There was a time when I thought I hated quinoa; that its chewy and almost-crunchy texture just wasn’t for me. Over the years, however, I’ve experimented to find the perfect quinoa-to-water ratio and cooking time for the foolproof method of how to cook quinoa that actually turns out soft and fluffy every single time.
If you like pillow soft quinoa, this quinoa recipe is for you!
Table of Contents
Yes, today’s how to cook quinoa recipe might not be the most interesting recipe ever posted… but it’s the base for a few other more exciting recipes I hope to post soon: breakfast quinoa, quinoa chocolate chip cookies, and quinoa pancakes.
EDIT: The Breakfast Quinoa and Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies are now both up on the blog!
This basic quinoa recipe can be eaten on its own as a simple side dish, or spice it up by stirring in a little garlic powder and oregano, tossing it into a stir fry, adding a spoonful of tahini or some tomato sauce. Let your imagination run wild.
You can even use it for my favorite Quinoa Pizza Bites!
Do you have any favorite quinoa recipes? I still have a ton more quinoa recipes that I still need to publish on the blog, so be on the lookout for more healthy quinoa recipes to be posted in the near future.
Also, in your comments please feel free to leave links to your own favorite quinoa recipes if you wish.
How To Cook Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw quinoa (80g)
- 1/4 tsp salt – optional
- 1 2/3 cup water
- optional 2 tsp oil
Instructions
- How to cook quinoa: In a strainer, rinse quinoa and drain. Bring a small pot with the 1 2/3 cup water to a boil, then add the quinoa and all optional ingredients. Lower the heat to the lowest simmer, and cover. Simmer for 40 minutes, covered, then do not open the lid but turn off the heat completely. Let sit an additional 20 minutes, covered. After this time, the quinoa should be light and fluffy. If it's still too liquidy for some reason, simply turn the heat back on and stir for a few minutes until fluffy.NOTE: When found in nature, quinoa has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins. These occur naturally in the quinoa to prevent insects from eating the plant. Most packaged quinoa will be pre-washed; however it is always a good idea to wash the quinoa again just in case.View Quinoa Nutrition Facts
Notes
Edit: How To Make Quinoa – The Quick Way!
- 1 cup raw quinoa (160g)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions: In a strainer, rinse quinoa well. Drain. Now combine the raw quinoa with the other ingredients and bring to a boil uncovered. When it starts to boil, cover and simmer (or cook on low if your “simmer” is too gentle like mine is) 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy.
More Healthy Savory Recipes
Or this Cauliflower Pizza Crust
I’ve only ever tried making Quinoa once before and I reeeeally really didn’t like it – of course, I knew it was probably my own fault for not making it properly, but I’ve just never tried again since then. ^^ Now I’m inclined to try again, because whenever you tell me how to cook or bake something, it ends up working out perfectly and deliciously. 😀
So, yeah, thanks! 🙂
I made up a really great recipe. I don’t remember exactly everything that I put in it, but here is the basics:
Stuffed Large Tomatoes.
I soaked some tvp in some veggie broth and a dash of hickory smoke. Let sit, until the quinoa is down and you are adding everything into it…Cook the quinoa, then core out the tomatoes. Chop up the insides and save the tom juices. Saute onions, garlic, carrots, kale in ‘butter’ and white wine. I added a touch of sugar to the onions to caramelize them, before adding the other ingredients.
To the cooked quinoa add the diced up tomatoes and the juices, as well as the sauteed garlic, onions, carrots, kale, and tvp. I then added a touch more white wine and simmered it for about ten minutes. Spices: I added Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder (I love garlic), a tbls of olive oil, Paprika, nutritional yeast, and bragg’s liquid aminos to taste.
Next stuff the tomatoes. On top I put just nutritional yeast, but an uncheese sauce would work too. I baked on 350 for about 15 minutes or so. Just enough to let the flavors sink in and a slight crispy top.
sorry for the typos. I’m tired.
Sounds delicious….Love the tomato idea…and will try to find the BLACK varietal of quinoa I think looks so stunning …it’s a tad bit hard to find in France..but perhaps not in the US?…Thanks for the recipe!
Just a little info from a person with a Botany degree- quinoa is not technically a grain, but a seed. It has a much higher protein content than true grain crops as well as a much different nutrient composition. It is a common misconception of those on grain-free diets that they cannot eat quinoa, and that is largely in part due to misinformation.
I could go on…but I won’t. Just wanted to share that tidbit!
Thanks for taking the time to comment… I fixed my error in the post :)!
Best ever? Quinoa Creme brûlée !!!
Made with red quinoa!!!
Amazing. . . Still haven’t found the right recipe to match their custardy goodness!!
I loooove quinoa…and so do my kids! These are up fave recipes:
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/tex-mex-quinoa-salad/
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/pesto-prosciutto-and-mozzarella-stuffed-quinoa-arancini/
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/caramelized-onion-lentil-and-raisin-quinoa/
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/baked-quinoa-apple-oatmeal-pie/
My daughter and I are low carb eating and she came up with this yummy Pumpkin Pie Quinoa breakfast bowl:
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 packet NuNaturals or Truvia sweetener
pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon, ginger and cloves) to taste
(go a little heavy – quinoa takes a lot a flavor without giving much back)
Place them all in a bowl; stir; microwave for 30-60 seconds until hot. Serves 1.
I haven’t posted the recipe yet so you’re the first to see it!
Love your website and especially the healthy meal recipes. The Cauliflower Alfredo is divinely inspired and along with your bread-free stuffing is a staple at my house. Keep up the great work!
However, I gotta comment about this quinoa cooking ‘recipe.’ I used to cook my quinoa like this, or try anyway, and all I got was a soupy mess. I was about ready to give up on quinoa when I came across a recipe, which uses much less water. To one cup quinoa use 1 1/2 cups water and gently simmer for 45 minutes. Light and fluffy each time. So not sure what happened before other than I was using too much water, about what your recipe recommends. To each their own, and it looks as if this works for you. I don’t know what I was doing wrong but this method with more than double the water to quinoa never turned out right for me.
Thanks for all your great recipes and inspiration!
My favorite quinoa recipe:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/01/quinoa-vegetable-paella.html
I made made it once with broth Instead of water and added onions, corn, black beans, and cilantro. My husband devoured it an all the guys at the shop we’re asking what it was because it smelled so good.
Chocolate quinoa pudding? Just throwing it out there…
…drool….Katie, please try your hand at this one, you magical chocolate-covered Goddess, you <3