This healthy breakfast quinoa recipe is thick, creamy, and high in protein. It’s a delicious morning alternative to oatmeal!
Healthy breakfast quinoa bowls
If you are looking for a change from the usual oatmeal or cold cereal, homemade breakfast quinoa is the perfect solution.
And if you’ve only ever tried quinoa in salad, prepare to fall in love with the creamy texture of these whole grain, hot comfort food breakfast bowls.
The best part is that the recipe gives you unlimited flavor options. So you can try a different variation every day of the week. Breakfast will never be boring again!
Also try these healthy Applesauce Muffins
Quinoa breakfast porridge flavors
Apple Cinnamon: Include one finely chopped apple along with the other ingredients. Increase the cinnamon to half a teaspoon.
Peanut Butter: Stir in two tablespoons of peanut, cashew, or almond butter at the very beginning. Top the finished quinoa bowls with mini chocolate chips.
Banana Bread: Add a ripe mashed banana before bringing the quinoa to a boil. Do include the optional cinnamon, and garnish with diced, toasted pecans.
Piña Colada: For a tropical breakfast treat, use coconut milk for the milk of choice. Stir in a half cup of canned pineapple tidbits, and garnish with shredded coconut.
Blueberry Pie: Stir in up to a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries at any point during the cooking process. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, or other fruit also work here.
Chocolate Brownie: Before cooking the quinoa porridge, add one tablespoon of cocoa powder to the saucepan. Remove the fluffy quinoa from the heat and add a fourth teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and a handful of semi sweet or dark chocolate.
Other Add Ins: Have fun customizing your vegan breakfast quinoa by adding raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, ground ginger and nutmeg, chia seeds, hemp seeds, Mediterranean spice blend, rainbow birthday cake sprinkles, roasted walnuts, diced pistachios, or raw cacao nibs.
Readers also love this Brownie Baked Oatmeal
Savory breakfast quinoa recipe
Use unsweetened milk of choice in the recipe below.
Add a cup of raw kale or spinach and three tablespoons of nutritional yeast or Parmesan before heating the quinoa.
Many people top savory quinoa with a fried or poached egg. As a vegan, I like to add black beans, chickpeas, or air fried tofu.
This savory quinoa could easily be served as breakfast for dinner.
Step by step video
Above, watch the breakfast quinoa recipe video
What does quinoa taste like?
Cooked quinoa has a light, slightly chewy, fluffy texture.
If you like oatmeal, chances are high that you will enjoy the taste of quinoa as well.
Its flavor is mild, nutty, and earthy, similar to brown rice or amaranth.
For this nutritious hot cereal recipe, feel free to use yellow quinoa, red quinoa, white quinoa, black quinoa, or tri color quinoa.
Breakfast quinoa ingredients
The recipe calls for raw quinoa, milk or unsweetened creamer, water, a pinch of salt, sweetener of choice, optional cinnamon, and toppings of choice.
For plant based and vegan breakfast quinoa, try almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk. Or use canned coconut milk for a rich morning meal that tastes like dessert.
Choose your favorite all purpose sweetener. Good options include pure maple syrup, honey, agave, regular sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or date sugar.
For a sweet breakfast quinoa recipe with no sugar, use a sugar free sweetener like xylitol or a monk fruit blend.
Trending breakfast: Healthy Blueberry Muffins
How to make the recipe
Rinse quinoa in a fine colander, then add it to a medium saucepan along with the water, salt, sweetener, and cinnamon.
Bring the saucepan to a boil over medium heat on the stove top.
Once boiling, cover the pan and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for twenty minutes or until the cooked quinoa is thick and fluffy.
Stir in the milk or cream, increase to medium heat, and stir frequently until it reaches your desired breakfast porridge texture and thickness.
Top as you wish, using any of the ideas above or your own creativity. Serve and enjoy.
Tips for best results
Whether you are making stove top or baked quinoa, it is important to first rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, even if the quinoa is organic.
This step removes a natural coating called saponin, which has a bitter taste and is not well tolerated by some individuals. Removing the saponins by rinsing quinoa under cold water will also remove the soap aftertaste.
How much time it takes to cook quinoa will depend on the strength of your stove top’s simmer option. In general, cooked quinoa should be fluffy after about twenty minutes.
This breakfast quinoa recipe can be eaten hot, warm, or cold. It is entirely your choice.
To feed a family, or for healthy breakfast meal prep, feel free to double the recipe. Store leftovers in a covered container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to five days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stove for an almost instant breakfast.
While you can technically freeze quinoa, the texture will not be as smooth.
Serve with a Pumpkin Spice Latte in the winter or a Frappuccino Recipe in the summer.
Nutrition and health benefits
Unlike quick or rolled oats, quinoa is a complete protein, with eight grams of protein per cup and all nine essential amino acids.
It is high in fiber, gluten free, cholesterol free, low calorie, and grain free. (Quinoa is classified as a whole grain, but it is technically a seed.)
With more fiber and protein than brown rice, quinoa is a high protein, energizing breakfast option that can keep you full for hours.
The pseudocereal or pseudograin is a good souse of antioxidants and minerals such as folate, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and potassium. Go with a fortified milk for additional nutrition and protein.
