Quinoa crispies are a healthy, easy to make a delicious crunchy snack that can be topped on your fruit or yoghurt breakfast bowl. They can be added to smoothies or topped up in a salad.
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Not everyone enjoys quinoa in normal form. So if you are looking for a different and healthy way to enjoy quinoa, try this crispy quinoa recipe and I am sure you would love it.
What are Quinoa Crispies
Quinoa Crispies are nothing but baked quinoa. Cooked quinoa is baked until they are dry and crispy. When perfectly done the quinoa is nice and crunchy. It goes well as a munching snack, topped on your breakfast bowl, smoothies or in your salad bowl.
This crunchy quinoa does not need any oil. They are quick and easy and can be done in an hour. The basic version needs just cooked quinoa and nothing else. So this is also one of those pocket-friendly or budget-friendly recipes when you buy quinoa in bulk.
Ingredients used in Quinoa Crispies
I have made 2 Quinoa variations of crispies. Sweet Quinoa Crispie and Chocolate Quinoa Crispie. For the sweet Quinoa crispie I have used cooked quinoa and sugar. For chocolate quinoa crispie I have used cooked quinoa, cocoa powder and maple syrup. If you do not want to add any sugar, simply bake the cooked quinoa until you are done.
How to make crispy quinoa
The recipe is simple but needs a little patience that too only with respect to baking the quinoa. One needs to first cook the quinoa. This can be done in either an open pan or an Instant pot or a pressure cooker. Once the quinoa is cooked, drain all the water if any and remove it in a colander and spread it to dry a bit.
Once cooked and excess water removed, bake it in a preheated oven until they are crispy. The sugar quinoa crispy takes around 20-25 minutes, and the chocolate one takes a bit longer around 35-40 minutes.
Slowly I would be adding the different variations of recipes I am trying and experimenting with.
Cooking Quinoa in an open pot
I have already detailed how to cook quinoa in an open pan in this post of Flourless Quinoa Vegetable muffins. Do check out the post for details on how to cook quinoa in an open pot.
Cooking Quinoa in Instant Pot
This time I cooked the quinoa in Instant Pot as there is no need to monitor it. For cooking in Instant Pot, I used a 1 to 1.5 cup ratio of quinoa to water. I then pressure cooked it on high for 1 minute and allowed it to natural release for 10 minutes. Once the pressure is released, I removed it and laid it in a colander to spread and dry it out a bit. If you leave it in the Instant Pot itself it would get soggy as the Instant Pot would be hot and quinoa would continue to cook.
Variations to Crunchy Quinoa
One can make these Quinoa Crispies in different flavours. It can be sweet or savoury. I have made 2 versions one with a little sweetener and the other with cocoa powder and maple syrup.
Other variations to try can be adding cinnamon, nutmeg. Herbs can be added to make the savoury version. Different types of spices, pepper, lime can also be added to give them a delicious and distinct flavour.
Type of Quinoa used
I have used white Quinoa as that is easily available here. However one can use any type of quinoa in this. Black, red, rainbow etc.
Is this Vegan
Yes, the basic version is vegan and even the version’s I am sharing. However, if you are using any oil or sweetener make sure to use the vegan version if are a vegan.
Is this Gluten-Free
Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and these quinoa crispies are gluten-free.
Ways to enjoy Quinoa Crispies
I have already mentioned them above. However, adding it here again.
- As a munching snack
- As a breakfast cereal
- Top it up on your Yoghurt breakfast bowl
- Top it up in your smoothies.
- Add it to your salads
- As a crunchy topping in your icecream
- Top it up on your soup bowl
I was looking for some healthy and easy alternative to my breakfast and I found these Quinoa crispies as the perfect treat. So when Sasmita from First Timer Cook gave me sugar and water I decided to put forward my crispy quinoa recipe.
As you all know in this Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge we give each other secret ingredients and then cook recipes according to the current theme. This month theme “Healthy Ideas” was decided by myself and my co-admin Mayuri from Mayuri’s Jikoni.
Mayuri Di made this Curried Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes which is an interesting and completely different take to enjoy sweet potatoes.
I gave Sasmita matcha powder and desiccated coconut as the secret ingredient and she made these Matcha Energy balls.
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Recipe of Quinoa Crispies
Quinoa crispies
Equipment
Ingredients
Sweetened Quinoa Crispies
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa
- 1 tablespoon Demerara Sugar or sweetener of choice or can be skipped completely for non-sweetened version
Chocolate Quinoa Crispies
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup – can be replaced with honey or any form or sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Deg C.
Sweetened Quinoa Crispies
- In a bowl add the cooked quinoa.
- Add sugar and mix.
- Spread the mixed quinoa on a baking tray.
- Turn the quinoa in between to get even baking.
- Bake it in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until crunchy.
Chocolate Quinoa Crispies
- In a bowl add the cooked quinoa.
- Add cocoa powder, maple syrup and mix.
- Spread the mixed quinoa on a baking tray.
- Turn the quinoa in between to get even baking.
- Bake it in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until crunchy.
- Allow the crispies to cool completely on the baking tray.
- Store it in an air-tight container once cooled.
Notes
- It is best to use parchment paper if you are not oiling or spraying a baking tray as the quinoa gets stuck to the tray.
- Baking times vary and it would take a bit more or less to bake quinoa.
Seema Sriram
Monday 24th of January 2022
ooo I have to try this!! I love that there is sweetness and chocolate in it, now all I need is a spoon.
namscorner18
Thursday 20th of January 2022
Such a brilliant idea to make crispies with quinoa. It is so colorful, healthy, and nutritious.
Sasmita Sahoo
Thursday 20th of January 2022
Quinoa crispies sound awesome renu !!! These are so healthy and easy to make......Love to top on my breakfast bowl.
Priya Vj
Thursday 20th of January 2022
Tasty quoina crispies . Loved the serving with all delicious and healthy berries and nuts
Sujata Roy
Wednesday 19th of January 2022
Excellent share Renu. So innovative. Quinoa crispies sounds great. Loved all the serving ideas. I would love to have it with yogurt. I can imagine the crunchy texture of cooked Quinoa. Can't wait to try.