How To Make Crispy Quinoa (Oven Roasted)
Crispy quinoa is naturally gluten free, has a crunchy texture, and slightly nutty flavor. Plus it’s a great way to repurpose leftover quinoa! This quinoa snack can be made sweet or savory.
Looking for ways to use crispy quinoa? Try my rainbow bowl, salmon mango salad, raw carrot salad, or avocado toast with marinated tomatoes.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make crispy baked quinoa:
- Cooked Quinoa – I’ve included the recipe for cooking quinoa below, but it’ll go even quicker if you have cooked quinoa!
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to Make Crispy Quinoa: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
1. Season the quinoa. Season the cooked quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and any additional seasonings if desired.
2. Spread it out. Spread the seasoned quinoa directly onto a rimmed baking sheet into an even layer (skip the parchment paper). The direct contact with the hot pan allows it to crisp up nicely. If using the full 4 cups of cooked quinoa you’ll need two rimmed baking sheets.
3. Bake. Stir the quinoa every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from burning. It’s ready when it’s golden brown and crispy.
Helpful Tips
- Have freshly cooked quinoa? You may need to roast it a little longer, whereas previously cooked quinoa has had time to dry out.
- Using 2 baking pans? Keep in mind that the bottom rack cooks hotter than the middle rack, and will need less time.
- Want it slightly chewier? Don’t bake it for quite as long. Do texture taste checks periodically when you take it out to stir it.
- Have dry quinoa but don’t want to cook it? Make my toasted quinoa instead.
Quick Tip: When making crispy quinoa for the first time, I recommend using white quinoa so you can see the change in color from light to golden brown.
Storage
Let cool to room temperature. This will ensure it stays crispy then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this crispy quinoa recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Add-ins – lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
- Make spicy crispy quinoa – add cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, chili oil, or your favorite chili crisp.
- Make sweet crispy quinoa – in the last few minutes of cooking time, mix with a little bit of maple syrup or coconut sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any amount of quinoa. You don’t need a specific amount. You’ll need about 1/2 tablespoon or 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil per cup of quinoa.
There are quite a few brands out there now, so I recommend using any organic quinoa in your budget. For this recipe, I used the Whole Foods brand.
How to Use Crispy Quinoa
I hope you love this Crispy Quinoa! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating so I know how you liked it!
How To Make Crispy Quinoa (Oven Roasted)
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked quinoa or less, see notes below
- 2 tablespoons olive oil see notes below if using less quinoa
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC.
- Season the cooked quinoa with olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and any additional seasonings if desired.
- Spread the seasoned quinoa directly onto a rimmed baking sheet into an even layer (skip the parchment paper). The direct contact with the hot pan allows it to crisp up nicely. If using the full 4 cups of cooked quinoa you'll need two rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes so it doesn’t burn. It's ready when it's golden brown and crispy.