--- title: 13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa description: From omelets to truffles canonical: https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-04-07T14:07:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:56:05.122Z article:section: Health og:title: 13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa og:description: From omelets to truffles og:url: https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55ab75ee88a9617c/69878156428a9e547fcc75ae/time-50-healthiest-foods-quinoa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1707 og:image:height: 960 og:image:alt: healthiest foods, health food, diet, nutrition, time.com stock, quinoa, grains og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa twitter:description: From omelets to truffles twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55ab75ee88a9617c/69878156428a9e547fcc75ae/time-50-healthiest-foods-quinoa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: How to Make Quinoa Pizza Crust [Watch (HLS stream): How to Make Quinoa Pizza Crust](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/MEUpR5E3.m3u8) (1:45)  _Published 2015-07-29. No need to save pizza night for a “splurge” night! Give our protein- and fiber-packed quinoa crust a try. Not only is it a great gluten-free option, but it also makes for a more nutritious slice._ by [Dana Leigh Smith / Eat This, Not That!](https://time.com/author/eat-this-not-that/) ## Dana Leigh Smith / Eat This, Not That! Apr 7, 2016 2:07 PM UTC  Danny Kim for TIME by [Dana Leigh Smith / Eat This, Not That!](https://time.com/author/eat-this-not-that/) ## Dana Leigh Smith / Eat This, Not That! Apr 7, 2016 2:07 PM UTC When you make a pot of quinoa, it’s practically a given that you’ll be eating it for several more days. And that’s because just two cups of the dry grain yield six cups of a fluffed-up end product. Which begs the question: What the heck should you do with it all? Because let’s face it: After two or three days of eating it as a side dish, it becomes a boring situation for your taste buds. To help liberate your palate and ensure that none of the supergrain in your fridge goes to waste, we’ve hunted down some of the most creative uses for your leftover quinoa. **1\. Add it to an omelet** Skip the whole-grain toast as your omelet’s companion. Instead, add some leftover quinoa to your omelet, along with some sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and goat cheese. The ancient grain adds an unexpected flavor and texture twist, a welcome change if you eat omelets regularly throughout the week. Quinoa, one of the [25 Best Carbs for Weight Loss](http://www.eatthis.com/carbs-that-uncover-your-abs), is higher in protein than any other grain and packs plenty of heart-healthy, unsaturated fats and satiating fiber, making it a smart addition to your morning meal. **2\. Use it instead of breadcrumbs** Believe it or not, quinoa makes an awesome breadcrumb substitute in things like meatloaf, meatballs, and chicken nuggets. Not to mention, the calcium and magnesium rich-grain easily ups the nutritional value of any dish 10-fold. We’re huge fans of blogger Creme de la Crumb’s recipe for Quinoa Chicken Nuggets. They’re extremely crispy, wholesome and delicious—a total must-try! **3\. Turn it into cereal** Kick your sugary cereal to the curb and fill your bowl with some leftover quinoa instead. For some added flavor, top it with some fresh berries, milk, and cinnamon, a powerful blood-sugar balancing spice that’s likely in your cabinet right now. This morning concoction can be enjoyed warm in the winter or cold in spring and summer—it’s delicious either way. **_Eat This, Not That!:_**[_20 Delicious Quinoa Bowls for Breakfast_](http://www.eatthis.com/quinoa-breakfast-bowl) **4\. Add it to soups or chili** Chili is a wintertime staple—and we’re totally okay with that because there so many ways to make it: white chili, spicy chili, pumpkin chili, the list could go on and on. To keep your creative culinary juices flowing and save some cash, use leftover cooked quinoa instead of ground beef or turkey next time you make a batch. Mix in the desired amount 15 minutes before the pot needs to come off the stove. Just as easily, you can also throw quinoa into any other [soup recipes](http://www.eatthis.com/soups-that-burn-fat) you love. **5\. Mix it with oats** You know what’s better than a bowl of oatmeal? An oatmeal-quinoa combo. After preparing your oats like you usually do, mix in a few spoonfuls of leftover quinoa. Top off the mixture with some nuts, fruit or a light drizzle of honey. **6\. Make fried rice** Try a homemade version of your favorite take-out order. To make a batch, sautée finely chopped onions, zucchini and carrots in olive oil over high heat. Once soft, add some chopped scallions, garlic, ginger and a low-sodium teriyaki sauce to the pan. (We like Soy Vay’s Veri Veri Teriyaki Low Sodium.) Then, add an egg and scramble the mixture. Once cooked through, toss in some leftover quinoa and cook until warm. **7\. Fold it into batter** You should know by now that cakes aren’t healthy. But there are ways they make them healthier, and adding some cooked quinoa to the batter is one