This Quinoa Upma Recipe combines traditional Indian spices with healthy quinoa! Perfect for a savory breakfast, lunch, snack, or side dish. This Indian Quinoa with Vegetables is vegan + gluten free + so easy to prepare. Ready in under 30 minutes!
What Is Upma?
Upma is a traditional Indian meal, but for this recipe, I decided to try it with quinoa. We also love upma with a vermicelli base like in my Vermicelli Upma Recipe. This Quinoa Upma can be eaten for breakfast or any meal! Upma is a traditionally a South Indian dish, but no matter where you go in India, upma is a very popular breakfast item. Rava upma is typically made from dry roasted semolina. The semolina is cooked into a porridge consistency with spices, nuts, and often vegetables. In most Indian homes, this is eaten as a savory breakfast but can also be eaten as a snack, brunch, or even lunch. I make this Quinoa Upma for dinner quite often with vegetable sabzi (Soy Beans, Eggplant, or Okra).
For the Love of Quinoa
Let’s talk for a second about quinoa. First, I love quinoa. Second, we here at MVF eat it at least once per week. Third, you MUST wash your quinoa!!! If not, it will have a bitter taste, something resembling a soapy substance. Most importantly, I make a big batch of plain quinoa my instant pot on Mondays. After that, I always have it on hand for the entire week to toss into whatever I dream up. Follow my tips here for making quinoa in your instant pot like we do.
Not sure you should be eating quinoa?
Then you should definitely check out my guide here.
How To Cook Your Quinoa for This Quinoa Upma Recipe:
Cooking Quinoa Stove-Top:
- First, rinse the quinoa!
- Second, bring 1 cup of water + 1 cup of quinoa to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. You will know the quinoa is cooked when all of the water has been absorbed and you can see the quinoa open up a little. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
Rice Cooker Quinoa:
- First, rinse your quinoa!
- Second, place 1 cup of water of water + 1 cup of quinoa in your rice cooker. Follow your device’s instructions as you would for white rice.
- Finally, the cooker should automatically turn off when quinoa is finished cooking.
Instant Pot Quinoa:
- First, rinse your quinoa!
- Second, place 1 cup quinoa + 1 cup water in Instant Pot.
- Third, put the lid on and set the lever to ‘seal’.
- Next, press ‘manual’ and adjust the arrows to 1 minute cook time.
- Finally, when your Instant Pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally (usually takes around 10 minutes).
- See my full post here on Basic Instant Pot Quinoa.
Need More Incredibly Indian Recipe Ideas? Here are a few of our favorites:
- Lentil Curry
- Instant Pot Turmeric Lentils
- Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala)
- Rice Flour Rotli
- Poha Chivda (Baked not Fried!)
- Batata Poha
- Easy Indian Vegetable Curry
- Easy Vegetable Korma
- Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Copycat McDonald’s Spicy Paneer Wrap
Need More Quinoa Ideas?
Try my recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa which is a FAVORITE in the MVF house and on regular rotation! Some other dinner ideas include Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl, Spinach Mushroom Quinoa, Quinoa Stuffed Peppers or Quinoa Vegetable Soup: Instant Pot or Stove-Top. After that, you could make Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad or Toasted Quinoa for on top of a salad or soup 😍.
We LOVE this Indian quinoa with vegetables but we also enjoy quinoa as a snack! Our favorite way to use quinoa in our snacks are Quinoa Crackers. For breakfast we love this Instant Pot Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. Similarly, we love our Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.
Quinoa Upma Recipe
This Quinoa Upma can be eaten for breakfast or any meal! See how easy it is to make Indian quinoa with vegetables! Ready in 20 minutes + healthy!!!
Directions
- Step 1 To Cook Quinoa Stove-Top: Rinse quinoa, Bring 2 cups of water + 1 cup of quinoa to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. You will know the quinoa is cooked when all of the water has been absorbed and you can see the quinoa open up a little.
- Step 2 Rice Cooker Quinoa: Rinse Quinoa, Place 2 cups of water of water + 1 cup of quinoa in your rice cooker. Follow your device’s instructions as you would for white rice. The cooker should automatically turn off when quinoa is finished cooking.
- Step 3 Instant Pot Quinoa: First, rinse quinoa, Second, place 1 cup quinoa + 1 cup water in Instant Pot. Third, put the lid on and set the lever to ‘seal’. Finally, press ‘manual’ and adjust the arrows to 1 minute cook time. When your Instant Pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally (usually takes around 10 minutes).
- Step 4 While the quinoa cooks, add oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow them to pop. After they pop, add in the chana dal, urad dal, peanuts, and cashews. Continue to cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown, do not allow them to burn.
- Step 5 To the same pan, add the turmeric, curry leaves, red chili pepper powder (if using), and onions. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Step 6 Pour in peas + carrots, turn off the heat, place cover on pan.
- Step 7 When quinoa is done cooking, carefully remove lid + fluff quinoa with a fork.
- Step 8 Transfer quinoa to the pot with the peas/carrots/nuts mixture. Give everything a good stir to ensure all quinoa is coated with the flavors.
- Step 9 Cook over low heat for 3 minutes or until peas + carrots are cooked through and flavors are absorbed throughout. Test salt + spice level, adjust to taste.
- Step 10 Store leftovers in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
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