This tasty, zesty bean quinoa is packed with protein, bursting with fresh citrus flavour and suitable for vegetarians and vegans!
This gorgeous dish is so easy to make - taking about 20 minutes, including cooking the quinoa.
Quinoa is a grain that has been around for thousands of years, but its superfood properties have only recently been fully explored. It's actually known as a “complete protein”, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids, and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals.
Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free, making it a great alternative to pasta.
Alongside the quinoa, the kidney beans and edamame (soya) beans in this dish provide fibre, iron and a steady source of energy, while green beans, sweetcorn, red pepper and peas ramp up the nourishing goodness.
Factor in the smoky paprika, aromatic garlic and zingy lemon and lime and you have yourselves a deliciously zesty bean quinoa.
To make it, you'll start by putting your quinoa on to cook, which is no trickier than cooking pasta and definitely easier than cooking rice.
Next, you'll sweat red onions with paprika and garlic, then add chopped peppers, followed by all those lovely peas and beans. Once everything is cooked through, your quinoa should be cooked and ready to drain and add to the pot, along with the zest and juice of your lemon and lime.
It's such a tasty, healthy dish. I know you're going to love it.
Here's the full recipe for my zesty bean quinoa.
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) tricolour quinoa
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tsp paprika
- salt and black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 yellow pepper deseeded and diced
- 240 g (14 oz) canned red kidney beans 1 can rinsed and drained
- 50 g (⅓ cup) sweetcorn
- 100 g (⅔ cup) peas
- 100 g (⅔ cup) edamame beans
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 10 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley stalks removed and roughly chopped
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa well in running water, then tip into a pan and cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
Add the red onion, garlic, paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Sweat for 5 minutes until softening.
Add the chopped peppers.
Sweat for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure nothing catches.
Add the kidney beans, sweetcorn, peas and edamame.
Stir until heated through.
When the quinoa is cooked, it will taste tender and you should be able to see that the grains have popped open revealing little white tails (the germs).
Drain the quinoa well and add to the pan with the beans.
Add the lemon and lime zest and half the juice of each.
Stir, season to taste and decide if you want to add more of the lemon and lime juice, splash by splash until you’re happy with the flavour.
Spoon into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
Enjoy!
Print this zesty bean quinoa recipe
Zesty Bean Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) tricolour quinoa
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tsp paprika
- salt and black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 yellow pepper deseeded and diced
- 240 g (14 oz) canned red kidney beans 1 can rinsed and drained
- 50 g (⅓ cup) sweetcorn
- 100 g (⅔ cup) peas
- 100 g (⅔ cup) edamame beans
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 10 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley stalks removed and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa well in running water, then tip into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
- Add the red onion, garlic, paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sweat for 5 minutes until softening.
- Add the chopped peppers and sweat for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure nothing catches.
- Add the kidney beans, sweetcorn, peas and edamame. Stir until heated through.
- When the quinoa is cooked, it will taste tender and you should be able to see that the grains have popped open revealing little white tails (the germs). Drain the quinoa well and add to the pan with the beans.
- Add the lemon and lime zest and half the juice of each.
- Stir, season to taste and decide if you want to add more of the lemon and lime juice, splash by splash until you’re happy with the flavour.
- Spoon into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
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Simon Smith says
I was slightly under with my bread crumbs.Even so, I think I will increase above the recipe weight as well though in future. My patties were a little sloppy because of this, and possibly my impatience in waiting for the quinoa to cool, mix, and absorb moisture... (I was hungry :-) )
I enjoyed three of these with some steamed potatoes and onion gravy,
This recipe has rescued a blandish Iceland product into something I will certainly use again. Nutritious as well as enjoyable. A good combination.
Emily Leary says
Glad you enjoyed it! Breadcrumbs are pretty light when dry so the slight difference in weight could have played a part as could have the warm quinoa but it sounds like you know how to go with your gut so I'm sure you'll nail it next time! x
Kirsty says
They look really nice! The colours are amazing. Xx
Sophie says
It's so alien to me to consider Iceland as anywhere you could buy anything of nutrition - to me, Iceland has always been the place you go when you really fancy something cheap and nasty! Great to consider that there are better options there though, as they can often be nice and cheap.
Emily Leary says
I know just what you mean. Before I started this project, I went into my local Iceland and piled my trolley high with all sorts of products so that I could get a feel for what they offer today. First off, I was amazed by the choice (it is NOT just giant lasagnes and party food, although that selection is good too), secondly, I was amazed by how simple the ingredients list on the products is (eg the frozen mash just contains potato, butter, milk and a dash of salt), thirdly, I was surprised by the price at the checkout (I spent under £80 and completely stocked our American style freezer top to bottom, which lasted ages), and lastly by the quality (it's excellent!). I'm confident in saying that the Iceland range offers genuinely good quality, delicious food so I'm really pleased to be working on showcasing just how great it is.
Martin @ The Why Chef says
I don't have an Iceland near me so I'm going to deconstruct the pack for this, but they sound really good! Plus the gov's eatwell plate keeps telling me off for eating too much meat... I'm nicking the mint yogurt from the halloumi couscous as a dressing.