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    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Quick and Easy Red Beans and Quinoa

    Published on September 28, 2022. Last updated on September 28, 2022 by Gina Marie Leave a Comment

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    Red Beans and Quinoa is a high protein version of the classic dish, red beans and rice and ready in under an hour!

    red beans and quinoa on a plate

    My southern vegan red beans and rice recipe in my Vegan Soul Food Cookbook (coming soon!) is beyond delicious don't get me wrong.

    But there are some key things about this recipe as to why I chose to pair it with quinoa this go around:

    • It's different. Red beans pairs well with other grains like millet rice and quinoa. When eating a vegan diet, it is crucial to be open to try different things and be creative in the kitchen!
    • It's great for meal prep. Yes soul food inspired food can be healthy and incorporated in your vegan weight gain meal plan!
    • It's higher in protein. Quinoa is a complete protein and has more grams of protein per gram than rice. For vegan weight gain, protein is crucial.
    • It's quicker to make. Quinoa cooks faster than rice making it a great recipe weekly meal prep and for those busy dinner nights.

    What to Eat with Red Beans and Quinoa?

    You can eat this recipe without anything additional. It is good as it is. But if just like red beans and rice, red beans and quinoa will go good with:

    • roasted vegetables using my homemade cajun seasoning mix
    • vegan spelt cornbread
    • air fried okra
    • pressure cooker collard greens

    What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

    Dark or light red kidney beans will do (I used dark) in can.

    I used canned red beans for this recipe because the goal is to make this "quicker" than the traditional recipe. With canned beans, there is no soaking and long cook time required.

    If canned beans are not your thing, prepared beans that come in a box will do as well or if you already have cooked beans, that will work as well!

    ingredients of red beans and quinoa on a table

    How to Make Quick Red Beans and Quinoa

    *Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.

    Cook Quinoa

    water boiling in a pot
    STEP 1: Boil water in a saucepan.
    quinoa in a pot cooking
    STEP 2: Add quinoa to saucepan.
    fluffy cooked quinoa
    STEP 3: Cook Quinoa until it is fluffy.
    quinoa being added to meal prep containers
    STEP 4: Add quinoa to meal prep containers.

    Cook Red Beans

    whole red beans in a mixing bowl
    STEP 1: Add a portion of your red beans to your mixing bowl.
    smashed beans in a mixing bowl
    STEP 2: Smash beans in a mixing bowl.
    sauté onions and peppers in a pot
    STEP 3: Sauté onions, peppers, in a saucepan.
    seasoned vegetables in pot
    STEP 4: Season vegetables and sauté.
    water in a pot with seasoned vegetables
    STEP 5: Add water to your saucepan with vegetables.
    add red beans in a saucepan
    STEP 6: Add whole red beans to a pot.
    smashed red beans in a saucepan
    STEP 7: Add smashed beans to the pot to help thicken the beans.
    simmered red beans in a saucepan
    STEP 8: Mix smashed beans together in the pot until fully mixed.
    simmered red beans until beans thicken
    STEP 9: Cook until beans are thicken.
    quinoa and red beans and rice in meal prep containers
    STEP 10: Add beans to your meal prep containers with quinoa.

    How to Meal Prep This Recipe

    This recipe is in my updated Vegan With Curves Meal Plan guide (coming soon!) where, I give you 4 weeks of structured meal plans with shopping lists and storage tips!

    Join the 5 Part Vegan Weight Gain series! (Coming Soon)

    With red beans and rice, there are 2 ways to meal prep and store this recipe.

    Refrigerator Storage Meal Prep

    • Grab some Glass Storage Containers.
    • Portion both quinoa and red beans into desired portions and place in storage containers.
    • It will last for up to 3-5 days.

    Freezer Storage Meal Prep

    • Grab some Glass Storage Containers.
    • Portion both quinoa and red beans into desired portions and place in storage containers.
    • Seal and pop in your freezer. It will last for up to 3 months. When ready to consume, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat, and enjoy!

