Quick Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry

This stir fry came out of pure desperation one Wednesday night when I had exactly zero energy to cook but really didn’t want to order takeout again. I threw together whatever vegetables were in my fridge with some leftover quinoa, and honestly? It turned out better than most of the complicated recipes I’ve spent hours on. Now it’s my go-to weeknight dinner. The coconut aminos give it that savory, slightly sweet flavor you’d expect from a good stir fry — nobody ever guesses it’s soy-free.

Ingredients

Stir Fry

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup snap peas or snow peas
• 3 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

Sauce

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons almond butter (no added sugar)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Garnish

• Sesame seeds
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa: Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Make the sauce: While quinoa cooks, whisk together coconut aminos, almond butter, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3. Start the vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, snap peas, and carrots. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender.
4. Add aromatics: Push vegetables to the side, add remaining oil. Add white parts of green onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then mix everything together.
5. Combine and sauce: Add cooked quinoa to the wok and pour the sauce over everything. Toss well to combine and cook for another 2 minutes until heated through and sauce coats everything.
6. Serve: Divide among bowls, top with green onion tops, sesame seeds, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Tips

• Use day-old quinoa: Leftover quinoa from the fridge works even better — it’s drier and gets slightly crispy in the pan.
• Hot pan is key: Get your wok screaming hot before adding vegetables. This gives you that restaurant-style char without making things soggy.
• Coconut aminos: Coconut Secret and Big Tree Farms are reliable soy-free brands. Find them in the natural foods aisle.
• Almond butter: Use a clean brand with no added sugar or oils — just almonds. Once Again and MaraNatha are good options.
• Prep everything first: Stir frying goes fast! Have all your vegetables sliced and sauce mixed before you turn on the heat.
• Add protein: Toss in chickpeas, white beans, or diced tofu-free tempeh alternative for extra staying power.