With minimal ingredients but lots of flavor this beet stir fry has a sweet and savory taste. Loaded with color and crunch it's a plant-based meal perfect for Meatless Mondays.
If you want to add some color to your meals, as a Certified Nutrition Coach this is the way to do it!
This beet stir fry uses a spiralizer to create its fun texture and sweet and spicy Thai sauce for its tasty flavor.
Though it seems like a lot, the hardest part of this dinner is making the beet and carrot noodles. After that, the dinner comes together in about 15 minutes.
And though it's great as a plant-based meal (the quinoa gives a punch of protein) it's super easy to add extra to the meal- just like this lentil curry with canned lentils.
If you need another Meatless Monday idea try this lemon soba noodle bowl or jackfruit tacos.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Colorful - a great way to bump up the color on your dinner table!
Versatile - this beet stir fry works perfectly for a Meatless Monday dinner, a full meal with added chicken, or even a side dish to a main course.
Flavorful - a sweet but tangy Thai chili sauce that's maximized by fresh lime.
Allergy-friendly - naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Ingredients You Need
Cooked quinoa - you need to do some prep work for the beet stir fry. Having quinoa cooked and ready to add makes this weeknight dinner EASY.
Beets - though traditional beets are delicious I actually love using both the red and yellow beets just because it makes for a nice mix.
Carrots - the thicker the better for spiralizing.
Mushrooms - any other vegetable will work here. We love sugar snap peas, bell pepper, or snow peas as well.
The dressing - made from a blend of apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and sweet Thai chili sauce. Adding in some fresh ginger and minced garlic are a great flavor bump up.
Green onions and lime juice - these are optional but give a pop of flavor to the vegan stir fry.
How To Make It
Step 1: Spiralize the carrots and beets.
Step 2: Stir fry the mushrooms, carrots, and beets in oil covered for about four minutes.
Step 3: Whisk together the sauce and pour half of it over the stir fry. Continue to cook.
Step 4: Add the cooked quinoa and the remaining sauce. Cook covered for a few more minutes and then remove the cover and let the sauce cook down a bit.
What About The Protein?
This quinoa stir fry is vegan and filled with veggies (just like this vegan maklouba which is like a rice and veggie upside-down cake!).
It’s a plant-based dinner option perfect for Meatless Monday.
However, adding in extra protein tastes amazing too.
A few of our favorites are:
- leftover Dutch oven chicken
- baked teriyaki chicken thighs
- Eggs as quinoa pairs well with them (savory breakfast bowl)
- Spicy chicken bites
You can also do something like adding some hemp hearts if you want to increase the plant-based protein.
Kitchen Tools
If you haven't been introduced to a spiralizer, you're missing out. Spiralizers help:
- keep your meals interesting
- replace noodles in a dish with a healthier option
- are great for low-carb recipes
- make simple dishes like coleslaw or stir fry more visually appealing
A spiralizer has been a staple in my kitchen for almost eight years now (I went through a raw stage). Not only is it fun (the kids love it!) but you can load up your meal with veggies and skip the starch.
The spiralizer can be used on zucchini, beets, carrots, and butternut squash.
I use a spiralizer the most to make noodles but works well with so many vegetables for salads or meals. My kids love to eat zucchini noodles but don't like actual zucchini. So, it's a great way to sneak veggies into their diets.
The spiralizer takes the vegetables and turns them against a blade to make ringlets and noodles specific to the size of the blade you choose.
If you're gluten-free, it's a wonderful option (learn more about gluten-free diet tips).
Skip Dinner Stress
The Busy Mom's Cookbook is where frazzled moms get high-protein dinner on the table fast without sacrificing nutrition or sanity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beet Stir Fry
Yes. Peeling the beets helps to remove excess dirt. Likewise, it makes spiralzing them easier with a more consistent texture.
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Easy Thai Beet Stir Fry
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.25 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 large beets peeled
- 3 large carrots peeled
- 10 mushrooms snap peas work too!
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ cup avocado oil or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sweet Thai curry sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
- 2 green onions sliced for topping
- 1 lime optional, for topping
Instructions
- Prep all the veggies: peel the carrots and beets and de-stem the mushrooms.
- Spiralize the carrots and beets and slice the mushrooms.
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a pan just over medium heat (about a six).
- Add in the veggies, cover and cook for four minutes, tossing once or twice.
- In the meantime, whisk together the remaining ingredients for the sauce.
- Remove the lid, add in two tablespoons of the sauce, toss and re-cover.
- Add in the cooked quinoa, cook for three more minutes, veggies should be tender.
- Remove lid and cook for 5 more minutes until the sauce burns off a bit.
- Portion and serve. Top with green onions, a squeeze of lime and sesame seeds if you have them.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Susannah says
Looks delicious! Will be trying this soon!
fitasamamabear says
Yay- let me know what you think!
linda spiker says
What a gorgeous meal! So colorful and bright!
fitasamamabear says
It's one of my newest addictions!
Renee D Kohley says
So many yummy veggies! The flavors sound great!
fitasamamabear says
Veggies are my staple- I aim for color!
Raia Todd says
Mmmm! I love the beets in there!
fitasamamabear says
They make it so colorful!
Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says
This looks so good! I LOVE all of the beets in there. This is such a power-packed nutrition meal, I think it's great that you were able to get so many veggies in there plus lots of flavor. Yum!
fitasamamabear says
Haha I always aim for color so lots of veggies! And beets are one of my favs 😀
Joni Gomes says
Loving these thai flavors and those bright colors!
fitasamamabear says
I aim to eat allll the colors, they make me happy haha
Tessa Simpson says
Spiralizing is so much fun, and the beautiful color of the beets really shine here!
fitasamamabear says
Spiralizing is fun!
Kelly says
I love a good stir fry. It's always a crowd pleaser and delicious for all!
fitasamamabear says
And it's a simple meal to throw together! Always a win lol
CHIHYU says
I love the color and all the fresh yummy ingredients in the recipe. Just fabulous!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! The colors just make you want to eat all the veggies!
jennifer says
I love all the red -- this would be a fun dish for getting the kids to try something healthy on Valentines Day
fitasamamabear says
Ohh I didn't even think of Vday- great idea!
Megan Stevens says
Mmm, the vinegar and beets are yummy additions here!
fitasamamabear says
It makes for a nice combo!
Zuzana says
I always look for some special recipes with beetroot and this is just perfect
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Glad you're a beet lover!
Meredith says
I love the vibrant color of this Thai flavored stir fry! Pinning to try soon!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks! I always aim for color!
Isabella says
Love the color! This would make the perfect GF lunch/dinner! LOVE IT!
fitasamamabear says
Yes! It's super speedy which is always a win
Shelby S says
I love the colors of this stir fry, there's so many nutrients!