Vegan Fried Rice with Quinoa
This Vegan Fried Rice with Quinoa is perfect for meal prep, and it even includes vegan eggs! It tastes just like regular fried rice, but it packs in much more nutrition.
It’s easy to make fried rice vegan by omitting the egg, but you have to admit, it’s not quite the same. So when I was developing this quinoa fried rice, I decided to add tofu scramble for that element of egginess!
I’ve gone around the world and back with vegan scrambled egg replacements and tofu scramble is still my favourite. The colour is spot on and I love not only the flavour that it adds, but also the protein. I’m not going to say it’s IDENTICAL to eggs, but in a dish like quinoa fried rice, it’s very close.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much this recipe tastes like regular fried rice. Just like the traditional version, using day-old cooked quinoa is crucial to the flavour and texture of the finished dish.
Feel free to put your own spin on this quinoa fried rice recipe and make it your own! Add some vegan chicken, extra veggies, pineapple—anything you like in takeout fried rice will work here too.
Is Quinoa Healthier Than Rice?
Yes, quinoa is healthier than rice! It’s higher in fibre, has twice as much protein, and boasts more vitamins and minerals. Swapping the rice for quinoa in fried rice delivers much more nutrition!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Tofu scramble
- Coconut oil
- Quinoa – Here’s how to cook quinoa. Make it at least one day ahead of time.
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Frozen peas – Not a fan of peas? You can swap in edamame!
- Liquid aminos – Or use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Rice wine
- Green onions
How to Make Quinoa Fried Rice
Fried rice with quinoa comes together in a few minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Fry the quinoa. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt a teaspoon of coconut oil in the pan, then add the quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa is beginning to get brown and crispy.
Add the veggies and liquids. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the carrots, garlic, peas, liquid aminos, and rice wine. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Finish. Stir in the tofu scramble and green onions, then remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
Here are some pointers for perfect quinoa fried rice.
- Cut down on prep time. If your grocery store has a salad bar, you can buy the carrots, peas, and green onions from there and save some time.
- Make sure the quinoa isn’t soggy. If your quinoa is wet, you’ll end up with mushy quinoa fried rice. It should be dry, light, and fluffy.
- Deglaze the pan. If the quinoa is sticking to the pan after frying it, when you add the liquids, you can deglaze the pan and scrape off the burnt-on bits at the bottom of the skillet. This will add lots of flavor to your quinoa fried rice!
Serving Suggestions
Serve quinoa fried rice alongside other Asian-inspired favourites like:
- General Tso Tofu
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings
- Air Fryer Orange Tofu
- Vegan Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings)
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Fried rice with quinoa is great for meal prep! Store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can warm up the quinoa in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of oil.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze quinoa fried rice for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat it from frozen or let it thaw in the refrigerator first.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan quinoa fried rice recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Quinoa Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup tofu scramble
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, made one day ahead of time
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 2 tablespoons green onions, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan over medium high heat, add one teaspoon coconut oil and add the cooked quinoa. Stir quinoa while sizzling until it begins to brown a bit, after a few minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in the carrots, garlic, frozen peas, liquid aminos and rice wine. Stir to combine, and allow to cook for about 8 minutes until carrots have softened and everything is combined.
- Add in the tofu scramble and green onions, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Add more green onions for garnish if you desire.
- Serve immediately and enjoy! If not serving immediately, allow to cook then store in an air-tight tupperware container. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Sounds delicious..can’t wait to make this!
Thank you so much Heather! We hope you enjoy it when you try it!!
Looks delish!! I’m want to make this as part of my meal prep for this week, but I’m a little confused by the instructions. Step 1 says to cook the quinoa on medium and then in Step 2 it says to REDUCE to medium-high. Should it be the other way around, or do we start at “high”?
Hi Renee,
Thank you so much! You’re so right it’s the other way around! MEDIUM HIGH to MEDIUM! I’m going to go fix that now – I hope you enjoy so much!
Made this twice in three days because it is so delicious I had it for every meal of the day. Just like my Dad used to make (but with rice as we didn’t know about quinoa decades ago). The combo of your tofu scramble recipe and the simple yet perfect combo of ingredients for the rice is the kind of comfort food I need. Thank you for this healthy and flavorful recipe!
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe MJ! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!
This was quite tasty & quick for a weeknight dinner. Used leftover quinoa & tofu scramble (my favorite recipe -Robin Robertson’s skillet scramble- but I plan to try yours next) and the only addition I made this time was a handful of cashews. Oh, that reminds me, the sheet pan fried rice on your site is another big hit in my house— I’ve made it a bunch of times and always enjoyed it. I like how both recipes are not fussy (and lend themselves to using up veggies) but very flavorful. Thanks again!
Delicious easy fried quinoa recipe! I combined leftover
Brown rice and quinoa because that’s what I had and it went perfectly with the bang bang broccoli! Yummmmm!
Thanks so much!
“Quinoa instead of rice” you might be thinking? Well, let me just stop you right there. No need to think or question, just hit up the search tool and find Jessica’s tofu scramble recipe, make that, then come back here and make this… but only if you’ve already precooked your quinoa. 🙂 Balanced, flavorful and a great accompaniment to the Bang Bang Cauliflower AND extra killer the next morning with an egg over easy if you’re into that sort of thing. Reheats really well. We topped ours with a spoonful of crunchy chili oil from the Asian grocery. Delish!
Thank you so much for this kind review Lily. We really appreciate it!