Mushroom quinoa “risotto” (Quinotto) – Datoxinista

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Mushroom quinoa “risotto” (Quinotto) – Datoxinista

Mushroom Quinoa Risotto is a low-performance of traditional risotto. It uses high-protein quinoa instead of rice. It is naturally gluten-free and makes one!

Recipe of mushroom quinoa in white bowl.

This side dish doesn’t require butter or parmesan cheese, but it’s easy to customize if you like cheesy food. (Or Quinotto, if you prefer.) As written, it is vegan and dairy-free.

If you don’t like mushrooms, swap them for any other vegetables you like.

Quinoto Ingredients

The recipe starts with sautéed onions, garlic cloves, mushrooms, and thyme. For convenience, I use dry thyme, but fresh thyme works too.

Quinoa is cooked in vegetable soup to add flavor, and Tamari exudes an umami flavor that is added without the use of dry white wine. (Usually in traditional risotto.)

You can add some milk at the end for a more creamy effect, but it is not necessary for delicious dishes.

Mushrooms, quinoa, spinach, onion and spices marked on a white surface.

How to Make Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the surface is hot, add drizzle olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Next, add the mushrooms to the sautéed onion, stir occasionally, and cook for another 5 minutes. Then, add the chopped garlic to the pot and stir for another 1 minute.

Stir the mushrooms in a pan with tamari and thyme.

Add tamari to the mushroom mixture and stir briefly.

Pour the dried quinoa into a fine mesh filter and rinse the quinoa under running water until you see there are no more bubbles on it. Add rinsed quinoa to the pot with vegetable soup. Season with salt and black pepper and bring the liquid to a boil.

After the liquid has bubbled, cover the frying pan with a lid and lower the heat to a mild low heat.

Add soup to quinoa and mushrooms in the pot.

Let the quinoa cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, but keep the lid on for another 5 minutes. This will make the quinoa complete the cooking without burning or sticking to the pan.

When adding 5 minutes, remove the lid and check the quinoa. Each piece should have a visible ring, just like a pop-up.

Stir the fresh spinach while stirring with quinoa. The Greens will wither soon.

The texture of this quinoa risotto will have a moist texture, but it won’t be creamy like a traditional risotto. Give it a taste and make any adjustments if you see fit. You can add 1/2 cup of milk for a butter coat, or add some Parmesan cheese if you like.

Serve this quinoa as a side dish, or as a main dish, topped with your favorite protein. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Looking for more quinoa recipes? Try black bean quinoa salad, quinoa fried rice or hearty quinoa soup.

1 spoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 Small Yellow onion chopped
2 Garlic cloves chopped
8 ounce Thin sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon Dried thyme
2 spoon Tamari or soy sauce (or Coconut Aminos)
1 cup Uncooked quinoa
2 cup Vegetable soup
Salt and black pepper
1 cup Baby Spinach roughly chopped
Fine sea salt and black pepper

Preheat a large deep skillet and cover over medium heat. After the surface warms, add olive oil and sauté the onions for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme and stir for another 5 minutes.
Add the tamari to the pan and stir briefly. Rinse the dried quinoa with a fine mesh filter until you no longer see any foam or air bubbles on the top. Drain and transfer the rinsed quinoa to the pan. Add the vegetable broth and season with 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil. After foaming, reduce the heat to a mild low heat and cook, then cover the pan with a lid. Set the timer for 10 minutes. When the timer is closed, turn off the heat, but cover the lid for another 5 minutes. This will allow the quinoa to finish cooking without burning the bottom.
When 5 minutes pass, remove the lid and stir the quinoa to make sure all quinoa looks cooked. (It’s a little translucent.) Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite protein or side salad. The remaining quinoa risotto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Assuming you can get 4 cups from this recipe, the nutritional information is about 1 cup of risotto. This information is calculated automatically, so this is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Update Note: The recipe first appeared on my website in January 2011, but was updated in 2025, and it was an easier one-tray dish. If you missed it, you can find the old version here.