Delicious savory quinoa granola with almonds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
This vegan, oil-free and gluten-free quinoa granola is ridiculously quick and simple to make, yet it’s so versatile and customisable. It’s going to be a game-changer in your life if you also love quick salads (especially using leftovers), because this granola makes the best ever salad topping. Plus it’s lovely as a healthy little afternoon snack, or as an extra added crunch to your grilled veggies, tofu and tempeh. And let’s not forget your favourite pasta dishes, soups, and sandwiches, because they also love the good ol’ crunch.
This savory trail mix has the perfect crunch from the quinoa, oats, almonds and seeds, and then it’s flavoured with mustard, tahini, vinegar, maple syrup and the perfect blend of fresh and dry herbs and spices. So yummy!
Savoury quinoa granola is…
- fully plant-based and vegan
- crunchy and savory
- made from quinoa, oats, nuts, and seeds
- great for meal prep
- versatile (sweet granola’s cooler cousin)
- packed with protein and fiber
- budget-friendly
- easy to customize
- perfect for salads, bowls, and soups
How to make savory granola
Making savory granola is super simple.
You start by mixing together your “wet” ingredients: mustard, tahini, maple syrup, vinegar, hot sauce, and a bunch of spices. Then add some oats, (uncooked) quinoa, and nuts and seeds of your choice.
Then mix everything well together, so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray, and bake until golden and crisp, stirring once or twice so it browns evenly.
Let it cool completely on the tray, it will firm up as it cools. Once cooled, break it into clusters and store it in a jar or airtight container. It keeps well at room temperature and stays crunchy for weeks.
How to serve savory granola
Savory granola is the perfect crunchy topping for salads, bowls, soups and pasta dishes. It’s also great in sandwiches or on top of roasted veggies.
Or simply eat it as a hearty and savory snack. It’s so good!
Customize it the way you like it!
- I love the combo of oats and quinoa here, but you can totally skip the quinoa (or even the oats), if you don’t have any at home
- Use whatever nuts and seeds you like! Walnuts, cashews, hazelnut, pecans, flaxseeds, or chia are all delicious
- Add extras to your “wet” ingredients. Soy sauce, vegan worcestershire sauce, maggi sauce, fermented black beans or some toasted sesame oil are all great flavor enhancers
- Play around with the spices! Use your favorite spice blend, add extra mushroom powder, some smoked paprika or turmeric. The options are endless!
More easy vegan snacks to try:
- Vegan Mett (German Meat Spread)
- Cheesy Savoy Cabbage Chips
- Loaded Olive Oil Dip
- Jalapeño Popper Roll Ups
- Pretzel Bites with Pink Mustard Dip
- Vegan Goat Cheese
- Vegan Cucumber & Caviar Bites
Savoury Quinoa Granola
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: a medium jar
Ingredients
For the base
- 1/2 cup of rolled oats (GF if needed)
- 1/3 cup of quinoa (I used tricolour quinoa)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Wet ingredients
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2,5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp Sriracha (optional)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of freshly ground allspice
- salt, pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/360ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add wet ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add oats, quinoa, almonds and seeds, then toss them in the sauce until fully coated.
- Spread out granola onto a baking sheet in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pieces.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Stir granola halfway through to prevent it from burning.
- Let it cool down completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Store in an air-tight container in room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: Vegan
Super crunchy and nutritious! Perfect for the salads, Evi.
Thanks, Angie 🙂
Savory granolas are just perfect on salads and…PIZZA! For real!
Pizza???? I need to try it ASAP!!!
Savory granola? Wow! I haven’t made a granola with quinoa, but that needs to be changed now. Because this just looks and sounds fabulous! Perfect addition to salad.
Thank you, Anu!
I like the idea of savoury granola, never tried if before though. Quinoa granola is a novelty idea too (for me anyway), I would love to try that too.
Quinoa granola is really the best type of granola! Savoury or sweet, it’s always great 🙂
Evi, you’ve once again inspired me and made me SUPER hungry. I love how crunchy, textured and awesomely oil-free this recipe is! I’ve never had savory granola, but now it’s all I can think about. 🙂 You know how much I love sesame seeds and almonds together… so this recipe has my name all over it. Will ya add this to my future care package list? 😉
I love that you did granola your way–not too sweet, and just the right amount of savory and herby. 🙂 Those are the two flavors I really associate with Green Evi. 🙂 Have tons of fun in Hungary and eat extra for me!! 🙂 Can’t wait til you get back. Pinning, of course. xoxo
Thank you so much, Demeter!
I’ve definitely ate for two there 😀
Babe!! This granola is perfect! I love that you A) didn’t use oil B) used quinoa! SO fun! and C) made it savory!! Such a fun recipe Evi! Thanks for sharing! Hope that you have a great weekend!
xoxo Cailee!
Thank you so much, Cailee! Quinoa makes everything so good, right? 🙂
Savory granola? I would have never thought of this! But indeed, it’s a genius idea. Flavored with mustard, maple, tahini, and herbs, this sounds like a lovely crunchy snack or addition to a salad. I really need this granola in my life! I mean, did you know my mailing address, Evi?:) Perfection!
Thank you, Ben!
This is actually a food I’ve already sent by post to my parents, so feel free to send me your address 😉
Wow!!! I love the idea!!! Do you use cooked quinoa, or is it raw?
Thanks, Augusta!
I used dry/raw quinoa, it gives a great crunch 😉
I’ve never seen a recipe for savoury granola, this is really original. I’d love to try it!
Thanks, Adina! 🙂
I’m obsessed with trying different healthy granola recipes and I have yet to find a Quinoa Granola that is savory. This recipe checks out all of my boxes, I can’t wait to try it.
I’m so happy you like it 🙂
This granola is incredible! I have just made a batch of this and I just can’t believe how good it is! and I already can’t wait to make some more and know that this is going to become part of my regular diet!
Thank you so much for such an wonderful recipe.
Hi Lucy,
thank you so much for the sweet comment, it makes me so happy that you liked the granola 🙂
I actually make it often too, it’s one of my favourite salad toppings!
Have a wonderful day!
Such a great idea & great flavours.
Q:is the quinoa already cooked?
Hi Melanie,
No, the quinoa is dry, it will get nice and crunchy after baking 😉
Hi, this recipe was a pleasant surprise. I am surely trying this. Just one hitch, how can I replace the mustard?
Hi Rozina,
I never tried this recipe without mustard, but I guess it would work with something else ‘wet’ instead. Maybe ketchup, BBQ sauce, or more tahini.
Let me know if you try the recipe, would really love to hear your feedback and how it worked without mustard! 🙂
This is the best granola I’ve ever have. Thank you very much for the recipe❤️
I’m so glad you like it 🙂
This looks yummy. Can you replace rolled oats with steel cut oats?
Hey Kelly,
To be honest I’ve never used steel cut oats, they are not common here in Germany, so I’m not sure how they work. But if you use them normally the same way as you use rolled oats, they should work….right?
Let me know if you decide to experiment with that 🙂