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Risotto-style Quinoa with Peas and Watercress Pesto

By OcadoLife
“This Risotto-style Quinoa with Peas and Watercress Pesto – a ‘quinotto' – is made with protein-rich quinoa instead of rice for a lighter, healthy meal,” says food editor, stylist and recipe writer Lucy Jessop. “It’s…
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Time and servings

Total time
Servings
Prep time
Cooking time

Ingredients

15 total
  • ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped, 1 crushed or grated
  • 225g quinoa
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 litre vegetable stock, hot (gluten free, if required)
  • 225g frozen peas
  • 1 bunch salad onions, sliced
  • 2 (80g) packs watercress
  • 50g blanched almonds, lightly toasted
  • 1 (25g) pack fresh basil
  • 25g vegetarian hard cheese
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 65g soft goat’s cheese (vegetarian, if required)

Method

4 steps

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a large pan; gently fry the onion, celery and chopped garlic cloves for 10 mins, stirring once or twice until softened.

  2. Step 2

    Add the quinoa, bay and 800ml stock. Bring to the boil; simmer for 15 mins. Stir in two-thirds of the peas, most of the salad onions and the remaining stock; cook for a further 3-4 mins until the quinoa is cooked.

  3. Step 3

    For the pesto, blitz 1 pack of watercress, the almonds, basil, vegetarian hard cheese and lemon juice with the remaining peas, the crushed or grated garlic clove and 2tbsp cold water to make a runny paste.

  4. Step 4

    When the quinotto is cooked, stir through half the pesto (store the remainder chilled in an airtight container for up to a week to swirl into soups or top eggs). Top with the remaining pack of watercress, remaining salad onions and the goat’s cheese.