How to cook quinoa: a nutty flavor and super fast cooking time make cooking quinoa from scratch a great option for healthy meals!
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Around here, we love quinoa – but I remember when it was new to me and all the questions I had.
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.
Check out how to cook Farro in this post!
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)
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card 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
- Quinoa Greek Salad (from Bowl me Over)
- Mango Lime Quinoa Salad (from Bucket List Tummy)
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How to cook Quinoa – and what to do with it!
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ¾ cup water (or broth)
Directions
- Begin by rinsing 1 cup uncooked quinoa until the water runs clear.
- In a small saucepan bring 1 ¾ cup 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.
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Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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