Chocolate Quinoa Ice Cream
Chocolate Quinoa Ice Cream
This chocolate quinoa ice cream is such a simple yet genius way to enjoy chocolate quinoa! This vegan dessert makes a great summer treat.
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My chocolate quinoa crunch bars are one of my most popular recipes of all time! Clearly, we’re all in the mood for some crunchy chocolate bar goodness. This chocolate quinoa ice cream is inspired by that original recipe. It’s such a simple yet genius way to enjoy chocolate quinoa in a tasty summer dessert!
This vegan ice cream recipe was inspired by an Instagram comment that suggested using chocolate quinoa as a topping for ice cream. And I thought–of course! This chocolate ice cream is another healthy, homemade twist on my classic chocolate quinoa recipe.
How do you toast quinoa?
Toasting quinoa is the key to making my crunchy chocolate bars, well, crunchy!
All you have to do is soak your quinoa in water overnight, and then pat them dry. Pour the quinoa in a hot skillet and allow it to toast for 2-4 minutes. As the quinoa toasts, you’ll begin to hear little popping sounds just like popcorn! That means the quinoa is getting toasted. It will also start to smell nutty. Be sure to stir the quinoa continuously while it’s toasting so it doesn’t get too brown. We want our quinoa to be toasted, not burned!
What chocolate can I use for these chocolate bars?
I’m a big fan of dark chocolate, but you can use any chocolate that you like! Milk or semi-sweet chocolate would be great for this recipe too, if that’s more your thing. I recommend melting chocolate chips. I used Lily’s brand for this recipe which I like because it’s also sugar-free!
Why add coconut oil to the chocolate?
You’ll probably notice a lot of recipes call for adding coconut oil to chocolate while it’s melting. That’s because coconut oil helps the chocolate harden.
What ice cream can I use?
I genuinely really like the So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream! Their vanilla flavor is really good :)
How long does this take to make?
Toasting the quinoa and mixing it in with the melted chocolate only takes a few minutes. You will need to freeze it into a bar for about 1 hour until solid.
After that, you’ll chop up the chocolate quinoa into bite-sized pieces and mix it into your softened ice cream. You can eat it immediately, or refreeze the ice cream if you prefer a more scoopable texture.
How do you store this chocolate quinoa ice cream?
I have a reusable ice cream pint that I like to use for homemade ice cream. You could also just transfer the chocolate quinoa ice cream back into the original ice cream container that you use. This ice cream will stay fresh for months!
Chocolate Quinoa Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1/2 c quinoa, soaked in water overnight and patted dry
- 1/2 c chocolate chips, melted (I used Lily's sugar free dark chocolate)
- 1 pint of vegan ice cream (I really like So Delicious)
Instructions
- Line a small, shallow dish (like a plate or a cake pan) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat (get it HOT) and add in the quinoa. Toast for about 2-4 minutes, stirring frequently so it does not burn. The quinoa should start to make popping sounds as it cooks, like popcorn!
- In a separate bowl, mix together the quinoa and melted chocolate. Spread it on top of the shallow dish and freeze for 45 mins - 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, remove your ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften on the counter.
- Remove the hardened chocolate bar from the freezer and chop it into bite-sized pieces. This may be easier to do if you leave it on the counter at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes so it can soften.
- Mix the chopped chocolate quinoa in with the ice cream. Enjoy immediately, or freeze the ice cream again if you prefer a more scoopable consistency.
Notes
I started salt n sprinkles to show that making good food is both fun and easy to do. My recipes are mostly plant-based, and always delicious. I know you'll find just what you're looking for!