Quinoa harmonizes well with chard and chickpeas. Here’s a satisfying way to use these ingredients in a simple bowl presentation. Use any variety of chard — rainbow, Swiss, or green chard. Or, you can swap in your favorite greens, like kale or collards.
Though the more common, tan variety of quinoa works fine in this dish, try using red quinoa or a combination of tan and red. Any of these options go well with greens are a pretty dish made with this quinoa power bowl recipe.
Swap in other greens for kale: For variety, replace all or part of the chard with kale or collard greens. Prep as directed for the chard. For kale, you can thinly slice the stems to use; or discard them. Discard collard greens’ tough stems.
About chard
Chard, a garden vegetable that grows abundantly, is related to both beets and spinach. It’s sometimes generically called Swiss chard, which is indeed one variety, even when referring to another variety like rainbow, silverbeet, or green chard, among others. For this particular dish, my favorite to use is green chard, but feel free to use whatever kind is available.
A look at the nutrition profile of chard gives lots of good reasons to keep it in your rotation, especially during the summer, when it’s so plentiful. Offering a generous supply of vitamins and minerals, chard is also packed with fiber and even has a decent amount of protein for a leafy vegetable.
For lots more information on this leafy green, see this site’s Guide to Chard: With Tips on How to Buy, Prep, Cook, and Freeze and more chard recipes.
Quinoa Bowls with Chard and Chickpeas
Quinoa harmonizes well with chickpeas and chard. Here's a satisfying way to use these ingredients in a simple bowl presentation.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (tan or red, or a combination)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic, rinsed
- 10 to 12 ounces chard, any variety (or see other options in Notes)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Thinly sliced red onion or scallion for garnish.
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa and bouillon cube with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. If you’d like the quinoa to be more tender, add 1/2 cup additional water and simmer until absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the olive oil.
- Meanwhile, stem the chard and tear or cut the leaves into large shreds. Thinly slice the stems if you’d like to use them (they’re good — kind of like celery).
- Heat the remaining oil in a stir-fry pan or large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden, no more than 2 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and chard to the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium. Cover and cook until the chard is tender but still bright green, stirring frequently and adding small amounts of water to keep the pan moist. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the cumin into the chard and chickpeas mixture, then season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the quinoa between 4 bowls. Arrange the chard and chickpea mixture over the quinoa.
- Garnish each bowl with some thinly sliced red onion or scallion, then serve at once.
Notes
This recipe works well with collard greens or any variety of kale. Prep as directed for the chard. For kale, you can thinly slice the stems and use; or discard them. Discard collard greens’ tough stems.
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Photos of quinoa bowls with chard and chickpeas: Elena Veselova
Keep in mind if you are watching your sodium that the bullion cube is extremely high and can easily be replaced by other less salty herbs, or flavoring.
There are also salt-free vegetable bouillon cubes — Rapunzel makes a good one!