This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
How to cook quinoa: a nutty flavor and super fast cooking time make cooking quinoa from scratch a great option for healthy meals!
Around here, we love quinoa – but I remember when it was new to me and all the questions I had.
In this post, I’m going to answer these questions!
- What is quinoa?
- Why should I eat quinoa? Is quinoa good for you?
- How to cook quinoa
- Why rinse quinoa?
- Recipes using quinoa
What is quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is classified a “super food”, and is considered to be a whole grain. It is one of the most popular health foods, due to it being gluten-free, high in protein (and fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E).
It has a sweet, nutty flavor and a very distinctive, slightly chewy texture, and is great as a substitute for rice or couscous (4o calories fewer than the same volume of rice).
There are over 100 different varieties – but we tend to stick to the white.
Fun fact: Quinoa is not a grass like wheat or rice – it’s actually related to spinach and amaranth.
Love this post on How to Cook Quinoa? Tweet it!
Why should I eat quinoa? Is quinoa good for you?
Well, it tastes good. Plus it’s gluten free, and high in protein. And it’s good for you!
One half cup of cooked quinoa – has 4 grams of protein, 2.6 grams of fiber, 140 mg of phosphorus, 159 mg of potassium, 1.4 grams of iron, and 1 mg of zinc.
Quinoa also contains small amounts of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Why rinse quinoa?
While most boxed quinoa is already pre-rinsed, I always give it a good rinse anyway.
Rinsing will remove the natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Saponin is a naturally occurring chemical that coats every tiny grain of quinoa – it’s there to ward off insects—but it has a strong, unpleasant taste. Blech!
How to cook quinoa:
1 cup uncooked quinoa needs 1.75 Cups of liquid (the box says 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid – but for me, if you do a 1:2 ratio, you end up with gummy, paste-y quinoa)
The full printable recipe is below:
- Begin by rinsing the quinoa until the water runs clear.
- In a small saucepan bring water (or broth, depending on usage) to a boil then add quinoa.
- Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed (Small pockets of air will appear on the surface – see pics below)
- Remove from heat, and remove lid.
- Fluff with a fork.
- Devour.
Recipes using quinoa:
- Healthy Quinoa & Black Bean Salad
- Quinoa Patties with Sriracha Dip
- Fresh Ginger & Orange Scented Quinoa
- Tomato Basil Quinoa with Spinach & White Beans
- Mediterranean Cod with Quinoa & Vegetables
- Creamy Chicken Stew with Quinoa (Instant Pot)
- Quinoa Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce (from Lemon Blossoms)
- Quinoa Greek Salad (from Bowl me Over)
-
- Healthy Quinoa & Black Bean Salad
-
- Fresh Ginger & Orange Scented Quinoa
-
- Creamy Chicken Stew with Quinoa (Instant Pot)
-
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ¾ cups water or broth
- Begin by rinsing the quinoa until the water runs clear.
- In a small saucepan bring water (or broth, depending on usage) to a boil then add quinoa.
- Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed (Small pockets of air will appear on the surface - see pics below)
- Remove from heat, and remove lid.
- Fluff with a fork.
- Devour.
Recipe Video
1 cup uncooked quinoa needs 1.75 Cups of liquid (the box says 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid - but for me, if you do a 1:2 ratio, you end up with gummy, paste-y quinoa)
1 cup of uncooked quinoa will yield 3 cups cooked
Jaida ~ Sweet Beginnings
What a great post about quinoa! All those health benefits and so easy to cook! We need to use it more!