Making the perfect fluffy quinoa at home is quick and a lot easier to make than you think! Learn how to cook quinoa perfectly every time using our simple recipe including tons of tips and tricks, variations, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Why should you learn to make quinoa at home? This ancient grain has been used in cooking for thousands of years and has recently become a popular health food all around the world. Quinoa a delicious and easy-to-cook ingredient that you can always count on — as long as you know how to cook it correctly.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is often thought of as a grain, but it’s actually a seed that behaves like a grain when cooked. It starts as tiny, hard, shell-coated balls (usually white but can also be red or black). When cooked, the hard shell gives way and the seed absorbs water, becoming soft and fluffy similar to rice and other grains.
Quinoa is packed with fiber, protein and other nutrients. It cooks quickly and can be enjoyed in any number of ways, making it a popular choice when it comes to mealtime for both vegans and non-vegans alike!
Quinoa was first grown in the Andes but it has become quite popular in recent years and is now grown all over the world, yet it's still mostly grown in Peru and Bolivia.
Why You'll Love this Quinoa Recipe
- It’s versatile. Quinoa can be used in almost any savory dish you can think of! It’s a perfect ingredient to sprinkle over soups and salads, light enough to be served as a side dish, but filling enough to be a main dish all on its own with some extra ingredients.
- Packed with protein and fiber. Quinoa naturally contains a high level of protein. As a seed, it also has a lot of fiber, making it a healthy addition to any meal. Quinoa has become especially popular as a protein in plant-based dishes — but it’s also a favorite among meat eaters too.
- Great for vegan and vegetarian dishes. Quinoa is loaded with plant-based protein, making it an ideal meat substitute or base for all kinds of vegetarian dishes.
Ingredient Notes
To make quinoa at home, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- quinoa - this recipe will work for all colors of quinoa such as white, black, and red, or any combination of the three.
- olive oil - you can also use avocado oil or ghee in place of the olive oil called for in this recipe.
- water
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, fine mesh sieve or colander and a cooking pot.
How to Cook the Best Quinoa
- Rinse. In a large fine-mesh colander, rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold running water for 1 minute (this helps to remove the bitter taste in quinoa). Drain well.
- Boil. In a medium cooking pot, add the rinsed and drained quinoa, water, and olive oil. Bring to boil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
- Simmer. Cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed.
- Rest. Remove from heat and allow the cooked quinoa rest for another 5 minutes. (You will notice that the grains have popped open).
- Serve. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Quinoa. You can also make this quinoa in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker for a more hands-off approach. Add your ingredients to a pressure cooker on high pressure for 3 minutes, and then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork as normal and serve!
- Lemon Garlic Quinoa. Once cooked, add the zest of half a lemon, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder (or more, depending on your preference) as well as a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper for a lemony, garlicky quinoa that pairs well with everything!
- Mediterranean Quinoa. Once cooked, add one quarter to half cup each of raw diced tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese for an easy Mediterranean quinoa!
How to Serve
Quinoa is incredibly versatile and can be served in so many different ways. It’s a great ingredient to use in a main dish or to serve as a side dish. Some of our favorite ways to use quinoa are:
- Salads - quinoa is an ideal topping for salads and compliments the flavors of greens and other vegetables nicely. Toss quinoa in with other salad components for an even more filling dish! Try our Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad or Quinoa Spinach Power Salad.
- Soups, Stews, and Casseroles - you can add cooked quinoa to soups, chilis, stews, and casseroles of all kinds to add texture and boost the fiber and protein content.
- Burgers and Wraps - you can form the quinoa into shapes and turn it into patties or leave as a loose grain to add to wraps, burgers, and more.
- Meatballs and Fritters - quinoa makes a great meat alternative in dishes that typically contain animal products, like meatless meatballs or Vegetarian Bolognese!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use broth instead of water for a more flavorful quinoa. Try swapping out the water in this quinoa recipe for your favorite broth — veggie, chicken, beef, or seafood broth will work. You can use store-bought or homemade broth to add flavor and some nutritional benefits as well.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to rinse the quinoa. While there are several ways to rinse your quinoa, using a fine mesh sieve or other fine strainer will make rinsing easier and lowers the risk of losing a few seeds and making a mess.
- Hold off on the salt. Wait until the quinoa is cooked before adding salt and other seasonings. If you add it before, it may not disperse evenly and will absorb into the quinoa, making it easy to oversalt the grains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is absolutely necessary to rinse quinoa every time you cook quinoa! There’s a coating on the outside of the shells that tastes bitter and unpleasant, plus dust and other particles from processing the seeds.
Giving the quinoa a quick rinse (it only takes a minute or two, promise!) before cooking it removes the bitterness and makes sure you get fluffy, tasty, perfectly cooked quinoa every time!
You can tell when the quinoa is done because all the liquid will have evaporated or will have been absorbed into the quinoa and the seeds have become soft. If the quinoa has turned mushy or chewy, the quinoa has been overcooked and you’ll want to start over to get the consistency right. If your grains are crunchy, the quinoa’s been undercooked.
Yes, quinoa is a great ingredient to meal prep! Whether you’re getting a head start on dinners for the week or trying to create a varied menu with limited ingredients, quinoa is the grain for you. It cooks quickly, stores well, reheats beautifully, and can easily be incorporated into all kinds of dishes!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Once the cooked quinoa has cooled completely to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
How to Freeze
Transfer leftover quinoa into an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend labelling the container with the date for easy reference.
More Recipes with Grains
- Quinoa Spinach Salad
- Vegetarian Bolognese
- Steamed Rice
- Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad
- Falafel
- Chicken Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole
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Recipe
How to Cook Quinoa
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Making the perfect fluffy quinoa at home is quick and a lot easier to make than you think! Learn how to cook quinoa perfectly every time using our simple recipe including tons of tips and tricks, variations, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large fine-mesh colander, rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold running water for 1 minute (this helps to remove the bitter taste in quinoa). Drain well.
- In a medium cooking pot, add the rinsed and drained quinoa, water, and olive oil. Bring to boil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
- Cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the quinoa simmer for 15 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and allow the cooked quinoa rest for another 5 minutes. (You will notice that the grains have popped open).
- Fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
How to cook in an Instant Pot (pressure cooker): You can also make this quinoa in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker for a more hands-off approach. Add your ingredients to a pressure cooker on high pressure for 3 minutes, and then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork as normal and serve!
How to store: Once the cooked quinoa has cooled completely to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
How to freeze: Transfer leftover quinoa into an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend labelling the container with the date for easy reference.
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Rest Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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