For the reasons above, you will often see quinoa recipes on many health food, weight loss, or Weight Watchers breakfast menus.
Breakfast Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup raw quinoa
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk of choice or unsweetened creamer
- sweetener of choice
- optional handful raisins, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, etc.
- optional 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- The sweetener amount will depend on your tastebuds and whether you use sweetened or unsweetened milk. Add sweetener either before or after cooking.To make breakfast quinoa bowls, first rinse and drain the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Bring all ingredients except the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Once boiling, turn to a simmer and cover 20 minutes or until fluffy. Stir in the milk or cream, and return to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently until quinoa reaches your desired texture and thickness. Toppings can be added at any time while cooking or to garnish the finished breakfast quinoa.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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More Easy Overnight Breakfast Recipes
Nonie says
A bit late to the party, here. Anyway I had this wonderful cold breakfast pudding at a cafe in Sydney Australia with rice and quinoa (one was black…maybe the rice?) and various seeds and nuts. It was finished with a blob of yogurt, fresh strawberries. I loved it and can NOT find a recipe of any sort to try and make this for myself. I’m dying to get something similar. Any help for me?
Yvette says
Tried this this morning and it’s been cooking for an hour and it’s still soup. I made it exactly as it’s stated and exact liquid amounts. If I had used half the milk amount it would be perfect. Doesn’t look like your picture at all. Sorry usually your recipes are no fail but this one is a major fail!!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
It specifically says in the recipe that if yours is still liquid, you just need to cook longer. Or you can put it in the fridge and it will magically thicken overnight. Please report back with results when you do this.
Rudi says
last night i cooked my quinoa (i regretted not using almond milk rather than water) and after it was done, I swirled in honey, cinnamon, and a few Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate morsels. The next morning, i added some greek yogurt, craisins, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and fresh raspberries. It was a delicious breakfast.
bob says
“Some ovens are not as powerful – in these cases, simply heat at a higher power or for a longer amount of time.” Do you mean some stoves are not as powerful?
Charlotte says
I just made this for dinner! I know it’s “breakfast quinoa”, but I was craving something sweet and I didn’t want to wait until morning. I added cardamom, nutmeg and coconut butter and it was really incredible. I think I might just like it more than oatmeal!
SuziCat says
Katie – darling – I love you, and I’m sure your recipe is delicious, but – WHOOOO is going to spend 30 minutes cooking breakfast?!? I’d LOVE to see this recipe revamped using a crockpot – you know, one of those tiny ones – so it would be a more realistic breakfast option. And how well does it reheat when you’re only cooking for one?
Rhian says
I made this recipe this morning with left over quinoa, I made it as suggested but cut the raisins and stirred in some peanut butter and vanilla yogurt just before serving. I was really impressed how creamy and fluffy the quinoa turned out, just like oatmeal consistency. I was a bit concerned it wouldn’t work after reading a couple of comments but it was perfect!
Brandie says
Could you make this in a rice cooker? If so, how would you change the directions?
Linda W says
Has anyone tried to make “overnight quinoa.” Like overnight oatmeal. Sure would reduce the hands-on time.
Julie says
Yup, I’d eat quinoa porridge for breakfast ! I’ve already reheated leftover quinoa with milk & raisins and called that breakfast. But wow, chocolate chips…have to try that! Yum.
alainore stallard says
Yes, will definitely be trying quinoa for breakfast! I’m thinking this would also be a great evening snack, maybe stir some peanut butter into the quinoa and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
laura says
Have you ever made quinoa in a rice cooker. I just got a new rice cooker and it works great for steele cut oats, now im wondering about quinoa.
Olivia says
LOVE!
Katie Windom says
I have used several recioes for Breakfast Quinoa and this is by far my favorite! There are endless possibilities on how you chose to serve it. It is an instant comfort! This morning I added cacoa and it tastes like Chocolate Malt O Meal, but gluten free and guilt free!
Hillary says
Hi Katie,
I usually love your recipes, but this one didn’t work for me! I had the same problem as many other commenters… It’s been cooking for over an hour (I even brought it back to a boil and took off the lid) but is still a soupy consistency. I’ve never before had an issue with a low-powered stove. In fact, the quinoa is now so overcooked that you can no longer distinguish individual quinoa seeds. It is all mush, almost liquefied. Nothing like your picture. I’m sorry for the negative review, but I think something is wrong. Maybe different quinoa brands require different liquid ratios? I’m just sad that I used the last of my favorite almond milk for this. 🙁
Ashley says
I have been hoarding a bag of quinoa for months now and need to actually do something with it. This would be perfect!
Heather says
Well I tried making this this morning and it was a flavourless goop even with the vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate chips! I am a huge fan of quinoa but I guess not for breakfast.
Mary Ortwine says
I love your recipes, especially the different versions of banana breads. I always have some in my freezer.
I will be trying this quinoa as it sounds yummy.
You always have such great suggestions for additions to the recipes. Is there some way you can make those suggestions printable?
Thanks.
Sharon says
This breakfast quinoa idea is brilliant! It was our first time ever having quinoa cold and sweet, and the kids loved it!