On the table in 25 minutes, and one pot to clean, this is a go-to weeknight vegan dinner. Plus, High-Protein Quinoa & Lentils Without Oil is budget-friendly, healthy, and very flavorful. (This recipe is gluten-free.)
Make this dish ahead of time for a quick and easy dinner, or lunch on the go. Chop the carrots, celery, and red onion beforehand and refrigerate. Add them to a pot with the remaining ingredients 30 minutes before dinnertime. It's that easy!
More tasty recipes without oil? Try my Vegan Ragu with over 30 grams of protein and this easy Barley Risotto. This recipe was also inspired by my Vegan Mexican Quinoa Bake, and Tofu Steaks & Quinoa Casserole on this site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Quinoa is technically a seed, even though it is often referred to as pseudograin. It takes just 15 minutes to cook and is gluten-free. In addition, it is an excellent source of protein and iron.
- Green or brown lentils: Unlike red lentils, these lentils hold their shape when cooked. Lentils are high in protein, iron, and fiber.
- Sweet corn is versatile and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the chili and chipotle spices. Use frozen corn to save time. There is no need to thaw it beforehand.
- Use store-bought diced tomatoes and vegetable broth for this recipe to save time.
- Sour cream adds a rich tangy flavor to this dish (optional).
See the recipe card for quantities.
📖 Instructions
This easy recipe requires just one pot. Preheating the vegetable broth beforehand significantly reduces the cooking time. It comes to a simmer much more quickly without the other ingredients. Heat the broth in a small saucepan.
Add the preheated broth and stir to combine.
Cook covered over low heat for 25 minutes. Mix gently after 15 minutes, and 20 minutes, respectively. Add more broth or water as needed if the quinoa looks uncooked in places.
When combined, the vegetables, quinoa, and lentils finish cooking at about the same time, which is why this recipe works so well.
🫑 Substitutions
- Onion - instead of red onion, you can use yellow onion
- Carrots - Substitute with sweet potato or squash. Cut into about ½-inch pieces, and keep to the same quantity.
- Sweet corn - omit as desired
- Vegetable broth - you can use water instead, but the dish will be less flavorful
- Spices - substitute with spices you have on hand, such as curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and onion powder
Visit my Lentils Recipe Page for more high-protein dinners. This Easy Carrot and Lentil Soup is a favorite.
🔪 Equipment
The quinoa and lentils expand in size when cooked. Use a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients, with some space remaining. Preheat the vegetable broth beforehand in the same pot for easier cleanup.
⏱ Storage
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Transfer to a baking dish and reheat in the oven at 375ºF. Alternatively, warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
These ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.
💡 Top tip
To rinse lentils: Place them into a bowl. Have a quick look to see if there are any stones and remove them. Add warm water to cover and wash them with your hands. Drain the water and repeat until the water runs clear (about 4 to 5 times). This reduces the foam produced from cooking.
It is not essential to rinse quinoa. If you are sensitive to the slightly bitter taste, rinsing helps to reduce this.
To rinse quinoa: Place it in a fine mesh strainer. Run it under cold water until the water runs clear (about 10 seconds).
When you are cooking quinoa on its own:
1. Bring the water to a gentle boil, using a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa. (For 1 cup dry quinoa, use 2 cups water.)
2. Add the quinoa to the water, cover, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Remove it from heat and set aside for 5 minutes, without removing the lid.
5. Fluff with a fork.
For this recipe, the quinoa and lentils are cooked together.
Yes! Serve it chilled as a quinoa salad. Add a generous amount of chopped avocado for serving.
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📖 Recipe
High-Protein One-Pot Quinoa & Lentils
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Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth plus more as needed
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 cup green lentils or brown, rinsed
- 1 cup diced red onion (1 medium)
- 1 cup sliced celery (about 2 ribs)
- ¾ cup chopped carrots (2 medium)
- 1 cup sweetcorn kernels frozen or fresh
- 1 small jalapeño minced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 cup diced tomatoes canned, with juice (about ½ 14.5-ounce can)
- Salt to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
For serving (optional)
- Vegan sour cream to taste
- 2 medium avocados sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the broth: Add the vegetable broth to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Combine the ingredients: Add the quinoa, lentils, red onion, celery, carrots, corn, jalapeño, oregano, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, and diced tomatoes to a large saucepan. Add the preheated vegetable broth.
- Simmer covered over low heat for 15 minutes, undisturbed. Mix gently, and add more broth as needed to keep the quinoa just submerged. Cook covered for 5 minutes more.
- Set aside: Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes covered. Remove the lid and mix gently to combine. Add salt to taste.
- For serving: Garnish with cilantro. Top with sour cream and avocado.
Notes
- It is not essential to rinse quinoa. If you are sensitive its slightly bitter taste, rinsing helps to reduce this.
- To rinse quinoa: Place it in a fine mesh strainer. Run it under cold water until the water runs clear (about 10 seconds).
- To rinse lentils: Place them into a bowl. Have a quick look to see if there are any stones and remove them. Add warm water to cover and wash them with your hands. Drain the water and repeat until the water runs clear (about 4 to 5 times). This reduces the foam produced from cooking.
- Adding hot vegetable broth to the ingredients in the saucepan reduces the cooking time. Make sure to remove the broth as soon as it comes to a simmer, otherwise too much liquid will evaporate.
