Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas
This quinoa pilaf combines fluffy quinoa cooked in chicken stock with asparagus, green bell peppers, red onion, and chickpeas for a hearty, colorful dish. Lemon juice and optional balsamic vinegar add bright acidity, while olive oil, salt, and black pepper round out the flavors; serve it as a gluten-free side or a satisfying main course for lunch or dinner.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook30 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 58 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 13 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 68
- Heart Health
- 83
- Metabolic
- 57
- Digestive
- 40
- Inflammatory
- 42
- Performance
- 58
- General Wellness
- 1
Combine chicken stock and quinoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add asparagus, bell peppers, and onion; cook and stir until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in chickpeas. Pour in balsamic vinegar and cook until reduced, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir in cooked quinoa. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over pilaf before serving.
- 3
Take the saucepan off the heat.
- 4
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- 5
Add the asparagus, bell peppers, and onion; cook and stir until they soften, about 6 minutes.
- 6
Stir in the chickpeas.
- 7
Pour in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cook until it reduces, about 4 minutes.
- 8
Add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
- 9
Stir in the cooked quinoa.
- 10
Drizzle 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar over the pilaf before serving.
- Calories 407.99 kcal High 20%
- Protein 15.65 g Good Source 31%
- Carbohydrate 63.82 g 23%
- Total Fat 11.49 g Moderate 15%
- Saturated Fat 1.1 g Moderate 6%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.69 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 371.76 mg Moderate 16%
- Dietary Fiber 11.63 g Good Source 42%
- Total Sugars 8.5 g --
- Added Sugars 0.31 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 74.0 mg Low Source 6%
- Iron 5.37 mg Good Source 30%
- Potassium 839.47 mg Moderate 18%
- Vitamin A 93.54 mcg Moderate 10%
- Vitamin C 9.94 mg Moderate 11%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas is made with 13 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 45 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Asparagus, Balsamic Vinegar, Black Pepper, and Chicken Stock. Each serving provides about 407.99 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas made of?
- The main ingredients are Asparagus, Balsamic Vinegar, Black Pepper, Chicken Stock, Chickpea Pasta. The full list of 13 is above.
- How long does it take to make Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas?
- About 45 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 407.99 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 13 ingredients and 10 steps.
- Is Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas healthy?
- Quinoa Pilaf with Veggies and Chickpeas has an easyChef Pro health score of 53/100. Per serving, it provides 407.99 calories and 15.65 g of protein, or 31% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 371.76 mg (16% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.1 g (6% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required