quinoa with sweet potato, feta and caramelised onion

I wonder what quinoa camp you fall into? Never had it, sometimes have it, had it once and didn’t like it or you’re a regular quinoa person. I must admit that it’s been a while since I’ve had quinoa but the thermomix does a super job of cooking it just right. And as much as I love my thermomix I’m not so good at using the steamer (AKA the varoma). But then I’ll use it and think wow that was fab, I need to use it more often.  For this recipe your quinoa will cook within the basket and then your sweet potato will be steaming up above at the same time.

Now these ingredients were in my fridge because I planned on doing a quiche or frittata. But then I thought I better use up the quinoa at the back of the pantry. Next time I make it I am totally going to add some toasted pinenuts at the end. You can also use whatever dressing or herbs you have to hand and another delicious option if you had a bit more time would be to roast your sweet potato. And if you’re really short on time just skip the red onions and use some caramelised onion relish in a jar.

This didn’t last long at our house and a big surprise was that elodie loved it….except for the caramelised red onion! That was taken out and left on the table or chucked over her shoulder onto the floor…………………….piece by piece.

 

quinoa with sweet potato, feta and caramelised onion
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
delicious and light. Eat it hot or cold
Author:
Recipe type: vegetarian
Serves: 6
What you'll need
  • about 250g quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 200g danish style feta, roughly chopped
  • balsamic vinegar
  • 2Tbsp sugar
  • olive oil
  • 1Tbsp grain mustard
  • honey or apple juice concentrate
  • salt, pepper
Instructions
  1. Rinse quinoa and place in TM basket and put lid on without the measuring cup. Place sweet potato in the bottom of the varoma (spread it out nicely) and place on top of your thermomix.
  2. Fill TM bowl with 1- 1.5L of cold water and cook for 20 minutes, speed 4, Varoma Temperature.
  3. Remove the basket from your TM bowl carefully and fluff up the quinoa and place in Thermoserve or a large serving bowl.
  4. Test sweet potato and cook for a further 10 minutes, speed 1 and Varoma temperature if needed (using the water that was in your thermomix bowl).
  5. Meanwhile peel and finely slice the red onions. Place in a heavy based frypan (or any old frypan will do) and add in a tablespoon or two of oil and a good bit of salt. Saute onions until soft.
  6. I like to add some more salt as the onions soften and cook them for at least 5-7 minutes until really soft.
  7. Add in a good splash of balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar. Keep stirring and reduce the heat. Cook for a few minutes or two until the onions have a delicious taste and are caramelised.
  8. **Combine the quinoa, sweet potato, feta and caramelised onions and give a good stir.
  9. Make a simple dressing of 1 part balsamic vinegar, 2 -3 parts olive oil, 1 Tbsp honey (or apple juice concentrate - I used maple syrup as I was out of everything), about a Tablespoon of mustard, salt and pepper and season to taste and add a little more oil or sweetness or mustard till you have the taste you like. Stir through the quinoa and serve.
  10. You can eat this hot or cold, we thought it was delicious either way.
  11. If you don't have a thermomix then follow the instructions for boiling about 250g quinoa. Steam the sweet potato in the microwave or boil until tender. Follow the instructions for the caramelised onion and follow from **.

 

Comments

  1. I only recently started eating quinoa and love it, I put half a cupful in my vegetable soups for protein and have made risotto using it.

  2. I’ve never tried it and the last time I looked for it at Woolies I couldn’t find it in the health food section. It reminds me of couscous which I like and it’s easy to prepare. Not sure if I’d go the quinoa but it looks tasty.

  3. Hahaha! Elodie is classic! Chucked over her shoulder onto the floor piece by piece! That’s what all the kids do to onions, spring onions, or whatever they dislike:). I am sure you were rolling your eyes at that instant you saw the onions on the floor!

    Have a great day with the kids:)

  4. wow, that looks amazing! I haven’t tried quinoa before but will be starting with this recipe.
    It looks very similar to a couscous salad I make with red onion, feta, peas and smoked tuna. mmmm making myself so hingry now.

    • yes it looks like couscous but I can’t really stomach the cous cous too well so this is much easier to eat and digest! I think you’ll like it! love the idea of smoked tuna in it, must try

  5. Lesley G says:

    Might have to buy some more quinoa. Bought it once and it ended up in the back of the cupboard and because I had bought it loose I had no idea whether it was still fresh so I tossed it. I use couscous a lot for similar dishes but I’m aware that this is supposed to be very healthy & gut friendly so I will add to my shopping list.

