Go Back
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa: Quick Make-Ahead

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

A warm, comforting breakfast quinoa made with apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, simmered in milk and topped with Greek yoghurt and toasted walnuts.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g quinoa rinsed well under cold water
  • 400 ml whole milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version
  • 100 ml water
  • 2 medium apples cored and diced into 1 cm cubes (I like Braeburn or Pink Lady)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 40 g chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 2 tbsp raisins or dried cranberries
  • Greek yoghurt to serve
  • Extra cinnamon for dusting

Method
 

  1. Toast the walnuts. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add the chopped walnuts. Stir them constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until they smell nutty and turn a shade darker. Tip them straight into a bowl and set aside — they'll burn in seconds if you leave them in the hot pan.
  2. Soften the apples. Add the butter to the same pan and let it melt until it starts to foam. Tip in the diced apples and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges turn golden and the fruit gives slightly when pressed with your spoon. The kitchen should smell warmly of apple at this point.
  3. Bloom the spices. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples and stir for 30 seconds. You'll notice the spices darkening and releasing a rich, toasted aroma — that's exactly when you want to move on.
  4. Add the quinoa and liquid. Stir in the rinsed quinoa, then pour in the milk, water, honey, vanilla, and salt. Give everything a good stir so nothing sticks to the base of the pan.
  5. Simmer gently. Bring the mixture to a low simmer — small bubbles around the edge, not a rolling boil — then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring, until the quinoa has absorbed most of the liquid and the grains look translucent with a tiny white spiral visible.
  6. Rest and fluff. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes. This resting step lets the grains finish absorbing liquid and turns the texture from slightly wet to fluffy. Fluff with a fork, then fold through the raisins and toasted walnuts.
  7. Serve. Spoon into bowls, top with a generous dollop of Greek yoghurt, and dust with extra cinnamon. Serve warm.

Notes

For a dairy-free version, use almond milk and coconut oil instead of butter. Toast the walnuts separately and add at the end to keep them crunchy.