Mediterranean quinoa skillet with chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach is a quick and easy one-pan vegetarian dinner recipe that’s healthy but very filling and perfect for meatless Monday!
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.
One pot Mediterranean quinoa skillet
Mediterranean quinoa skillet with chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach is a quick and easy one-pan vegetarian dinner recipe that’s healthy and filling.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 14.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
For serving:
- ⅓ cup chopped Kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil or parsley (optional)
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, salt and pepper and sauté another 30 seconds.
- Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, quinoa, vegetable broth, oregano, cumin and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook on medium-low, maintaining a gentle simmer, for 18-20 minutes, until quinoa is tender and cooked.
- Stir in spinach until wilted, 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with olives, feta cheese and fresh herbs sprinkled on top.
Notes
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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 442Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 898mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 14gSugar: 12gProtein: 18g
Dora
I made this skillet as meal prep for this week and we had it for dinner yesterday evening. Even though my father wasn't a fan (he usually doesn't like this kind of dishes do nothing abnormal), my mom and I really enjoyed it. Thank you for this recipe 😋
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so glad you and your mom enjoyed this quinoa skillet! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Mandy
This recipe is so scrumptious! It easily doubles for me and my husband to enjoy at work as our meal prep for the next 3 days. Doubling it makes 6 perfect glass pyrex container servings! Thank you for sharing!!!!
Kathryn Doherty
Oh I'm so happy to hear you love it, thank you for sharing! And good on you for the healthy meal prep - that's awesome!
Rosemary Moreland
I tried to make this and doubles the recipe, as I needed to cook for more people. The quinoa was completely uncooked after 20 mins, so I added an additional 2 cups of water. 10 mins later and the quinoa is still raw. I’m beginning to lose hope that it will ever cook! I keep adding more liquid, but I feel as if the whole meal is totally ruined😪.I think if I was to make this again, I would just cook the quinoa separately and then add it to other cooked ingredients at the end.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm surprised to hear that about the quinoa... it usually cooks in 15 minutes on its own and I've always found that the 18-20 minutes here (or in similar recipes) in a skillet is plenty. I wonder if the pan was too crowded with everything being doubled and it wasn't able to cook properly? Regardless, I'm sorry, I know that's frustrating and disappointing when a recipe doesn't work out. You could certainly rework this recipe to use already cooked quinoa stirred into the dish.
Becky
Can I use blackeyed peas instead of chickpeas?
Kathryn Doherty
Black eyed peas have a much more pronounced flavor than chickpeas, and are less Mediterranean themed, but you could certainly try it that way!
Toni
I am always on the hunt for Mediterranean style recipes that are week night friendly. This dish is spot on! Easy, filling, and flavorful. Goat cheese (substitute for feta,) avocados, and cucumbers are a nice addition to the olives. Thank you. I look forward to other dishes from you.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this Toni! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