The best winter root vegetable stew with quinoa, made quickly in a pressure cooker. A hob method is also provided if you don’t have a pressure cooker.
This low-fat vegetable stew shows an easy way to cook quinoa and makes a nutritious, low-calorie lunch or a simple dinner. Keep it plain and serve with crusty bread and butter for a comforting meal. Omit the Parmesan to make the dish vegan-friendly.
Suitable for vegetarians. To make it vegan, leave out the Parmesan or use a vegan alternative such as nutritional yeast.
How to cook Quinoa Vegetable Stew?
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Quinoa Vegetable Stew
By Luke and Kay – Flawless Food
Learn how to add quinoa to a hearty vegetable stew for a filling, healthy meal. This version uses winter root vegetables and can be made in a pressure cooker to cut cooking time. A hob (stovetop) alternative is also included.
Equipment
Pressure cooker (recommended) or a large saucepan for hob method.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced into small cubes
- 2 parsnips, diced into small cubes
- 100 g swede, diced into small cubes
- 1½ tsp garlic puree (about 2 crushed garlic cloves)
- 1 tsp chilli puree, or 1 fresh chilli finely chopped
- 200 g peas (fresh or frozen)
- 500 g passata
- 400 ml vegetable stock (made from stock pot or cubes)
- 200 g quinoa (1 cup), rinsed before cooking
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional extras
- Grated Parmesan to serve (omit for vegan)
- Fresh crusty bread to accompany
Instructions
Pressure cooker method
- Set the pressure cooker to the fry/saute mode. Add the olive oil, then the diced onion, carrots, parsnips and swede. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, chilli and frozen peas, then turn off the fry/saute mode.
- Add the passata and vegetable stock to the pot and mix well.
- Add the rinsed quinoa, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and stir once more to combine.
- Lock the lid and ensure the valve is in the closed position. Set the cooker to a high stew setting for 4 minutes.
- When the program finishes, allow a natural release for 10 minutes — do not open the cooker early, as this time is part of the cooking process.
- Carefully open the valve to release any remaining steam. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, give the stew a final stir, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm with grated Parmesan if using, and crusty bread on the side.
Hob (stovetop) method
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil and fry the onion, carrots, parsnips and swede for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the peas, garlic and chilli. Add the passata and stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavours develop.
- Add the rinsed quinoa, thyme and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper. Bring briefly to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more stock if you prefer a looser consistency.
- Remove bay leaves, check seasoning and serve with Parmesan and crusty bread if desired.
Notes
Rinsing quinoa before cooking removes its natural coating (saponin) and improves the flavour. If you want a soupier stew, add extra stock. This recipe is naturally high in fibre and plant protein, and it makes a filling meal with relatively low fat.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
This post was originally published on 04/11/2019 and updated on 14/03/2025 to improve the recipe layout and user experience.
Continue below for more tips and background on ingredients and methods.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is the seed of a plant native to South America. It is naturally rich in protein, fibre, minerals and B vitamins, and is often used as a nutritious, low-fat alternative to grains. Because quinoa is high in protein compared to other grains, it helps you feel full sooner, making it a useful ingredient for slimming and weight-management meal plans.
Quinoa also helps thicken stews and soups while adding texture and nutrition, so it’s an excellent choice for a healthy lunch or dinner.
What vegetables to use in a stew?
For this recipe we use winter root vegetables — swede, parsnips and carrots — which give a sweet, earthy flavour that pairs well with tomatoes and quinoa. You can easily swap or add other vegetables to suit what you have on hand.
Other vegetables that work well include sweet potatoes, courgettes (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), celery, shallots, potatoes and mushrooms. Peas, garlic and chilli add brightness and depth of flavour.
Cooking Methods: Pressure Cooker or Hob
A pressure cooker makes this quinoa vegetable stew quickly and easily — a 6L pressure cooker or an electric multicooker (such as an Instant Pot) works well. If you prefer or do not own a pressure cooker, the hob method is equally straightforward but takes longer.
If you are not limiting fat intake, grate Parmesan over each serving for a richer finish. For a dairy-free or vegan option, try sprinkling nutritional yeast instead. Serve the stew with fresh crusty bread to soak up the sauce and enjoy.
More Vegetarian Recipes
For more vegetarian inspiration, try recipes such as carrot and coriander soup, chilli paneer or aubergine curry.
