Lemon Quinoa Indian Style - Instant Pot

As the name suggests it's a lemon-flavored quinoa dish with spices that add taste to the nutty flavors from Quinoa.  With simple ingredients, Lemon Quinoa would be one of the easiest quinoa recipes you'll ever try.

Jump to:

• Reasons you should try this
• Serving ideas
• Instant Pot method
• Stovetop method
• Related recipes
• 📖 Recipe

This is definitely not the first (or last time) that you will hear me rave about the benefits of Quinoa and I have just the perfect and simple recipe for Quinoa that you can try today….Lemon Quinoa!

Recently I have started replacing rice in my diet with better options such as millets and quinoa and this recipe is one example of a rice substitute recipe. If you are familiar with Lemon rice in Indian cuisine, this recipe for Lemon Quinoa would be along similar lines except for the fact that this is a lot more nutritious than the rice dish.

I have always been a fan of lemon rice, and this recipe offers the same taste with a lighter, nutritious option. Quinoa has fewer carbs, fewer calories, and more protein than rice. So it's a win in every count. 

The only question is how to cook these grains perfectly in a way that brings out complementing flavors from the spices. This lemon quinoa is bursting with flavors from ginger, turmeric, and peanuts. If you like quinoa, you’ve got to try this quinoa recipe. 

Just like the Indian version comes in several variations, lemon quinoa can have similar variations that you can try once you get an idea of the recipe the first time. I used peanuts along with other spices to add flavor.

To make it super easy for you to follow, I have included step by step photos and video for this recipe. Now you will notice how easy it really is. I have shared several quinoa recipes in the past such as chana quinoa, Vegetable quinoa, and Quinoa Upama.

But this recipe for lemon quinoa would top them all in terms of easiness. I am sharing the procedure to prepare this dish over the stovetop as well as my favorite cooking gadget Instant Pot.

Reasons you should try this

Not just because of how easy or nutritious it is, there are other reasons that are just too appealing to overlook in this recipe…

• Vegan and gluten-free
• Can be prepare over the stovetop or the Instant Pot 
• Easy to clean after cooking (One pot recipe)
• Open for variations with curry leaves, cashews for garnishing. 

Serving ideas

You can serve Lemon Quinoa with a side of soup, raita, or even Indian pickles. Your choice of side dish depends on how spicy or mild your dish turns out to be. Spicy lemon quinoa would pair with raita or yogurt and vice versa for pickle. 

Instant Pot method

In the ‘saute’ setting, add a few teaspoons of oil to the inner pot.

As the oil heats up, add peanuts and saute until they start to turn crispy.

Add cumin seeds and sauté them until they start to sizzle.

Add grated ginger, chopped green chilies, and cook for about 30 seconds.

Now, add the rinsed quinoa, salt to taste and turmeric powder. 

Add water in the right proportion as noted in the ingredients list. Stir well. 

Close the lid of the instant pot and turn the steam release handle to the “sealing” position. Press the manual/pressure cooking setting and set the time for 2  minutes. 

As the timer expires, use the natural release to let the pressure settle and then open the lid.

Add lemon juice and cilantro. And mix well and it is ready to serve. 

Lemon Quinoa is ready to serve!

Stovetop method

Cook the quinoa in a separate bowl with 2 cups of water and place it aside. 

Place a pan over medium heat and add a few teaspoons of oil. As the oil heats up, add peanuts. Fry them to a crispy consistency.

Now, add cumin seeds and sauté them until they start to sizzle. Add the grated ginger, chopped green chilies, and cook for about a minute.

Add salt to taste and mix in the cooked quinoa. Give it a good mix until the flavors are evenly distributed.

Switch off the heat and squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and mix well.

Lemon quinoa is ready! Serve hot with a savory soup…

Note: You can skip the peanuts and replace them with cashew nuts or any other nuts that you love.

Related recipes

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