Quinoa Crisps are a healthy, easy-to-make delicious snack, crunchy salad or yogurt topping, tasty cereal and really anything else you want them to be.
Here’s the thing, not everybody enjoys quinoa. (GASP!) I’m hoping to change that for a few folks today.
When you make Quinoa Crisps, you change the grain from soft and a bit bitter, to super crunchy with an earthy, nut-like flavor. From the time the quinoa finishes cooking in water, to the time it comes out of the oven after baking, it undergoes a major transformation.
I’ve always liked quinoa, but I must say, making quinoa crispy has made me love it. And it the process is quite simple.
And Quinoa Crisps are healthy to boot! This recipe consists of simply quinoa — you don’t even need oil to crisp it in the oven.
How to Make Crispy Quinoa
– Cook the quinoa as you normally would — simmering in water until all of the water has been absorbed.
– Then add the quinoa to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin layer and let it air dry for about 10 minutes.
– Place the baking sheet in a preheated 375°F oven and bake until slightly golden, about 25 minutes.
(More detailed instructions are below.)
How to Use Them
The possibilities for using quinoa crisps are almost endless . . .
- It’s a fabulous snack. Just put it in a bowl and serve!
- You can make it sweet or savory — skip the salt and pepper and use cinnamon and sugar for a sweet snack.
- Use it as a crunchy quinoa topping for soups, salads, yogurt and ice cream. For yogurt and ice cream, omit the salt and pepper. (When we look for crunchy salad toppings, we’re usually thinking about nuts or croutons — which is why this unexpected ingredient will wow everyone.)
- Quinoa crisps make for a wonderful cereal! Just skip the salt and pepper and serve with milk and fruit.
Recipe Tips
- You can use any color of quinoa you like. White is the most common, followed by black and red quinoa. I love using a mix of them.
- If you’re using a dark color quinoa, it will be a bit harder to detect when it’s done baking, so just remove a bit from the baking sheet (close to the end of the baking time), let it cool and taste. It should be very crunchy when it’s done.
- For a savory version, season to taste with salt and pepper, and/or any other herbs and spices you like.
- For a sweet version, season to taste with sugar or cinnamon and sugar.
How long will they keep?
Quinoa Crisps will keep in a tightly sealed container for about 4 days at room temperature. I don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing, as it will loose its crunch.
I hope you find quinoa crisps as fun and tasty as my family and I do.
More quinoa recipes:
- Vegetable Lemon Quinoa
- Crispy Red Quinoa Burgers
- Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp
- Black Quinoa Salad with Plum and Avocado
- Spicy Red Quinoa Pesto Bites
Quinoa Crisps Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup dry quinoa (any color or a mix)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Set the oven and prepare a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cook the quinoa in water. Pour the water and quinoa into a small pot, place it over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Air dry. Use a spoon to get all of the quinoa out of the pan and onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Then use a spatula to spread it out in as thin and even a layer as possible. (Don't worry if there are areas where it's sticking together into small clumps.) Set aside to air dry for 10 minutes.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until slightly golden, about 25 minutes. (If you're using red or black quinoa, it will be harder to detect when it's done, so just remove a bit from the baking sheet, let it cool and taste. It should be very crunchy when it's done.)
- Cool and season. Let it cool on the baking sheet and then pour it into a storage container with a lid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's how.) Store in the container, tightly sealed at room temperature for up to 4 days or so.
Notes
Nutrition
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