This one skillet quinoa recipe features peppers, vegetarian sausage, and a whole lot of flavor! Ready in just over 30 minutes and boasting over 25 grams of protein per serving, this is an easy recipe to keep on hand for weeknight dinners.
Quinoa is the perfect starting ingredient for one skillet meals! Pair it with peppers, sausage (in this case, Impossible Sausage or homemade Italian-seasoned tofu crumbles), and a few pantry staples in this easy vegetarian dinner that's ready in just over 30 minutes.
This recipe is part of my higher protein vegetarian meals series, thanks to the combination of red beans, sausage, and feta. This recipe makes 3 servings, clocking in at around 25 grams of protein per serving.
Unlike quinoa taco salad or rice and beans, which lean more on Mexican-inspired flavors, this quinoa skillet takes a lot of flavor from Old bay seasoning and paprika.
I'm talking lightly smoky, spicy, and super savory!
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Recipe highlights
- Flavors: Gently spicy, savory, and full-bodied, thanks to a blend of oregano, paprika, and Old Bay seasoning. Cajun seasoning also works in a pinch, if you don't have Old Bay seasoning available.
- Equipment: All you need is a cutting board, knife, and one large skillet with a lid to make this dish.
- Time: Ready in just over 30 minutes, with half of the time inactive time while the quinoa cooks.
- Balanced: This one-skillet meal is hearty enough to be a main, with over 25 grams of protein per serving.
Ingredients
- Quinoa: Any variety/color of quinoa works.
- Sausage: I use half of a container of spicy Impossible sausage. Any variety of sausage works here! Leftover sausage works well in this Fennel Sausage Pasta.
- Beans: I like red beans because they pair well with the warm flavors from Old Bay seasoning, and the flavors of the dish remind me a lot of red beans and rice or even jambalaya.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: A can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes adds a hint of smokiness and extra flavor to the quinoa. If fire-roasted isn't available, just standard diced tomatoes also works.
- Old Bay seasoning: This is a savory, all-purpose seasoning that's typically paired with seafood. As a vegetarian, I use it in everything from broccoli rice casserole to gouda mac and cheese. If you don't have Old Bay seasoning available, use an equal amount of Cajun seasoning.
Step-by-step photos
- In a large skillet, such as a 12-inch cast iron skillet, start by cooking the sausage. Crumble into bite-size pieces, then cook until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. I tested the recipe with the sausage cooking at the same time as the quinoa, and the sausage lost a lot of its texture after simmering alongside the quinoa. Removing it before cooking the quinoa ensures that it stays nice and crispy.
- Don't clean out the skillet after removing the sausage. Add a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the peppers and onions. Cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt, then add the garlic and jalapeno. Continue cooking until golden and aromatic, just a few minutes. Add the quinoa and spices and toast for about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, and drained red beans. Bring to a rapid simmer over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over low. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked sausage, feta, and parsley before serving. Enjoy!
Storage notes
- Leftovers are best within 3-4 days.
- I haven't tried freezing this recipe, but I imagine it will freeze well! Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More one skillet recipes
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One Skillet Quinoa, Sausage, and Peppers
This vegetarian meal is savory and gently spicy. It features Impossible sausage, peppers, and quinoa all cooked together in one skillet.
Ingredients
- 7 ounces spicy Impossible sausage see note #1
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 medium bell peppers any color; chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small jalapeño minced; optional
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed well
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning see note #2
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 15 ounce can red beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
- crumbled feta to garnish; optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet, such as a 12-inch cast iron skillet, start by cooking the sausage. Crumble into bite-size pieces, then cook until golden. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
- Don't clean out the skillet after removing the sausage. Add a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped bell peppers and onion. Cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt, then add the garlic and jalapeño. Continue cooking until golden and aromatic, just a few minutes. Add the quinoa, Old Bay seasoning, paprika, and oregano. Toast for about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes with their juices, and drained red beans.
- Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high to high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over low. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Stir the quinoa. Stir in the cooked sausage and parsley before serving. Garnish with feta, if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Sausage: 7 ounces is equivalent to two Impossible sausage links. Any variety of sausage works here, just make sure it is browned and cooked through before removing from the skillet. Another option is to use my recipe for homemade Italian-seasoned tofu crumbles. Make the tofu according to the recipe and use as a direct swap.
- Old Bay seasoning: Cajun seasoning or another all-purpose seasoning blend will work as a direct swap.
- Salt: This meal can become high-sodium pretty quickly, as Old Bay seasoning and Impossible sausages are high in salt. If you're watching salt intake, I suggest using no salt added beans, reduced sodium vegetable broth (or water), and adding salt to taste. Replace Impossible sausage with a lower-salt option (you may need to compare labels) or another can of beans.
- Nutrition facts are an estimation and will vary based on brands used. I calculated using no salt added red beans and spicy Impossible sausage.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 26gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 828mgPotassium: 960mgFiber: 19gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 3449IUVitamin C: 114mgCalcium: 148mgIron: 6mg
Did you make this?I love hearing how it went! Leave a review or tag me on Instagram @cozypeachkitchen so I can see your creations!
Maddie Mae says
This was an easy, low-ingredient dinner that was worth my time! I had to swap chickpeas for the red beans, but otherwise followed directions. Would likely make again! Old Bay makes everything better.
Cassidy Reeser says
Awesome, thank you for the review! And you are so right, Old Bay is always my not so secret ingredient.