How to Cook Quinoa

This tutorial will show you how to cook perfect quinoa, every time! My easy method works for both sweet and savory recipes, with all varieties of quinoa.

Quinoa is a pantry staple that I like to keep on hand at all times. It's so versatile!

But cooking perfect quinoa can be tricky, and those instructions on the back of the package don't always work for all types of recipes. So I developed my own method.

What is Quinoa?

Most folks think of quinoa as a grain, but it's actually a seed! Sometimes you'll hear it referred to as a pseudograin.

Quinoa has a plump, grainy texture, and a mild nutty flavor.

Quinoa comes in different colors! You'll see it sold in red, black, and white varieties (or as a mix of the three). There's no real difference in taste, texture, or cooking method among these types though. I usually choose based on how the color looks with the particular dish I'm making.

How to Use Quinoa

Quinoa can be used in lots of ways, but if you're a total beginner, try subbing it for rice alongside a curry or stir-fry.

When you're ready to get more adventurous, try using quinoa in a few of these ways:

• As a meat substitute like in this quinoa chili or these quinoa lentil tacos.
• As the base for a salad, like this mediterranean quinoa salad.
• In baked goods like these quinoa muffins.
• For adding texture to soups, like this vegan cabbage roll soup.

How to Cook Quinoa

Rinse

Quinoa naturally has a bitter coating called saponin. Many commercial varieties are pre-rinsed to remove this, but not all of them. I always give my quinoa a good rinsing unless the package specifically states that this has already been done.

To rinse your quinoa, simply place it in a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over the grains for about 2 minutes. Gently shake the strainer from side to side to work out any excess water when you're done.

Add Liquid

Place your rinsed quinoa into a small pot or saucepan and add some liquid. I generally add one of two liquid types:

• Broth. This helps add extra flavor if I'm using my quinoa in a savory recipe.
• Water. Water works for just about every kind of recipe, both sweet and savory. While broth is generally preferred for savory dishes, water works just fine if you don't have any on hand.

How much liquid should I use? That depends! I go with a ratio anywhere between 1 to 2 and 1 to 1.5.

• For recipes where big, moist, plump grains are needed, like baked goods, go with a 1 to 2 ratio of quinoa to liquid. So for every cup of quinoa, use 2 cups of liquid.
• For recipes where you'd like a little more graininess to the quinoa, such as quinoa fried rice, go with a 1 to 1.5 ratio. So for every cup of quinoa, use 1.5 cups of liquid.
• When in doubt, go with a 1 to 1.75 ratio of quinoa to water. For every cup of quinoa, use 1.75 cups of liquid.

Simmer & Steam

Place your saucepan over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir the pot every so often as it heats up.

Once the liquid boils, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Preferably use a clear lid so you can keep an eye on the quinoa while it cooks.

Let your quinoa simmer for 20 minutes, keeping the lid on the pot the whole time. If you used a clear lid and are able to peek, you should see that all the liquid has been absorbed by now.

When the quinoa has finished simmering, take the pot off of the burner and let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid, fluff your quinoa, and use it as you please!

Quinoa Cooking Tips & FAQ

• I cooked the quinoa as instructed, but there was still water in the pot after 20 minutes. What gives? You may need to turn up the heat just a tad. If the pot isn't actually simmering, the quinoa will cook very slowly. This is why I recommend covering your pot with a clear lid that lets you see what's going on, at least until you get a feel for the cooking process.
• Some of my quinoa burned. Why? In this case you may have the heat too high. You want it simmering, but not at a rolling boil. Also be sure to give the pot a stir just before placing the lid on it, and scrape any stray pieces of quinoa from the sides of the pot above the water line, as these are prone to burning.
• Leftovers & storage: Leftover quinoa will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
• Is quinoa  gluten-free? It is!

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📖 Recipe