thing that’s ever been said to me. I am so getting this comment printed and framed, and whenever I feel it’s too much or I’ve had enough and I want to give up, I’ll just go ahead and read it, and it’ll just get me right on the right track again. You’re just fantastic, thank you very, very much. I hope you never stop cooking either… it’s such a beautiful thing. And I hope that I can keep inspiring you for years and years. 😀
This looks delicious! I love the idea of making extra quinoa and having it for the rest of the week. I am always looking for dinner ideas easy enough to make any night of the week!
Sonia, YOU are the one who is fantastic, and you give so much, yet you are very modest about the hard work you do and you also take the time to answer everyone, which is just amazing! Thank you, thank you a million times! Big virtual hug.
P.s. Sorry for a bit of emotion here, but this is how I really feel. 🙂
Hey, don’t be sorry Kinga… I’ll take emotion like that any day! Thanks again so very much. You’re just awesome! 😀
I made a version of this with what I had on hand. Left out the zuchinni (sp?) and subbed egg noodles for quinoa and lentils for the chick peas. Oh, and added a squeeze of lemon since I remember that from making ratatouille before. It was a great easy, healthy meal that I will probably make from now on instead of spaghetti (with meat sauce). I used a fire roasted tomato sauce and it was my first time cooking lentils, they are so fast… it’s wonderful! I discovered your blog and want to try soooo many of your recipes! Thank you!!!!
Awww, thank you so much Rachel, so happy you tried and liked this recipe! Love the idea of adding lemon juice, I’ll definitely keep that in mind for next time I make Ratatouille.
Hope you like the other recipes you try as much as you did that one. Please let me know how they turn out for you, I always appreciate getting feedback on my healthy creations! 🙂
Again, thanks a bunch for dropping by and for taking the time to leave this awesome comment! You rock! =D
I tried this recipe with my fiancé last night after our workout and were pleasantly surprised. It was our first time cooking with quinoa and we would definitely do it again. We cooked it in low-sodium chicken broth instead of water for more flavour. It was so quick and easy to make and was incredibly filling, which is great for a post-workout meal. Thanks for posting this! 🙂
Pleasure is all mine, Vanessa! Thanks for the great feedback, I really appreciate that! 🙂