Seriously—who needs fake meat when you can make hearty, beautifully textured dishes using grains and beans? This serves up deliciously on rolls, but if you’re not a bread person, you can serve the mixture in a lettuce-leaf cup or atop a corn tortilla. Serve with baked potatoes or sweet potatoes and any slaw-style salad. Fresh corn on the cob when in season is a great addition as well. Recipe from Plant Power: Transform Your Kitchen, Plate, and Life with More Than 150 Fresh and Flavorful Vegan Recipes by Nava Atlas. ©2014, published by HarperOne, reprinted by permission. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Serves: 4 to 6
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or 3 tablespoons broth or water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- ½ medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 (15–16 oz) can pinto or red beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked), drained, rinsed, and coarsely mashed
- 1 (15–16 oz) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium tomato, finely diced
- 1 tbsp reduced-sodium natural soy sauce or tamari, to taste
- 1 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup, to taste
- 2 tsp good-quality chili powder, or more, to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 6 whole grain rolls, English muffins, or mini-pitas
- Combine the quinoa with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil, broth, or water in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the bell pepper and sauté until both are golden.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the bread of choice, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook over medium-low heat, loosely covered, for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the skillet stand off the heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle further and for the quinoa to absorb the tomato flavors.
- Evenly spoon the filling over the bottoms of whole-grain rolls, cover with the tops, or serve open-faced.
Nutrition Information:
Per serving: 252 calories with oil, 223 without oil; 5g fat with oil, 2 g fat without oil; 400 mg sodium; 44g carbs; 9g fiber; 4.2g sugar; 11g protein
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BrianHall says
I like it but since quinoa and the buns are both grains........... I FEEL I can not eat this with out you, is that so bad?
Nancy says
Quinoa is actually a seed, it's not a grain which is why it is gluten free!
Barb says
This is good! I googled dinner with quinoa and pinto beans and this came up! We'll eat it over lettuce. Thanks for the idea!
Nava says
I hope you enjoyed this recipe, Barb!
Astra says
So good! I was down to one can of beans in the whole house, and I found some quinoa that I had forgotten about in the cupboard. Like Barb I googled pinto beans and quinoa, and this was the first recipe I saw! I toasted some cumin seed with the olive oil before adding the onions and bell peppers, and instead of a can of tomato sauce I used Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara - which I love! And instead of agave nectar I used a little vegan worcestershire sauce. Wonderful recipe, I will make it again! Thank you!
Amy says
What a great recipe. Everyone was skeptical and 3 out of 4 loved it! 3 helpings for the 11-year-old. Very flavorful as written.
Liz says
Great recipe. I added vegan Worcestershire sauce (Amy's brand)--about 1 Tbsp. Having now read the comments, I think I would copy Astra and take out the agave, subbing Worcestershire instead.
I also added mushrooms to the sauteed vegetables for more umami, and because I just love them. I put a little sauerkraut on top, too. Yum.
Anne says
What could I replace the tomato sauce with since my tummy doesn't like tomato?
Nava says
Hi Anne — this is a tough question! You could try a teriyaki or peanut sauce; it would be an entirely different taste, but it could work!