    Substitution, Cook, & Storage Tips

    • In my updated 28 Day Vegan With Curves Meal Plan Guide (coming soon!), this recipe is meal prepped for a 4 day meal prep. Sign up to the email list where you get a FREE 5 Part Vegan Weight Gain series and a 3 Day Vegan Meal Plan Guide to help you meal prep this for vegan gains! (coming soon!)
    • If you are really daring, try this with white kidney beans!
    • For more protein, you can add your favorite vegan sausage product to this dish.
    • These recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Scroll up the post to view specific meal prep tips.
    close up shot of red beans and quinoa on a plate

    More Vegan Soul Food Recipes You’ll Love

    • vegan vegetarian fried cabbage
    • black eyed pea soup
    • dairy free mac and cheese
    • vegan candied yams
    • fried oyster mushrooms

    WANT MORE? Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER  and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Tik Tok for the latest updates.

    red beans and quinoa on a plate

    Quick and Easy Red Beans and Quinoa

    Red Beans and Quinoa is a high protein version of the classic dish, red beans and rice and ready in under an hour!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Keyword: red beans and quinoa
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 549kcal
    Author: Gina Marie

    Ingredients

    • 3 15 ounce canned kidney beans note 1
    • 1 tablespoon cooking oil note 2
    • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
    • 1 bell pepper, chopped
    • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon ground sage
    • ½ teaspoon applewood smoked salt note 3
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • pinch black pepper
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 cup water note 4
    • ½ broth cube note 4
    • 3 green onions, chopped
    • 1 ½ cup quinoa dry
    • 3 cups water
    US Customary - Metric

    Equipment

    1 Colander
    2 bowls
    1 Potato Masher or Fork
    1 Large Pot
    1 Medium Pot
    Measuring Spoons and cups

    Instructions

    • Drain two of the cans of beans and add it to a bowl. Drain the third can of beans separately and add it to a separate bowl. With a fork or potato masher, smash it into a puree. The puréed beans will help make your red beans creamy. Set aside.
    • In a large pot, place over burner set to medium heat. Add olive oil to pot and allow oil to heat up. Then add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
    • Add the your spices; smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried sage, applewood smoked salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to the pot and continue to cook and stir for a minute more.
    • Next add the drained beans, puréed beans, water, and broth cube to the pot, then stir to combine
    • Place a lid on the pot and allow the beans to come up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the pot continue to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • While red beans are cooking, begin to cook quinoa. Rinse quinoa in a colander and add it to a medium pot along with water. Bring to a boil.
    • Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb the water. Fluff with a fork and serve with your red beans once done.

    Notes

    SCROLL UP TO THE BLOG POST TO SEE STORAGE TIPS, MEAL PREP, AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RECIPE!
    1. CANNED KIDNEY BEANS: Because this recipe is meant to be quick and easy, canned beans are recommended. If you don't use canned goods, you can use box beans kidney beans or if you have some pre cook kidney beans, you can use those as well.
    2. OLIVE OIL: You can make this oil free by cooking your vegetables in broth and water.
    3. APPLEWOOD SMOKED SALT: This salt is a key ingredient for adding that smoke flavor to your red beans. If you can't find it, you can substitute with liquid smoke instead. 
    4. WATER & BROTH CUBE: You can replace these ingredients with 1 cup of vegetable broth. My sea moss vegan bone broth or my vegan chicken broth both works great in this recipe!

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Quick and Easy Red Beans and Quinoa
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 549 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Sodium 706mg31%
    Potassium 827mg24%
    Carbohydrates 91g30%
    Fiber 15g63%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 28g56%
    Vitamin A 1536IU31%
    Vitamin C 42mg51%
    Calcium 100mg10%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Be sure to PIN IT on Pinterest, leave a comment below, rate it, and mention @_VeganWithCurves using #veganwithcurves hashtag on Instagram so I can see it!

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full Affiliate Disclaimer.

    © Gina Marie Hoskins. Vegan With Curves. All Rights Reserved. Unless noted otherwise, all images, recipes, & content are copyright protected and registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. My images and written content are NOT to be used without prior permission. Read full Copyright Disclosure.

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