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    Home » Gluten-Free Recipes » Gluten-Free Sides & Salads » Crispy Quinoa

    Crispy Quinoa

    Jan 5, 2025 · by Valentina · 28 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Crispy Quinoa (Quinoa Crisps) is a healthy, easy-to-make, plant-based snack, crunchy topping, tasty cereal, and really anything else you want it to be. Made without oil, it's essentially one ingredient, and you can change it up with all sorts of flavors.

    Crispy quinoa spilling out of a small ceramic bowl on parchment paper.

    Here's the thing, not everybody enjoys quinoa. (GASP!)  I'm hoping to change that for a few folks with this tried and true, delicious crispy quinoa recipe.

    When you make Quinoa Crisps, you change cooked quinoa from soft and sometimes a bit bitter, to super crunchy with a delicious earthy, nut-like flavor.

    From the time the quinoa finishes cooking in water, to the time it comes out of the oven after baking, it undergoes a major transformation.

    Ingredient (Just One!)

    Red quinoa poured out onto a table.

    Above: Dry uncooked red quinoa.

    There is just one ingredient for protein-packed Crispy quinoa -- quinoa! (Well, and water, which for a bit more flavor, you can substitute with vegetable broth or stock if you'd like.)

    Quinoa - Quinoa is a protein rich, gluten-free seed, that's classified as a grain. Use any color you like, red, white or black, or a mix of the three. (There are said to be hundreds of varieties, but these are the three you'll see in stores.)

    How to Make Quinoa Crispy

    - Cook ½ cup of dry quinoa in 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil, cover and simmer until all of the water has been absorbed.

    Top view of a pot with multi-colored cooked quinoa.

    - Then add the quinoa to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin even layer and let it air dry for about 10 minutes.

    - Place the baking sheet in a preheated 375°F oven and bake until golden and crispy. This should take about 35 minutes. (It will shrink during this process.)

    Recipe Tip: I love that this recipe doesn't need any oil -- however, it's the slightest bit crispier if you drizzle a little on top before you roast it. You can use any oil you'd like, though I recommend extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

    Cooked quinoa on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    Crispy Quinoa on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    - At the halfway point, use a flat-bottomed spatula to flip and move around the quinoa.

    Crispy quinoa with a metal spatula on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    - Leave it on the baking sheet to cool to room temperature before using it.

    Recipe Tip: If you're using red or black quinoa, it will be harder to detect when it's golden, so just remove a bit from the baking sheet, let it cool and taste. It should be very crunchy when it's done.

    Quinoa Measurements: Dry vs. Cooked vs. Crispy

    • ½ cup of dry quinoa = approximately 1 ¾ cups cooked quinoa.
    • 1 ¾ cup cooked quinoa = approximately 1 cup crispy quinoa.

    Uses for Crispy Quinoa

    The possibilities are almost endless . . .

    • It's a fabulous snack. Just put it in a bowl and serve! (See Variations below for a sweet and savory version.)
    • Use it as a crunchy quinoa topping for soups, salads, yogurt and even ice cream. (When we look for crunchy salad toppings, we're usually thinking about nuts or croutons -- which is why this unexpected ingredient will wow everyone.) It's especially delicious on Fall Squash Soup, Carrot Soup and Apple Cranberry Salad.
    • Add nutrients to your rice by topping it, or mixing it with the quinoa.
    • Sprinkle it over roasted vegetables like oven charred broccoli or Smashed Cauliflower.
    Top view of a brown-rimmed bowl filled iwth crisped quinoa.

    Variations of Quinoa Crisps

    You can flavor crispy quinoa with all sorts of ingredients. In this oil-free recipe, for the seasonings to "stick" to the quinoa, they should be mixed into the quinoa right after it's cooked and still damp, before it's roasted.

    • Spicy version. Add ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle or cayenne chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt. This is excellent on salads and soups.
    • Sweet version. Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. This is a fantastic cereal -- just add milk and a spoon. 😉

    How long will it keep?

