I really had a lot of trouble naming this dish. It’s Fried Rice. But with quinoa, not rice.
Fried Quinoa?
That just sounds funky. Anyways, it’s subbing the heart-healthy, protein high ancient grain, QUINOA for the rice. I cook the Quinoa Fried Rice exactly in the same style that I cook Chinese Fried Rice.
You know what? I like it even better than rice. (shhhh…don’t tell my mama!)
If you’ve never cooked with quinoa before, don’t fret. It’s super easy. Easier than rice. Easier than mac ‘n cheese. Almost as easy as couscous.
Grab a box from the market and experiment with it. I promise quinoa is a friendly grain. It’s even got a cute curly-q tail!
Oh yes, don’t be a dork and pronounce it wrong like I did years ago. It’s KEEN-wah.
Watch – this dish is easy to make – I’ll even show ya!
Other recipes that use quinoa:
Double Broccoli Quinoa Recipe (101 Cookbooks)
Zucchini, Fresh Corn and Quinoa Bowl with Feta and Basil (Aggie’s Kitchen)
Quinoa Breakfast Skillet (How Sweet It Is)
Quinoa Cakes with Lemon, Olive, and Parsley (Love & Olive Oil)
Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Quinoa and Fresh Corn (Oh My Veggies)
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Corn, and Tomatoes (Simply Recipes)
Cilantro Lime Quinoa (Two Peas & Their Pod)
Jaune Flamme Tomatoes & Quinoa Salad (White On Rice Couple)
Quinoa Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 stalk green onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups cooked, chilled quinoa (about 1/2 cup raw)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in the oil. Add in the eggs and scramble for 15 seconds. Once the eggs have just set, remove the eggs to a clean plate or bowl.
- Return wok to stove and turn to medium-high heat. Add in the diced ham and cook for 2 minutes until warmed through and browned. Push the ham to one side of the wok to leave room to fry the next ingredients. Add a bit of cooking oil if necessary. Add in the green onion, ginger and garlic, stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Mix in with the ham.
- Add in the cooked eggs, frozen peas and quinoa. Toss and stir fry for 2 minutes, spreading everything out over the surface of the wok. Pour in the soy sauce, fish sauce and add in the black pepper. Toss again and stir fry for an additional minute. Taste and add in additional soy sauce or fish sauce if needed (remember that the ham is salty so make sure you grab a bite that includes ham.)
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
Stay in touch with me in our 
These are amazing and valuable knowledge information because of useful for me, thank you so much for share this wonderful article.
I have leftover quinoa and leftover ham. I also have a wok! Thank you for this recipe. I know what I’m making for dinner tomorrow night!
I’ve made quinoa only a couple of times and was looking for a recipe that would add some flavor to it…just made this recipe and LOVED it! So happy I have some leftover for lunch tomorrow. The asian flavors marry well with the nutty quinoa which has enough texture to work as well as brown rice in this recipe. This one is a keeper…thank you~
Whatever you call it is one thing, but what I will call it is “Yumolla.” Thanks!
Love your site and this recipe! Made me start eating and liking quinoa again..I was getting so bored of it. The recipe is simple and fool proof. I usually add in whatever veggies/meat I have on hand. One addition that I think makes the dish EVEN BETTER (and if you like spicy) is to add crushed chili flakes when you add in the aromatics! SO GOOD!
I am interested in making this and I’m curious to know if you can use Miso in the recipe? I recently bought some and need to use it again. Thanks!
Yes! Add a spoonful that’s diluted in just a couple tablespoons of hot water. Use in place of soy sauce.
Taste and if needs more flavor/salt, drizzle in soy sauce, a teaspoon or so.
This just might be the recipe that’ll get my son to try it! We’ll see. I know I’ll like it. I have one that has pecans, parsley, orange pieces, dried cuttants and more, and it’s really yummy. I was looking for some fresh ideas- thanks for posting!
Did you know that quinoa is not actually a grain, it’s a seed?
no way! I didn’t know that! I’m going to have Scott grow some as a micro green and see what how it turns out. Maybe it’s yummy in salad in micro green form.
I have NO idea idea why/how this stuff gets to be pronounced ‘keen-wah’. It comes from Spanish-speaking South America, so in Spanish it’s pronounced more or less phonetically – ‘kwin-oh-ah’.
That quinoa – wow!! What a great dish! These are beautiful, looks like a perfect combination! Thanks foe sharing.I had featured u in the post of 7 Killer Ideas of Main Dish – Which One You Prefer on AllFreshRecipes, looking forward to ur more recipes!
Where did you get your tongs from?
Fantastic! Made a few alterations to the veggies but overall the recipe was great! Thanks for sharing…the fish sauce really is key!
I made this tonight for my husband & myself (we like to have breakfast for dinner). This was so delicious! The recipe was super easy to follow & the flavors just popped.
