Learn how to cook quinoa to fluffy perfection three different ways. Plus, get easy quinoa recipes for bowls, salad, and more! (8g protein, 5g fiber per serving)
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I grew up eating quinoa in the 90s, when it was decidedly less cool than it is today. My parents were big on healthy, natural foods, so we were no strangers to a quinoa salad at dinner time.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and suddenly quinoa isn't the weirdo food it was when I was kid. It's as common on menus as rice now!
Fun Fact: Quinoa isn't a grain, though we tend to treat it like one, since you cook it like one and it has a texture that's in line with whole grains. The edible part of the quinoa plant is technically the seed, and it's related to leafy greens, like spinach and Swiss chard!
If you're new to quinoa, don't be afraid! It's light and fluffy with a slight nutty taste. It's also super easy to make. Think of it as something between brown rice and couscous in texture.
Quinoa is as easy to cook as rice, and like rice, you can prepare quinoa on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker. Below, you'll find all three methods for cooking quinoa plus recipes to help you use it.
✅ How to Cook Quinoa
Cooking quinoa is a lot like cooking white rice. You can cook it on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker. Here's how!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (Rinsed in a fine mesh strainer, if you prefer.)
- water or vegetable broth, as needed
Directions
- Stovetop: Combine the quinoa with 1 ¾ cup water or broth in a saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Your quinoa is ready when all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.
- Instant Pot: Combine the quinoa with 1 ½ cups of water or broth in the Instant Pot. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Fluff with a fork and serve.
- Rice Cooker: Combine the quinoa with 1 ¾ cup water or broth in your rice cooker. Turn it on, and when it pops, fluff and serve. If your cooked has white rice and brown rice settings, choose white rice.
Frequently Asked Question: Don't you have to rinse your quinoa?
The short answer is, probably not. Rinsing quinoa removed the saponins, which can give it a bitter flavor. Most store-bought quinoa is already rinsed, so unless you are feeding it to a very picky eater, there's no need to do that extra step.
🔪 Easy Quinoa Recipes
Once you have the basics for how to cook quinoa down pat, you're ready to make some tasty quinoa salads and other healthy, satisfying quinoa dishes. Happy cooking!
🫙 Quinoa Mason Jar Salad
Asparagus Quinoa Pilaf
Quinoa Lentil Meatloaf
Kale and Quinoa Salad
Instant Pot Quinoa Burrito Bowl
Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
Quinoa salad with cranberries and citrus dressing recipe
Tofu Quinoa Bowls
Frequently Asked Question: 1 cup dry quinoa is how much cooked?
A cup of dry quinoa yields about 2.5 to 3 cups cooked quinoa. Quinoa fluffs up during cooking, and the cooked volume depends on your cooking method and how fresh the quinoa is that you are using. Fresher quinoa will absorb more water more readily.
🔁 Substitutes for Quinoa
In grain salads and bowls, you can use white or brown rice in place of quinoa. Heartier grains, like Kamut or farro, will also work as a quinoa substitute in recipes like this, though you need to alter your cooking method to accommodate.
For recipes like a quinoa loaf, you'll want to use a similar-sized grain, like amaranth or bulgur. Again, you'll need to alter cooking times and water amounts for these different grains.
🔍 Quinoa Nutrition
A cup of cooked quinoa contains:
- 8g of protein
- 5g of fiber
- 3.5g fat
- 0g saturated fat
- 7% of your daily potassium
...plus a ton of other vitamins and minerals! Quinoa is also a complete protein that provides trace minerals that fight inflammation.
🛒 Where to Buy Quinoa
Now that quinoa is super popular, you can find it at almost any grocery store alongside other grains, like rice.
If you're looking for a bargain, buying quinoa in bulk is your best option. Natural grocery stores usually stock quinoa in their bulk bins. Since you're paying for the grain and not the packaging, you save some cash this way. You can also stock up on as much or as little as you need.
If you do buy your quinoa in bulk, I'd recommend storing it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. Regular mouth quart-sized mason jars are my favorite way to store bulk quinoa, because they hold a lot, are airtight, and are easy to pour from.
I also like mason jars for storing bulk grains because you can see at a glance what's in your pantry.
Having trouble finding quinoa at the store or looking to branch out into some more interesting types? You can shop online for quinoa. Sometimes online prices are better than in-store, and you can find interesting varieties, too!
When you're shopping for quinoa, look for organic and Fair Trade on the labels. Quinoa can be produced very responsibly, and these certifications ensure that the quinoa you're buying is as good for the planet as it is for your body.
fitoru
Your blog is really stunning. I love reading your articles.
Fifty
Thanks for the quinoa education, history and cooking instructions! Enjoyed reading. Wondering why you only suggest soaking for the instant pot method? Seems like other articles I've read suggest always soaking before every manner of cooking to reduce bitterness.
Becky Striepe
Thank you so much! You know what? I'm not sure why I do it that way! These are just the methods I've always used without even questioning! You can definitely rinse before any cooking method, though. I might need to give that a try!
Anna (Utah Health and Fitness Association)
Thank you so much for this page! I always cooked quinoa on the stove...now I'm going to try these other ways and see if I can taste a difference. I'm also going to go through all these wonderful quinoa recipes! yum yum
Becky Striepe
You're so welcome. Enjoy!
Natalie
Hey Becky! Natalie from Bake and Destroy here. I was just thinking about you (thinking I should send you some Chocolate Puffs) and I found this post! I'm working on something you might want to check out if you want to make the best quinoa ever. Curious?
Becky Striepe
Of course! Do you still have my email address?
Ricki
I was just telling my hubby yesterday how much I love quinoa and that I should have it more often! Thanks for all these options so I can make good on that statement! :D And thanks for including my recipes in your lovely roundup! xo
Becky Striepe
Hurrah for quinoa! Your recipe looks super delicious, Ricki!