5-Ingredient Garlic Butter Quinoa

Let Me Tell You Why I Keep Coming Back to This Quinoa

Alright, grab your favorite mug of tea (or coffee if you’re like me and it’s barely 9am while writing this)—because I’m about to gush a bit about one of my laziest, tastiest weeknight saviors: 5-Ingredient Garlic Butter Quinoa. Seriously, when my brain is fried and I’ve only got a handful of bits left rattling around the fridge, this is the sort of dish I stumble my way into making. There was this one time, years ago, when a friend came over unexpectedly; all I had was some quinoa, a not-so-fresh head of Garlic, and questionable patience. But somehow, shoving it all into one pot with a generous blob of butter, it turned out…well, kind of magic. My friend still brings it up, mostly to tease me about burning the first batch (I promise it only smelled a little, okay?).

Why You’ll Probably Love This (Unless You’re Anti-Garlic)

I make this when I want something that feels cozy but doesn’t require a whole project’s worth of chopping. My sister begs for this after soccer practice, even though she claims she “doesn’t like quinoa” (liar). There’s always that perfect bite where you realise the butter’s browned just a bit and suddenly even boring quinoa tastes like it was made by somebody’s cheeky French grandmother—except, my Nan was Irish and preferred potatoes, so here we are.
It just comes together fast, no drama, and I’ve honestly made whole dinners out of it with whatever’s on hand. (Once I tried it with coconut oil instead—that’s another story for the Variations section…)

Here’s What You’ll Need

• 1 cup quinoa (white or tricolor both work—in a pinch, I’ve successfully used the Trader Joe’s red stuff, but you might need a splash more water)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (my grandma always insisted on Kerrygold, but honestly, store-brand is usually in my fridge. Vegan butter also works fine)
• 3-4 big garlic cloves, minced (or pressed; and if all you have is pre-chopped stuff in a jar, I won’t judge—in fact, sometimes I do that when lazy hits hard)
• 2 cups low-sodium veggie or chicken broth (water with a bouillon cube does the trick too; in a real bind, just use water and throw in a big pinch of salt)
• Small handful chopped parsley for topping (optional, but I say do it if you can—the green looks cheerful and makes me feel, I dunno, a tad fancy?)

So, How Do You Make This? Let’s Get Cooking

1. Rinse the quinoa. Seriously, don’t skip this. Gives it a much cleaner, less—uh—earthy taste. I just run it under cold water in a fine sieve, though if you don’t have one, an old tea strainer sort of works (a bit messy, sure).
2. Get the butter melting. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, toss in the butter. When it gets to that lovely bubbly stage, swirl it for a second and then throw in all that garlic. If it sizzles, you’re doing it right. Just don’t let it brown—unless, like me, you get easily distracted. In which case, browned butter garlic quinoa is a thing now.
3. Add the quinoa. Pour the rinsed quinoa into the garlicky buttery good stuff and stir about for a minute. I like to toast it a bit (I swear it makes the end result nuttier), but you can just move on if you’re ravenous.
4. Toss in the broth. Pour in your chosen liquid. Give it all a good stir, then bring it to a lazy simmer. Lower the heat, cover and just let it putter away for 15 minutes. Here’s where I usually find myself poking around for snacks, or idly scrolling my phone and inevitably forgetting about the pot for a few minutes longer—no disaster yet, but keep half an eye on it.
5. Fluff and finish. After about 15 minutes, most of the liquid should be gone. Take off the heat, leave the lid on another 5 minutes (patience, my pet). Then fluff with a fork and toss in the parsley. Don’t worry if it seems a bit wet at first—on second thought, I actually think the texture’s better after a quick rest.

Notes (AKA: What I Learned the Hard Way)

• If you skip rinsing the quinoa, you’ll get a weird soapy taste. I did that once; never again. Well, probably never.
• I sometimes double the garlic if I’m cooking for myself. Then the dog stares at me, and frankly, that’s his problem.
• Using salted butter? Maybe go easier on the broth cube or extra salt. (I always forget, then end up drinking a small sea.)

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (and a Fail or Two)

• Added a handful of frozen peas at the end. Works, very springy vibes.
• Swapped the butter for coconut oil. Okay, I thought this would be lovely. Taste was…fine, kind of odd. Stick with butter unless you’re strictly dairy-free.
• Dropped in a pinch of smoked paprika with the garlic for a smokier edge. Not traditional, but hello, flavor-town.
• Tried it with cinnamon once by mistake (don’t ask). Let’s just say, that won’t be making a comeback.

Do You Actually Need Special Equipment?

Honestly? A saucepan with a lid is key. But once, when my only saucepan was busy doing soup duty, I cobbled this together in a battered old skillet and covered it with a baking tray—looked silly but it worked. So, improvise if you have to; just don’t let it dry out.

How Long Will It Keep? (Hint: Not Long)

Stored covered in the fridge, it’ll last 3 days, maybe 4. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! (Midnight snackers, I see you.)

How to Serve This (Besides Eating Straight from the Pot)

I love it beside roast chicken, scoop it over salad greens with a bit of lemon, or—my personal favorite—plunk a runny egg on top and call it breakfast for dinner. Once, I even stuffed it into peppers and my usually suspicious nephew cleaned his plate. Christmas miracle?

Pro Tips (Learned the Hard, Soggy Way)

• Don’t rush the “let it rest” bit. I tried once, scooped it out straight from the pot, and wound up with mushy sadness.
• Too much stirring? It gets gummy, so resist. Distract yourself; scroll TikTok or stare out the window.
• If it looks a bit watery when the timer’s done, just leave the lid off for a few mins (should sort itself out).

Real Questions I’ve Gotten (And My Not-Always-Perfect Answers)

• Can I make this ahead? Sure, but I think this tastes even better the next day—though it sometimes dries out a tad, so splash on a spoon of broth when reheating.
• Can you freeze it? I mean, you can, but the texture gets a little odd. Still edible though, especially tossed into soup or casseroles. Up to you—no food police here.
• What if I don’t like parsley? Ignore it! Try a little chive or just go without. Live a little.
• Broth vs. water—which is best? Broth feels fancier but I’ve honestly had good results with salted water (especially if you toss in a bay leaf for kicks).
• What kind of garlic? Whatever you’ve got. Fresh is awesome, but jarred mince or the frozen cubes? Both have saved my hide on busy nights.

Okay, I think that’s everything—even if I did just remember I forgot to mention you can add a squeeze of lemon at the end, but whatever, that just means you’ll have to try it both ways and see which you like best. Let me know if you discover any killer swaps or tricks; my DMs are always open for cooking gossip. Now, who’s hungry?

★★★★★ 4.70 from 19 ratings

5-Ingredient Garlic Butter Quinoa

yield: 4 servings

prep: 5 mins

cook: 15 mins

total: 20 mins

A quick and flavorful quinoa dish made with just five simple ingredients, featuring aromatic garlic and rich butter. Perfect as a side or light main course.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water using a fine mesh sieve.
2. 2
   In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. 3
   Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.
4. 4
   Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
5. 5
   Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Stir in the garlic butter, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
6. 6
   Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 210 caloriescal

Protein: 6gg

Fat: 8gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 30gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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