Protein Jeera Rice
Fragrant basmati rice mixed with quinoa and tempered with whole cumin seeds and turmeric for a simple side that sneaks in extra protein.
This is the rice I make with basically everything. Regular jeera rice is good, but it's mostly just carbs, maybe 4g of protein per serving if you're lucky. I started mixing in quinoa and honestly, you can barely tell the difference once the cumin and turmeric do their thing.
It's dead simple to meal prep too. I'll make a big batch on Sunday and portion it out for the week. The quinoa keeps its texture better than plain rice when you reheat it, which is a nice bonus. Eight grams of protein from a side dish adds up fast when you're stacking it with a curry or dal.
The Protein Upgrade
Traditional jeera rice uses only basmati rice, delivering about 4g protein per serving. By replacing half the rice with quinoa, we bump the protein to 8g per serving without changing the flavor profile.
Protein Jeera Rice
Ingredients
- ¾ cup basmati rice (rinsed) 1g protein
- ¾ cup quinoa (rinsed) 2g protein
- 2 ¾ cups water
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice and quinoa separately until the water runs clear. Soak the rice for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Heat ghee or oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the drained rice and quinoa. Stir gently to coat in the ghee and toast for 1 minute.
- Add water, turmeric, and salt. Stir once and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, remove the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and garnish with cilantro.
Boost Your Protein
- Use a full 1:1 ratio of quinoa to rice for even more protein.
- Stir in a handful of roasted cashews or peanuts for an extra 3-4g protein per serving.
- Pair with a protein-rich dal or curry to build a complete high-protein meal.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No quinoa? Use amaranth or millet for added protein.
- Swap ghee for coconut oil to make it dairy-free.
- No basmati rice? Use jasmine rice or long grain white rice.
- No cardamom pods? Use a pinch of ground cardamom.