How to Cook Quinoa
Quinoa is a versatile and nutritious grain that has become increasingly popular in recent years. If you’ve never cooked quinoa before, it’s easy to prepare and makes a great base for a variety of dishes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Cooked Quinoa
- Rice: Who Needs It?! Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a seed native to South America; it’s small, round, and comes in several colors. Quinoa has a slightly earthy and nutty flavor with a delicate, fluffy, and slightly chewy texture, making it the perfect substitute for rice.
- So Many Ways to Use It. Cooked quinoa is delicious on its own, but you can also use it as a base for a variety of dishes, like salads (Roasted Vegetable Salad for example), stir-fries, soups, or as a side dish to accompany roasted vegetables or meat. Quinoa can even be used to add nutritional value to healthy desserts (like these Quinoa Cookies).
- My Fail-Proof Method. Follow the instructions on the box and sometimes your quinoa will end up soggy and bland. My quinoa recipe turns out fluffy and perfect, never disappointing!
How to Cook Quinoa on the Stove
The Ingredients
- Quinoa. White, red, or black (or a mix!).
- Water. You can use broth for a more savory flavor.
The Directions
- Prepare. Rinse quinoa through a fine mesh strainer with cold water until water runs clear. Don’t skip this step!
- Simmer. Add quinoa to a medium saucepan of boiling water. Reduce the heat to low and cover with lid. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Rest. Remove from heat. Let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Finish. Fluff with fork and top with herbs as desired.
Meal Prep Tip
Quinoa is a great grain to have on hand for meal prep! Double the recipe at the beginning of the week to have a big batch to quickly add a nutritious grain to your meals.
Ways to Use Quinoa
- Bowls and Salads. Quinoa Chickpea Salad, Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, Broccoli Quinoa Salad, and Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad are satisfying and great for meal prep.
- Fruit. Red, White, and Blue Quinoa Fruit Salad makes a great potluck side. I even love this for breakfast.
- Casseroles and Skillets. Broccoli Quinoa Casserole, Healthy Garlic Shrimp with Quinoa, and One Pan Broccoli Quinoa Skillet are tasty and filling.
- Baked Goods. Quinoa Chocolate Bark, Quinoa Cookies, and Quinoa Breakfast Bars get a healthy boost from quinoa.
- Vegetarian Swaps. Use quinoa as a base to make Quinoa Burger.
- Stir Fries. Quinoa makes a great rice-swap in stir fries. Serve quinoa with Tofu Stir Fry, Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry, Bourbon Chicken, or any of these other stir fry recipes.
Tips for Perfect Quinoa
- Use the Perfect Liquid-to-Quinoa Ration. A great rule of thumb when cooking quinoa is a 2:1 ratio of water to rice. 2 cups water for every 1 cup of quinoa. This is the same ratio as rice.
- Don’t Skip the Rinse. Rinsing quinoa helps remove saponin and any other impurities like dirt or debris that might be present. Saponin is a bitter-tasting compound that can make quinoa taste unpleasant if it’s not rinsed off. It’s important to note that some pre-packaged quinoa may have already been rinsed. However, it’s still a good idea to rinse it again before cooking.
- Know How Much to Cook. One cup of uncooked quinoa yields roughly 3 cups cooked. This is enough for 3 to 4 people, depending on how you’re serving it.
- Jazz It Up. Once you cook quinoa, feel free to add butter, salt, pepper, and any herbs you desire!
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How to Cook Quinoa
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Ingredients
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup quinoa
- Chopped fresh cilantro parsley or herbs of choice (optional)
Instructions
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Rinse the quinoa. Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.
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Add water and quinoa to a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
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Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
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Remove from heat. Let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
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Fluff with fork. Top with herbs as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Let the quinoa cool before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate cooked white rice for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT: Add the quinoa and a small amount of water or broth (or an ice cube!) to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes until reheated.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze cooked quinoa in a freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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