Thanks so much for posting this recipe! 🙂
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We love this recipe and it is featured on our Delicious Quinoa recipe round-up this week! Thanks so much!
http://4virtu.com/2013/01/tasty-tuesday-delicious-quinoa-recipes/
I tried quinoa once but it was “meh” — maybe I’ll give it another go with this recipe. The reviews look good. 🙂
I made this last night and it was a total hit. So quick and easy, and it was the first time I used my rice cooker to make quinoa (I won’t ever go back!).
Thanks for a new dish!
“I like quinoa even better than rice. Don’t tell my mother!” Lol
My mother (and family, myself etc.) are Indian and vegatarian. We have actually all switched over to quinoa instead rice! All the same Indian foods but with quinoa. Only one hold out in my family, my 92 year old grandmother wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Hehe
YUM! I bring this to school all the time and it always gets me through track practice! I like to put sausage patties and egg whites and a ton of spinach in mine! Here’s my recipe :http://cannella-vita.blogspot.com/2012/12/instarecipe-quinoa-fried-rice_29.html#
Hi Jaden! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Prior to reading this post, I thought you could only quinoa with salads. This is now my new favorite way to eat quinoa. =D
my new favorite way to eat quinoa! followed the recipe but had to dial down the fish sauce since my guy is super sensitive to it (used half). personally i think i would like the normal amount though. i also added about half a tablespoon of butter when i sauteed the garlic/ginger/green onions.
will definitely be making this again, and plan on sauteeing some finely diced carrots and maybe a tiny bit of onion next time as well. thanks for the great new recipe jaden!
I’ve started cooking with quinoa this year with my hubby’s gluten sensitivity but haven’t considered using it in fried rice. I’ve made it twice since you’ve posted, but wanted to let you know that it’s gone over wonderfully with the family!
We don’t usually have fish sauce in the house, but I usually use oyster sauce, which works well for us (and we found a gluten free brand! I can NOT believe how wheat is everywhere!)
Thank you!
Wow! I love Quinoa and I love fried rice… This is brilliant! But I’ve come to expect nothing but brilliance from you! 🙂
Wow! It’s perfect Fried Rice Recipe for food lovers with easy 1 -2 3 steps.
Absolutely wonderful dish Jaden. I don’t care what you call it, I just want to steal a big bowl of it. And steal your wood bowls too. I keep trying to find some nice ones but the shopping in Canada kind of stinks. I think I need to take a trip to the states big time.
So glad I came across this blog. It’s the weekend and I definitely want to surprise my wife with something new. Hopefully I get this recipe right, because it looks so delicious, yet simple
I love quinoa but have to be sneaky and add lots of great flavors to it in order to get my kids to eat it 😉
I am so very excited to try this fried errr, you’re right fried quinoa does sound weird 😉
This looks delicious. I tried Quinoa for the first time while backpacking in South America in 2010 and I’ve become totally hooked ever since.
When turnkey rental business is strong, we sometimes forget about being frugal, but we all remember the “bad days” of the appraisal recession in the mid-1990s. rental properties
Wowy!!!!! Amazing!!!! Thank you!!!
Just made it and OMG!!! Who knew
Quinoa could be soooooo delish!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!
I keep looking for ways to trick myself into liking quiona… so far it’s just been as a filler or additive to other recipes. I think I’d like this though, so flavorful!
I’ve been thinking of making fried rice with quinoa but hadn’t tried it yet. Although I usually use oyster sauce, I like the idea of fish sauce.
Looks delicious! Going to try it tomorrow!!!
Hi,
I love quinoa and eat it almost every day for breakfast with craisins, chopped walnuts and cinnamon. This sounds like another great use for it which I will try.
Thanks.
Love the video Jaden! I am so craving this right now. Quinoa rocks!
(Thanks for the link up!)
Thanks for all the quinoa recipes. Funny coincidence- I made quinoa-stuffed peppers for dinner tonight. My husband likes quinoa better than rice, and it’s so nutritious! I enjoy your blog. 🙂
Awesome recipe! I actually added some spice to it (sriracha) and paired it with a good glass of gewurztraminer. Tasty stuff.
Vikki is so right….the music is way too LOUD…..can barely hear what you are saying…..can you please turn it down the next time ? 🙂 just sayin……………..this recipe looks wonderful and I especially love the video showing everything you do….makes it so much easier for us…..love your blog…
My goodness that looks yummy! I have heard how good quinoa is healthwise, but have not yet tried it– I think I will make this recipe and see how it goes from there. Thanks for sharing.
Ah this is a great recipe. Such a good idea to jazz up quinoa – I find it a bit boring on its own.
I’ve tried quinoa a few times and a couple of varieties – I just can’t get into it. It’s one of those things where it seems like I’m a “bad foodie” if I don’t like it, lol.
Otherwise, I like how you put this together, I’ll have to try your stir fried rice.
We love Quinoa. I’ll make this for sure.
Thanks for the video – 1 “complaint” the music is really LOUD! Can hardly hear what your saying in the beginning of the video, it’s better when your actually cookie but still too loud.
Thanks for all your great recipes.
You’re x2 and cooking…..
This looks SO delicious. I love all of these ingredients and it’s so healthy too!