    Quinoa Crisps will keep well in a tightly sealed container for about 24 hours at room temperature. They tend to lose their crunch after a day or so, at which point you can spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in a 375°F oven just to crisp them.

    I don't recommend refrigerating or freezing, as they will loose their crunch.

    Side view of a tiny ceramic bowl filled with multi-colored quinoa crispy.

    More Delicious Quinoa Recipes

    • Lemon Quinoa
    • Quinoa Burgers with Almonds
    • Quinoa Salad Bowl with Pineapple
    • Spicy Red Quinoa Pesto Bites

    I hope you find crispy quinoa as fun and tasty as my family and I do.

    Top view of a brown-rimmed bowl filled iwth crisped quinoa.

    Crispy Quinoa Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    Crispy Quinoa (Quinoa Crisps) is a healthy, easy-to-make, plant-based snack, crunchy topping, tasty cereal, and really anything else you want it to be. Made without oil, it's essentially one ingredient, and you can change it up with all sorts of flavors.
    *Makes about 1 cup
    5 from 7 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Snack, Condiments
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 as a topping
    Calories 56 kcal

    Equipment

    • sheet pan
    • parchment paper

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup water
    • ½ cup dry quinoa (any color or a mix)

    Instructions
     

    • Set the oven and prepare a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Cook the quinoa. Add the water and quinoa into a small pot, place it over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
    • Air dry. Pour the quinoa onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Then use a spatula to spread it out in as thin and even a layer as possible. (Don't worry if there are areas where it's sticking together into small clumps.) Set aside to air dry for 10 minutes.
    • Roast. Place the baking sheet in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until golden, about 35 minutes. (If you're using red or black quinoa, it will be harder to detect when it's done, so just remove a bit from the baking sheet, let it cool and taste. It should be very crunchy when it's done.)
    • Cool. Let it cool on the sheet pan and then pour it into a storage container with a lid. Store in the tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

    NOTES

    Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keywords light and healthy recipes, unique salad toppings
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chef Mimi

      January 23, 2021 at 3:51 pm

      Okay, I’m one of those. I used to use it just because it’s so healthy, but personally it’s not my favorite grain. but wow. I totally love this! I can these crispy quinoa grains on soups and different kinds of salads, well just about everything! I was surprised there’s no oil. Just the oven! Fabulous!

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 25, 2021 at 2:08 pm

        So happy for a non-quinoa eater that they are intriguing enough to try them. Hope they're a hit. Thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    2. Eha Carr

      January 23, 2021 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      Wow ! Have used quinoa a few times a week for years and tears and (you get the idea!) . . . have never thought to try anything like this ! OK - 'snacks' are not part of my usual vocabulary but this is a great idea I shall most certainly try !!! Definitely savoury for me as a topping for so many things I can think of . . . my Greek yoghurt for one . . .

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 25, 2021 at 2:07 pm

        Eha, I just finished off our savory supply. 🙂 I hope you love it, and it's fantastic on yogurt! Thanks you. ~Valentina

        Reply
    3. Liz

      January 23, 2021 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      This is brilliant!! I adore quinoa and making it into a salty snack sounds fabulous. I'm just worried about how much I could eat in one sitting!!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 25, 2021 at 2:06 pm

        Thanks, Liz. It's healthy, so no worries about eating too much! 😀 ~Valentina

        Reply
    4. Diane

      January 23, 2021 at 9:09 pm

      OMG, Genius! I can't wait to make this and put it on top of some salads. I had it once and totally forget how great it was until I saw your post, and I'm sure once I make it I'll try it on other things too.

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 25, 2021 at 2:04 pm

        Thanks, Diane. It's perfect for salads! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
      • Kathy

        September 19, 2024 at 10:09 am

        I had a salad at a restaurant over the weekend, and it had these little crunchy things in it I could not figure out what they were. I love anything crunchy in my salad, but this was a different texture and flavor all mixed in one. I had to ask our server. I’m so glad I asked because what a simple thing to do to spruce up a salad at home and for your friends curiosity. My husband wasn’t a fan. It’s too healthy for him.

