Main image of How To: Cook Quinoa

How To: Cook Quinoa

20 min

How-to

Side

Homemade staple

10 ingredients or less

One-bowl / one-pot

Pantry-ready
Quinoa is the seed from the amaranth family of plants, although it's commonly classified as a grain. It's high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It's a staple in most pantries nowadays and super easy to prepare. It's a great substitute for rice or other grains, as a side dish or a base for nourish bowls.

Servings

(½ cup per serving)

Total

20 min

Prep

3 min

Cook

17 min

Free from

Soy symbol

soy

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Gluten symbol

gluten

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (85 g)
    uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup (240 mL)
    water
  • 1
    vegetable bouillon cube (optional)

Directions

  1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer over the sink.
  2. Transfer the quinoa to a saucepan. Add the water and crumble in the bouillon cube.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and let cook for 15 minutes. The quinoa should absorb all the water. If there is still some water, cook for an additional couple of minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a wooden spatula or fork.
  5. Then cover again and let sit to steam for 2 - 3 minutes longer so the quinoa softens even more. This step is optional, but it can make the quinoa much more tender.

Storage

  • Store in an #coontainer in the fridge for 4 days.
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Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Michaela - March 26, 2023, 1:15 p.m.

hello, i am searching for a granola recipe, including cooked quinoa. I think i saw it on your page, but i can't find it. Could you please help me?

PUL Team - March 26, 2023, 10 p.m.

Hey Michaela, our Crunchy Almond & Mango Granola includes puffed quinoa. Perhaps that was the one: pickuplimes.com/recipe/crunch… 😃

Reply
Bette Porter - March 20, 2023, 2:57 p.m.

Now I can stop buying per cooked quinoa and make it. I for the first made quinoa and I did it right. Thank you.

PUL Team - March 20, 2023, 10:53 p.m.

So happy to hear, Bette!

Reply
Phillipa - March 3, 2023, 12:12 p.m.

I usually cheat and make quinoa in my rice cooker but this is great for cooking when away from home.
My question is if it is beneficial to soak the quinoa beforehand like we do with brown rice? I read that we should somewhere but it wasn't a reliable source.

PUL Team - March 3, 2023, 8:12 p.m.

Thanks for the lovely question, Phillipa! Soaking quinoa overnight is optional but can decrease cooking time and increase nutrient absorption. If you opt to soak quinoa, it will need less cooking water. Instead of using 2 parts of water for every 1 part of quinoa, use 1.5 parts for every 1 part. For example, if you want to cook 1/2 cup of dry quinoa that has been soaked, you can use 3/4 cup of water for the best results 🙂

Reply
Kirsten - Feb. 10, 2023, 3:57 a.m.

i love that pick up limes posts accessible recipes like this - such a great resource for new cooks! pick up limes is my first (favourite) teacher in vegan cooking :) one of my favourite variations to this recipe is orange juice - it immediately freshens up the quinoa and makes a wonderful base to salads!

PUL Team - Feb. 10, 2023, 5:30 p.m.

Aw thank you for helping make our PUL community so incredible, Kirsten 💛 Orange juice is an interesting idea too!

Reply