This easy, one-pot quinoa with peas and Parmesan cheese is a simple side dish with big flavors! It’s perfect for a quick dinner side to pair with your favorite chicken or pork recipe.

We had a GSD kind-of weekend here. (That's get sh** done!)

We tackled some items on my spring cleaning list, ran errands, did all the laundry, shopped till we dropped and I squeezed in some work as well.

I kinda need another weekend to recover... Alas, it's Monday morning and on we go full steam into another week. Better put my big girl pants on!

So you must know by now that grains or veggies (or grains AND veggies) plus a bit of cheese = heaven to me!

I adore my one-pan cheesy potatoes and green peas and I simply can’t get enough of my peas with bacon, shallots and Parmesan.

Both totally drool-worthy!

And today I’m sharing my one-pot quinoa with peas and Parmesan.

We’ve got tender, fluffy quinoa mixed with sweet peas and nutty, salty Parmesan — plus an extra bit of richness from the butter — to make a combination that's simply scrumptious!

Oh, and also easy. Just a few simple ingredients. And pretty fast. Plus, it’s vegetarian and gluten-free.

High-fives all around, right?!

And while I love the simplicity of this dish, there’s a few ways you could punch up the flavor if you want to change it up a bit.

Variations on this quinoa with peas and Parmesan recipe:

• Cook the quinoa in vegetable or chicken broth.
• Add some fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley, for a quinoa with peas and herbs version of this dish.
• Add onions or shallots. Chop them finely and sauté them in olive oil before you add the quinoa to the pan to cook and it's still a one-pot recipe.
• Finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or even a drizzle of white wine vinegar.
• Substitute Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano for the Parmesan cheese.
• Switch out the grain and use brown rice or even orzo in place of the quinoa. Just be sure to check the package instructions and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

We love to serve this easy side dish with chicken or pork tenderloin. I’ve got a few recipe suggestions for you if you want some new ideas in that department.

Main dishes to pair with quinoa and peas:

- Baked Parmesan chicken

- Skillet paprika chicken

- Roasted honey butter chicken

- Crunchy baked pork chops or

- Balsamic pork tenderloin with thyme (just 3 ingredients!)

If you love whole grains and veggie like me, I hope you’ll give this simple side dish a try!

Enjoy!

XO,
Kathryn

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 servings

One-pot quinoa with peas and Parmesan

Print

This easy, one-pot side dish is perfect for a quick dinner side dish that's big on flavor!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan or hard Italian cheese, plus extra for serving

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions in a large pot.
2. Once quinoa has finished the cook time, turn off heat and add the peas to the top of the pot. Recover and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Fluff the quinoa and stir in the peas. Then stir in remaining ingredients until combined (and until the butter is melted.
4. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Want to punch up the flavor a bit? Here's a few ideas:

• Cook the quinoa in vegetable or chicken broth.
• Add some fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley.
• Add onions or shallots. You’ll need to chop them fine and sauté them in olive oil before you add the quinoa to the pan to cook.
• Finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• Substitute Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano for the Parmesan cheese.
• Switch out the grain and use brown rice or even orzo in place of the quinoa. Adjust cooking times as needed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 237Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 200mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g