Quinoa Herb Pilaf Warm Apples (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa combined with fresh herbs and warm spiced apples, offering a colorful sweet-savory balance.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pilaf
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)
→ Warm Spiced Apples
13 - 2 large apples, cored and sliced (e.g., Honeycrisp or Gala)
14 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter
15 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
16 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
18 - Pinch of ground cardamom (optional)
19 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add rinsed quinoa, salt, and black pepper to the saucepan; toast for 1 minute. Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
03 - Fluff quinoa with a fork. Incorporate chopped parsley, dill, mint, lemon zest, and toasted almonds if using. Adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sliced apples and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup, then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom if desired, and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking gently for 3 to 5 minutes until apples are tender but retain shape.
05 - Divide quinoa pilaf onto serving plates. Top each portion with a generous spoonful of warm spiced apples. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if preferred.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and honestly tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did.
- The herb-forward pilaf feels bright and alive while the warm apples add this subtle sweetness that makes it feel special.
- It works as a main course, a side dish, or even cold the next day, so it's endlessly flexible.
02 -
- Rinsing the quinoa is not optional; skip this and your pilaf will taste slightly bitter, and you'll wonder why it doesn't taste like the version you fell in love with.
- Those five minutes of resting time after cooking are real and matter; it's the difference between grainy and fluffy, so don't skip it even if you're hungry.
- Apple varieties matter more than you'd think; soft apples like Red Delicious turn to mush, but firm ones like Honeycrisp stay structured and actually taste like fruit.
03 -
- Toast your almonds in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them; it wakes up the nutty flavors and makes them taste less like an afterthought.
- Don't skip the lemon zest; it's the unexpected brightness that makes people pause and ask what's different about this dish, and the answer is always the lemon.