        Reply
        • Valentina

          September 19, 2024 at 9:42 pm

          Hi Kathy. So happy you're like quinoa crisps. I love how you discovered them, and I bet you can turn you husband into a fan. 😉 ~Valentina

          Reply
    5. Kathy

      January 25, 2021 at 5:32 am

      5 stars
      What a fabulous idea! My daughter loves this crunchy quinoa idea! I love adding it to yogurt along with fresh fruit. A love a little extra crunch.

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 25, 2021 at 1:34 pm

        Thanks so much, Kathy. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. 2pots2cook

      January 26, 2021 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      So hooked to cinnamon version; how great to serve as topping !!! Thank you Valentina !

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 03, 2021 at 5:03 pm

        Thank you, my friend! Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    7. Cathy

      January 26, 2021 at 11:18 am

      What a wonderful idea. I think I am going to try this in the airfryer.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 03, 2021 at 5:04 pm

        Great idea, Cathy! Pls let me know how it turns out. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    8. David Scott Allen

      January 30, 2021 at 5:56 am

      I have so much quinoa (I accidentally bought a double box of it thinking I was out, but found a double box at home!) that I need new quinoa recipes to cook! I like how this could be made savory or sweet to use as a topping. Very exciting. Thanks, Valentina! xo

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 03, 2021 at 5:06 pm

        I usually have too much of everything. 😉 I hope you enjoy this recipe, David. Thanks. ~Valentina

        Reply
      • Shelly Green

        June 08, 2022 at 4:50 pm

        I’ve been buying these dark Chocolate quinoa crisps at Whole Foods ( similar to rice crispy chocolate bars) and thought”why don’t I just make this at home myself? It sounds so easy! Once you’ve let the quinoa cook down and get crust in the oven on the parchment, all you would have to do is pour a bunch of mini dark chocolate pieces all over the pan on top of the quinoa and put it back in the oven until melted, or melt some dark chocolate in a double boiler/ microwave and pour all over quinoa. You can even lightly salt it. Remove and cool in refrigerator or freezer. Then break into pieces and store in container in fridge. Yum! And much less $ than store bought!

        Reply
        • valentina

          June 08, 2022 at 8:53 pm

          Hi Shelly. I LOVE this idea and am definitely going to try it. Thank you for sharing! 🙂 ~Valentina

          Reply
    9. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      February 02, 2021 at 10:55 am

      5 stars
      I'm a quinoa fan! Love how simple it is and such a great way to use that big bag we have in our pantry! I could munch on it as is, but it's such a lovely addition to salad. Nice crunch factor 😉 !

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 03, 2021 at 5:07 pm

        Thanks so much, Dawn. Yes, so good on salads. Enjoy and have a great week. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    10. Katie

      August 07, 2022 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      Genius! I needed a replacement for crackers on a fertility and anti-candida diet. These are the jackpot! Made them with everything but the bagel seasoning and will be making again!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 07, 2022 at 3:06 pm

        Hi Katie. Thanks so much for writing in, and I'm so happy you liked this recipe. Brilliant idea to add the Everything seasoning. I love that, and will try that soon over here too. Cheers! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    11. Makoto Cole

      July 11, 2024 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      These crispy quinoas are perfect for adding to a salad. It takes an ordinary salad and turns it into a professional one. I had some on my counter top in a glass jar a week later and it was still good.

      Reply
      • Valentina

        July 13, 2024 at 3:44 pm

        Hi! Thanks so much for your comment, and I'm so happy you liked these. I love that they were still crispy for you a week later. Enjoy and thanks for checking out my recipes and trying them. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    12. Linden

      September 01, 2024 at 1:37 pm

      Have you ever tried adding cocoa and dry sweetener?

      Reply
      • Valentina

        September 01, 2024 at 6:42 pm

        Hi. I haven't, but excellent idea! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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