    I also need to use the organic coconut oil in my pantry too. Maybe it is the miracle food they say it is. Supposed to even help Alzhiemer’s sufferers as well as a lot of other things.

    • oh quinoa is the way to go! I really have trouble later on with the couscous but never a problem with the quinoa

      I want to try the coconut oil too, lots of facebook updates and pinterest things that make me think I need to!!!! you try it first and let me know:)

      Corrie:)

      • Lesley G says:

        I just think it might overpower other flavours if I cook with it. Tried eating it off the spoon as suggested by some people for weight loss etc but thought it was a bit yukky texture. Much like the feeling when I have inadvertantly eaten margerine.
        I will do more research/tasting and report back.

        Yukky is now an acceptable word for adults.

        • ewwww that doesn’t make me want to try it! let me see what I can find on pinterest that is good!

          • Theresa says:

            katie180 blogger has adapted many baking recipes with coconut oil in them- or half & half with butter etc– feels so virtuous cooking with coconut oil!! I put it in my smoothies although in winter I have to zap it to melt it as its solidified!! Great work Corrie & I visited sydney last weekend- such a huge fabulous harbour city!!! The botanical gardens & Australia Museum were big hits :)

          • Lesley G says:

            I will check out Theresa’s link but in the mean time I had a bit of a google and discovered it has other uses not culinary. Apparently good for baby bottoms and a lubricant for certain other activities. Now I’ m being naughty! What isn’t this stuff good for? Maybe I will just use it on my grandson’s botty…..

  6. You had me at feta! Looks delicious. I have never cooked quinoa myself. I’m just imagining the clean up. Is it similar to a cous cous clean up? x

    • I think it sticks together better!!!! I just love quinoa and can’t think of the last time we had couscous here! give it a go! oh and Iove feta too! so delicious
      Corrie:)

  7. Corrie, if you are not keen on ordinary couscous, try pearl couscous. Takes a little bit longer to cook but I prefer the taste.

  8. Littlemissairgap says:

    Hubby used different coloured quinoa grains to make the xmas turkey stuffing. Looks fabulous!

  9. Made this for dinner tonight. Used roasted butternut, and added pinenuts and spinach leaves. The feta, caramelised onions and balsamic dressing made this dish. Very tasty – we finished the lot.

    • yum! was thinking would be great with pumpkin and pinenuts!!!! and once you’ve made something you eat it again and again, well that’s what happens here. I just need to make something once and I’m good!

  10. Yum. Will definitely be giving this a go. I love anything with pumpkin in it. The dressing sounds like a good one too….would be nice over a salad as well!

    • oh yes I learnt this dressing at cooking school when we were taught techniques! so easy to make your own and no artificial taste!

  11. Bettina says:

    Thanks so much, Corrie! Was going to make simple roast veg salad for tonight’s tea, but now I’ll try this!
    I believe it’s a good source of calcium too, I think?
    Bettina

    • yes it’s high in protein which makes it great for filling you up. Once upon a time in my 20’s I used to have it for breakfast when I was a super health nut:)

  12. The image of Elodie tossing red onion over her shoulder is hilarious! I’m glad you posted this recipe – I was very curious after your previous post where Elodie was very focused on her quinoa! Can’t wait to try it.

  13. We are loving quinoa here lately – although I can see all three of mine tossing out the onion as well :)

  14. Katherine says:

    Was deliberating over what to make for dinner last night when I saw this recipe. Happened to have some quinoa and fetta that needed to be used up, so hubby made this for dinner last night. It was great and so filling!! Was out of mustard but happened to have some honey mustard dressing which went nicely with it. Definitely going to try it with pinenuts and spinach next time.

  15. HI, Just wanted to let you know I made this for lunch and it was delicious! I added some smoked trout just for extra protein. Ill definitely be making this in the future. Thanks :-)

  16. OMGoodness…YUUUMMMMM!!!! I’ve just made this and it’s absolutely delicious!!!! I roasted my sweet potato for extra flavour & added the pine nuts!!!! Yum yum yum!!!!!’ I can see this becoming a staple in our house!!!!!!

  17. Made this and it was delicious! Thanks so much! One question though – the recipe spstares 2 tbsp of sugar in the ingredients but I can only see one used in the instructions. Am I blind and have I missed something along the way?

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