Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa (2024)

Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa is a rustic and simple side dish, but hearty enough to be a cozy main too! Prepared with meaty cremini mushrooms which have been pan-fried in lots of garlic and butter, this dish is both garlicky and savoury.

GARLICKY MUSHROOM QUINOA

I have a crush on a girl. It’s true! She doesn’t know this yet, but she will if she reads this post. As you know, Dear Reader, Lord Byron’s Kitchen did not start with the intention of becoming such a large collection of recipes. When I started this blog, it was with the sole purpose of posting recipes that were inspired by the comfort food I had grown up with. But, there was one catch – that comfort food had to be made into a vegetarian version without sacrificing texture or taste.

Much to my surprise, I fell in love with blogging, and coupled with my love of cooking and baking, Lord Byron’s Kitchen as you see it today is a result of that very basic and humble beginning. And, to this day, I pride myself on being a source of homestyle recipes that are not only inexpensive but delicious too!

FOOD BLOGGERS ARE A RARE BREED

Once I began to learn the ropes – and there were so many! – one of the first things I did was to join a few Facebook groups that were full of other food bloggers. Initially, my goal was to increase my readership and hopefully have some of those other food bloggers share some of my recipes with their social media outlets.

I have to say that food bloggers are some of the most genuine and helpful people I’ve ever known. It’s such a great community to be a part of. They are always there to offer advice, wisdom, or to lend a helping hand.

I cannot tell you how many times I have run into issues with the technical side of blogging, only to have one of my fellow food bloggers walk me through the steps to correct the issue – saving me $$ in the long run! (Kylee at Kylee Cooks has become one of my blogging tech heroes!)

MY GIRL CRUSH

One blogger, particularly, stood out for me. She prepares meals and dishes which I would gladly serve to my friends and family. She’s so real and authentic; she’s down to earth and non-pretentious about her food.Her food is all about feeling comfortable in the kitchen and eating homemade foods which won’t break the bank. Her name is Amanda, and her blog is affectionately called The Chunky Chef.

This dish was actually inspired by Amanda’s Garlic and Mushroom Quinoa. I was perusing her blog, as I normally do, and came upon this particular dish. I had to prepare it and once I did, I knew I had to share it with my readers as well.

BRING ON THE MUSHROOMS!

As you know, my new found love for mushrooms has found me searching for ways to incorporate the ingredients into our day-to-day meals. Amanda’s recipe was easy to follow, and used cremini mushrooms, which to me, are the best kind! I knew I had to make this dish!

The only difference between her dish and mine is heat. I added a small amountof dried red chili flakes just to add my own little spin, and besides, it’s very cold here in Toronto, and the heat was a welcomed addition! Oh, and I also left out the parmesan cheese. You can totally add parmesan to your version if you prefer, but I just wasn’t feeling it for this particular recipe.

Because food bloggers are very supportive of each other, please be sure to visit Amanda’s blog to read her version of this recipe as well. Just don’t tell her I sent you or my secret foodie love affair just might be revealed! 😉

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Quinoa
• Olive Oil – You can use any light cooking oil, like vegetable, sunflower, avocado, etc.
• Butter – I prefer to use salted butter when cooking mushrooms simply because salted butter just makes for a better tasting fried mushroom, but unsalted butter will work just fine.
• Mushrooms– Use good meaty mushrooms like cremini.
• Garlic– Use fresh garlic and mince it really finely.
• Thyme– Fresh thyme leaves are the best option. They add an earthy, slightly minty and lemony flavour. If you only have dried thyme, be sure to only use a third of the required amount because dried herbs are more pungent and flavourful.
• Dried Red Chili Flakes – These are optional, but the little bit of spiciness they add to this dish is quite nice!
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Parsley – For garnish.

HOW TO MAKE GARLICKY MUSHROOM QUINOA

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Set aside. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Sauté the mushrooms until very well done. (Strive for a meatier-tasting mushroom by cooking for a longer period of time. Of course, you can stop cooking the mushrooms whenever you have reached the desired outcome for your personal tastes.)

Add the garlic and dried red chili flakes – if using. Stir into the mushrooms. Allow the garlic to cook with the mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir all the ingredients together until the quinoa has heated through once more. Serve immediately.

PERSONAL TASTE DOES CHANGE OVER TIME

Dear Reader, I am not a vegetarian. And, although red meat is not my favourite thing to eat, I do enjoy a steak about twice a year. And, until a few years ago, I wouldn’t eat mushrooms at all. So, as a meat eater, and a new convert to mushrooms, you must trust me when I say mushrooms need to be properly cooked for maximum flavour and consistency.

If the mushrooms are sautéed properly and seasoned just right, they can most definitely be a wonderful substitute for steak. You have to fry the mushrooms in a combination of oil and butter because butter makes everything taste better. You see, I have found, after3943 years on this earth, that I love mushrooms as long as they are cooked my way. Oh, and I will only eat cremini mushrooms.

Cremini mushrooms are meaty and unlike other mushroom varieties that I’ve tried, they don’t have a slightly slimy texture. Cremini mushrooms are portobello mushrooms which are harvested before the cap has opened.When I prepare mushrooms, I like to sauté them in a little butter and olive oil until they are a deep brown colour and have shrunk tremendously in size. I feel this adds to the meat-like consistency becausethe cooking process releases moistureand allows the mushroom to reduce in size and take on a meatier texture and flavour.