- Substitute the spices and vegetables with what you have on hand. A variety of herbs and spices, and vegetables, will work in this recipe. Keep to the same quantity of vegetables used in the recipe.
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. However, always read the labels of store bought items to be sure.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Chris says
Made this tonight. Easy and filling. Very tasty too. Thanks.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed this quinoa dish. Thank you.
Shellie says
Outstanding recipe. We'll be having this often. The sour cream and avocado options go perfectly. I only had around 3/4 cup of quinoa so I topped it off with pearl couscous. Everything else as written. Delicious!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yayyy. Thrilled to read that you enjoyed this oil-free recipe! Thank you for letting me know.
Matt says
If I use an InstantPot, do I have to adjust the liquid or cook time?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes, maybe. I have not made this in the Instant Pot but it would work well. You just need to test it to figure out the optimal water amount. It will still work but may be mushy the first time.
Manjit Kaur says
WOW 👌 I'm a meat eater but have been wanting to make an easy vegan dish for a long time. This was so easy and absolutely delicious 😋. Thank you! Both my adult children were unsure about trying this, but both absolutely loved it too! I didn't have Chipotle powder so added a few chipotle in adobo sauce which added a Mexican flavour which we loved. The lentils added a surprisingly meaty texture. My son loved it so much that he's asked me to teach him so that he can cook it to help me out. Thank you so much. I'm now very excited to try out your protein powder as I've started running.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I am so thrilled reading this! Thank you for sharing and I hope your son makes it for you one day soon!
Kim Mandujano says
Delicious! Comes together quickly and is very flavorful.
Thank you!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear! Thank you for leaving a review.
Mary says
full of flavor. I used hotter peppers because that’s how we roll :). Loved this and was appreciated by meat eaters and vegans alike as delicious and filling. Great quick staple, thank you!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear! Thank you.
Danielle says
Can you use already cooked lentils?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes. Reduce the broth to 2 cups and add the lentils once the quinoa is cooked. Add more broth as needed.
BL says
I haven’t made yet - but the calorie count seems off? When I put the ingredients into my calorie counter, it came up SIGNIFICANTLY lower? Is your count correct? What am I missing?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
You are right. It included 2 large avocados but the avocados are optional so I recalculated without them. Thank you!
Holly says
Is the nutritional profile applicable to per serving or per recipe? Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes per serving!
Jeff says
Can you use an instant pot for this one?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes, absolutely.
nancy kelley says
What an easy to prepare, healthy and delish dish. I just made this for lunch and used red lentils which resulted in a chunky vegan hash. I served it with Brooklyn Grange tangy green herb hot sauce. I plan to add diced baked sweet potato to the leftovers.
Thank you for this recipe--I will be adding it to my summer rotation!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
That sauce sounds incredible! I will check it out! Thank you.
Theresa says
Excellent, easy, ingredients I always have on hand so I will be making this often. I made as written. Next time I think I will sub a jar of salsa for the tomatoes and add a can black beans just because I love them. I served this with avocado, GF Siete chips and sometimes topped with Violife DF Mexican cheese. It makes a lot so I froze some and it reheats perfectly. Thank you for this delicious, nutritious, easy, affordable recipe.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Wow, your sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing. Have a great week.
Kate says
Do you have to use green / brown lentils. Dave me buying as I gave red. But I’d changes flavor / other will follow recipe? Thank you
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Red will work too. You might need to reduce the broth slightly. Maybe start with 3 1/2 cups instead.
Andrea says
Really good and nutritious
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad it was a hit. Thank you.
Rob says
I am making this dish tonight - we are excited.
I appreciate your nutritional information macros. However, unless I have missed it - can you please share serving size which those numbers are off of?
Thank you in advance.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. It's for one-fourth of the total amount. The recipe makes 4 servings. Hop this helps.
Rob says
Thank you. Can’t wait to try.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Enjoy!
Karen says
I have to admit, I was skeptical about the recipe working out with no sautéing or other steps, it seemed to be too easy. And it was! But also, delicious, filling and satisfying. Thank you so much!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for letting me know! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I can understand why you might have been skeptical:)
Angel says
This was delicious! My husband who is normally not a fan of vegetarian things , loved this ! I sliced an avocado on top and it was perfection ! Thank you .
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so glad it was a hit. Thank you.
Lara says
I just made this and used some chipotle sauce instead of powder (since I had some leftover from yesterday). It was delicious! I love how the recipe doesn’t use any oil. It’s very filling and makes enough for two people to have three or more nights!
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Chipotle sauce is a great addition! Yes-it is very satisfying and you don't miss the oil. Thank you for leaving a comment. Have a great evening.
Renee Arnold says
Made this for lunch today. My vegan daughter and vegetarian niece loved it and are taking extra bowls home. The 2 year old loved it! And my meat-eater husband who is usually only polite about eating vegan food had two bowls!! Definitely a win 🥰!!
Nisha Melvani says
So glad to hear that they all enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting. Have a great week.
Carol says
This was delicious! It made a LOT of food - I def should have made a half recipe. I subbed a can of mild Rotel for the tomatoes since I didn't have any jalapeno. Topped with green onions, cilantro and sour cream - will make again!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad it was a hit. Thank you.
Neena Chandiramani says
Tasty and very easy to make!
Nisha Melvani says
Yes. It comes together very quickly. Thanks for leaving a comment.