egg-fried quinoa with summer squash

I’m all about an easy, one-skillet dinner dish. This particular recipe is vegetarian yet packed with a ton of protein and delicious flavors. This dish combines a few pantry staples like quinoa and balsamic vinegar with fresh market finds like a summer squash medley.

what's up with summer squash

Every time I go to the grocery store I see the typical selection of squash—green and yellow zucchini and then the year-round squash varietals that are more synonymous with fall dishes like acorn and butternut squash. Then, I step into a late-August farmer’s market and I’m flooded with a huge selection of different summer squash that I may or may not have seen before. And then I end up with two tote bags filled with squash. Oh, well.

If you’re new to the squash game or just want a refresher on the different varieties, here are some of the most common types of squash I find each summer:

Zucchini Found in both the classic green or a bright yellow color, zucchini’s peak season is the end of summer although they’re available year-round

Yellow squash Not to be confused with yellow zucchini, yellow squash is a bit more round and skinnier up toward the neck

Pattypan squash These are fun little squash varietals that look kind of like saucer-shaped gourds. They come in different shades of yellow and green

Avocado squash This Korean summer squash is a little more rare than the others. It’s round and has a bright green exterior (like an avocado!) and has a creamy, buttery consistency

Now, there are plenty of other types of summer squash, and you can pretty much use any of them in this recipe.

squash it up, and then get these ingredients

Quinoa You’ll want quite a bit of quinoa to fill the entire skillet

Scallions & garlic These alliums provide some hefty flavor to the dish

Balsamic vinegar You can use regular balsamic or a flavored version, but either way this will add a punch

Sesame seeds These add a little crunch and fun

Feta cheese The feta adds a little creaminess and tanginess

Eggs You’ll crack the eggs into the quinoa mixture and allow them to set. Like a shakshuka with quinoa and squash!

Basil An herbal finish for the dish

See? It’s easy peasy, and you can whip this dish up in just about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

⟶ the recipe

egg-fried quinoa with summer squash

ingredients

2 cups of quinoa, cooked

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 green zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ tablespoon sesame seeds

¼ cup feta cheese

4 eggs

Handful of fresh basil

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook time

10 minutes

Total time

20 minutes

4 servings

instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic, and cook for about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini and squash, and cook for another few minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Add the quinoa, another tablespoon of oil, and balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring, until quinoa is sizzling. Use a rubber spatula to scrape up any quinoa that starts to stick on the bottom of the skillet.

Stir in the feta cheese, and make 4 divots in the quinoa. Crack an egg into each one, cover the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the egg whites are just set.

Remove from heat, and serve with a handful of shredded basil and additional crumbled feta on top.

⟶ recipe notes

Make sure to use a large, flat skillet, so there’s enough room for all the eggs and they don’t run into each other

⟶ modifications

You can use white or brown rice instead of quinoa, but I like that this version is a healthier, protein-packed version of fried rice

⟶ make it ahead

You can cook the quinoa up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in the refrigerator, and this recipe will be super fast when it’s all ready to get tossed into the skillet