How to Cook Quinoa
With the right ratio and a few easy techniques, you can achieve perfectly fluffy and delicious quinoa every time. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week, building a hearty salad, or swapping it in for rice, mastering how to cook quinoa will make it a go-to ingredient in your kitchen for healthy, adaptable meals.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 156kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. This removes the natural coating (saponin) that can make quinoa taste bitter.1 cup quinoa
- In a medium saucepan or pot with a lid, bring the water to a boil. Stir the rinsed quinoa into the boiling water. Add salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.1 ¾ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt
- Turn off the heat and let the quinoa rest (with the lid on) for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork before serving.
Notes
- For a nuttier flavor, toast the quinoa in the saucepan with a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes before adding water.
- Use 1 cup quinoa to 1 ¾ cups water (instead of 2 cups). Too much water makes quinoa soggy. Slightly less water keeps it light and fluffy.
- Avoid stirring when simmering since it releases starch and makes quinoa sticky.
- After the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes. This step allows steam to evenly distribute, making it fluffier.
- Make sure to use a for, not a spoon to fluff the grains. A spoon compresses the quinoa.
- After cooking, toss the quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes to give it a slightly crispy, nutty finish and to remove excess moisture—great for topping salads!
- Storage: Cooked quinoa keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Make a large batch, divide into portions, and freeze in zip-top bags. To reheat, sprinkle with a little water and microwave or steam.
Nutrition
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg