Gochujang Baked Quinoa with Slow Roasted Salmon

I love a baked quinoa moment, and this gochujang quinoa proves it. Mostly for how easy it is but also for how versatile it is. You can see other varieties of my baked quinoa on the blog, but this one by far takes the cake. It’s spicy, somewhat sweet, super filling and can be done in under an hour…but in that hour you really aren’t doing that much.

Sometimes when I’m doing an easy dinner, I’m in the mood to chop and sauté and put together a bunch of things, but other times, I’m just really in the mood to set something up and let it chill – and this baked quinoa recipe is perfect for that. It’s a lazy dinner but an exciting one, which sometimes is exactly what a weekday needs.

What is gochujang?

I LOVE gochujang and I hope you feel the same way about it that I do. It is a Korean red pepper paste that is FERMENTED. A true gem. The fermentation gives it a unique flavor that you can’t replicate with other condiments.

It is simultaneously savory, sweet, and spicy. The most common preparation involves gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of rice, which is then cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.

Ingredients for this baked gochujang quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup plant-based milk of choice
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp gochujang paste
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb fresh salmon

How to bring this gochujang baked quinoa recipe together

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Add the quinoa and shallot to an over-safe deep baking dish or dutch oven.
• Whisk together the milks, water, gochujang, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey and garlic.
• Pour this over the quinoa and stir to combine.
• Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and bake in the oven for 40-55 minutes at 375F. Check periodically after 40 minutes to see if the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is cooked.
• At the 40 minute mark, place the salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake this at 375F for 15-16 minutes.
• Remove the quinoa and salmon from the oven. Let both cool for a few minutes before plating.
• Serve with scallions and chili oil on top and enjoy!

Ingredients for an optional chili oil topping

• 1/4 cup thai basil chopped
• 3 tbsp scallion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek or red pepper flakes
• A tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil

How to make the optional chili oil

• Add all the ingredients except the oil to a heat-safe bowl.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil until it is around 300F. Remove from the heat and pour over the ingredients.
• Working quickly, whisk together the oil and the ingredients to combine. It should be ready in minutes!

Looking for other easy dinners?

And that’s it for this gochujang baked quinoa recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3