of them. Though the grain’s fiber and protein won’t totally negate your sweet treat’s high sugar count, it will help to slow your body’s absorption of the sugar, which will help ward off extreme blood sugar spikes, that can leave your body craving more food. **_Eat This, Not That!:_**[_8 Secret Superfoods for Weight Loss_](http://www.eatthis.com/secret-superfoods-that-help-you-lose-weight-and-burn-fat) **8\. Use it as a salad topper** In lieu of croutons or a nutrient-stripped dinner roll, sprinkle a quarter-cup of cold quinoa over your salad. It adds a hearty, nutty flavor and a subtle crunch that will keep your tastebuds happy and some extra fiber that will keep hunger at bay hours after you’ve put fork to mouth. **9\. Make a stuffed pepper** For a simple Mexican-inspired meal for one, stuff a few heaping spoonfuls of quinoa into a bell pepper along with some corn kernels, black beans, diced tomatoes, shredded pepper jack cheese, cumin, garlic powder and dried cilantro. Pop it in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and voila! You’ve got yourself a healthy and delicious meal. **10\. Have an Italian feast** Mix a serving of leftover quinoa with some chopped peppers, onions, marinara sauce and cottage cheese. After the mixture is well combined, spoon into a ramekin or two and top with some goat cheese. Bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. From the first slice of the knife to the first bite, this entire process will take you less than 25 minutes. **11\. Use it in a parfait** Instead of using a sugar-filled granola or cereal to lend some crunch to your [Greek yogurt](http://www.eatthis.com/11-best-worst-greek-yogurts-weight-loss) parfait, swap in some leftover quinoa. After you’ve spooned the grain into the bottom of a bowl, top with your yogurt and fruit of choice and a light drizzle of honey. **_Eat This, Not That!:_**[_10 Reasons People Swear By Yerba Mate_](http://www.eatthis.com/yerba-mate) **12\. Throw it in a smoothie** To boost the staying power of your post-workout smoothie, add some quinoa. It’s chock full of the carbs and protein your tired muscles need to refuel and repair themselves. We’ve found that frozen berries, banana, quinoa, Greek yogurt, and honey make for a filling and refreshing combination. **13\. Try homemade truffles** It may seem hard to believe, but your leftover quinoa may be just the cure for your next sweet tooth attack—when combined with a few other pantry staples, that is. Here’s how to quinoa truffles: Grab 1/3 cup of leftover quinoa and zap it in the microwave until it’s warm. Then, throw 16 whole, pitted dates into a food processor until they form a ball. Remove the mixture from the machine and add a ½ cup of almonds and pulse until finely minced. Next, combine the quinoa, dates, minced almonds, ⅓ cup natural peanut butter and ½ cup of dark chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Shape into 24 1-inch balls and roll each in some unsweetened coconut flakes to create a crunchy coating. Place on a dish, refrigerate until set, then dig in and enjoy! Each “truffle” has just 55 calories—a far cry from the traditional candy which can carry up to 200 calories a pop. _This_ [_article_](http://www.eatthis.com/leftover-quinoa-ideas) _originally appeared on_ [_Eat This, Not That!_](http://www.eatthis.com) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/"},"headline":"13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa","datePublished":"2016-04-07T14:07:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:56:05.122Z","description":"From omelets to truffles","url":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/","keywords":["Diet & Nutrition","recipe","Healthy Eating"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55ab75ee88a9617c/69878156428a9e547fcc75ae/time-50-healthiest-foods-quinoa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dana Leigh Smith / Eat This, Not That!"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt55ab75ee88a9617c/69878156428a9e547fcc75ae/time-50-healthiest-foods-quinoa.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"healthiest foods, health food, diet, nutrition, time.com stock, quinoa, grains","caption":"healthiest foods, health food, diet, nutrition, time.com stock, quinoa, grains","creditText":"Danny Kim for TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/dietnutrition/","name":"Diet & Nutrition"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/","name":"13 Delicious Recipes for Leftover Quinoa"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How to Cook Quinoa","description":"Learn how to cook this delicious ancient grain to fluffy perfection.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6NqDekx5/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-02-08T13:16:06.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/6NqDekx5.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/","duration":"PT59S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4258953/quinoa-leftover-recipes/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How to Make Quinoa Pizza Crust","description":"No need to save pizza night for a “splurge” night! 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