If you are like me, food being good just isn’t enough. I put a lot of effort into cooking and I want everything to be perfect! Because cooking quinoa is something I do all the time, I set out to learn how to cook quinoa perfectly.
Most methods of cooking quinoa call for a 1:2 ratio between quinoa and liquid. For a long time, I thought this was the best method to cook quinoa perfectly. What I found is that I like quinoa a lot more when I used less liquid, lower heat and cooked my quinoa for longer. Unlike some methods which yield a softer (and sometimes soggy!) quinoa, this method yields a fluffy quinoa. When I am short on time I will still use the old method, but as long as I have the time I find that the results are well worth the effort. Ingredients Instructions Notes 34.2 Carbohydrates, 7.5 g Protein, 3.7g Fiber
This method is a bit different than most quinoa recipes that you will come across, so you will have to make adjustments when necessary. The good news is that quinoa is very forgiving, so quinoa cooking experiments are pretty hard to mess up! Read on for how to cook perfect quinoa!
How Do You Cook Quinoa When You Are Short on Time?
People sometimes ask me why this is not the method that I use in most of my recipes. The truth is that even though this is how I cook quinoa, I forget sometimes when I am writing the recipes because the 1:2 ratio is so ingrained! One thing that I have found is that even if you have only 15 minutes to cook your quinoa and want to use the boil/simmer method, it tends to work better if you use a little less water. I use a 1:1.75 ratio when I’m in a hurry. Bring the quinoa to a boil, reduce heat cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
In summary, when considering how long to cook quinoa, first decide how long you have! If you are short on time, use higher heat!
If you have tips on how to cook quinoa you would like to share I’d love to hear from you!
Easy No Fail Method to Cook Quinoa in Bulk
Over the last two years, I’ve developed the habit of cooking a large batch of quinoa once a week so that I can easily throw it into anything from wraps, pancakes and salads. Although I love the method above, sometimes I just want something fast that doesn’t require measuring. When this is the case I will simply rinse the quinoa and then place it in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil and allow it to boil for about eight minutes. Drain the water off and return it to the pot. Cover it and let it sit off the heat for about 10 minutes. Perfect quinoa every time!
So, the next time a friend or family member asks you “How do I cook quinoa?” you can tell them with confidence regardless of the situation!
Now, you may already know this but quinoa is also available in quinoa pasta, quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. Check out this post if you are wanting to know how to cook quinoa pasta!
Tags/Common Misspellings: howtocookquinoa, how to cook quinoa, cooking quinoa, how to cook quiona, how long cook quinoa, how to cook quinou, how to cook quinoe, quinoahow to cook
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
I tried your 1 : 1.25 ratio with lower, longer cooking time and the liquid still burned off long before the quinoa was cooked. I wonder if different stoves, pots, etc. make the difference? I’m going to try a 1 : 1.75 ratio today with long, slow cooking and see if that’s any better and gets me a nice fluffy quinoa.
If the water burned off too soon then my guess is that your stove may run hotter than most. I travel a lot and stay in VRBO’s and I’ve found that every stove is a little bit different. It’s also much easier to control the heat with gas than with electric. If neither method works, try this method brought to me by a reader. Boil the quinoa for 10 minutes and then drain. Place the strainer over the pot and cover. Steam for 10 minutes. I use a similar method in some of my quinoa salad recipes, except I have an inch of boiling water during the steaming period. Both methods work well.
Hello Wendy!! Thanks for replying so quickly. I just got a new box of quinoa (white), and I am excited to try a different cooking method, and maybe a new recipe. I look forward to seeing the differences between the brown, red, and white quinoa. Thanks so much for making all of this interesting information available!!!
I’m semi-new to quinoa, and I adore it already! I am a single mother to a 5 month old, and plan on returning to my vegetarian lifestyle. The only problem is that when I cook the quinoa, there seems to be some kind of grit, (kind of like sand) in a few bites. I use pre-washed quinoa, and I’m not sure if this is normal or what. If someone could tell me what I’m doing wrong, or what I could do differently, I would really appreciate the help!
Hi Suzanna! Ahh…..5 months old! Seems like yesterday! (My “baby” is 5!) Fun times!
There shouldn’t be any grit, but to be honest I’ve never cooked with pre-washed quinoa much. I would try rinsing and see if that helps. Try my method above too! A reader recently suggested boiling the quinoa for 10 minutes, draining and letting it steam in a colander over the pot for another 10 minutes. It also is a good cooking method.
One thing I’ve found is that different techniques work best for different people. We travel a lot and I find that some KITCHENS do better with one method over another.
Thanks for stopping by and go hug that baby! They grow so fast!
Thanks! First time cooking quinoa today. This was very helpful!
Thanks for the recipie it is on the boil now.. although the quinoa patties won´t be the same without the wheat.. or buns.. oh well thanks!
I have no idea how 1:2 quinoa ever turns out anything but soggy. Your method is much better!
Thanks so much! I’m glad it works as well for you as it does me!
Tried the quick cooking method – perfectimondo! Thanks for taking the mystery out of this – it’s sat on my shelf for months!
Once it’s cooked, what constitutes a single portion?
Marise,
A one cup serving of cooked quinoa has 220 calories, 8 g protein, 5 g fiber. I’m glad it worked for you! Wendy
Wendy, thanks so much for this information.
Cooking Quinoa the easy way….
I just use 1: 1 1/2 ratio…bring it to a rapid boil…cover and turn off the heat and leave it for about 20 mins.
DONE to perfection. Got this from the Quinoa 365 Book! LOVE IT…LOVE YOURS TOO!!
Thanks so much for the great recipes!!
Blissings, Ev
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll give that method a try!
I just cooked a pot of Quinoa using your instructions – PERFECT!! Thank you so much!
how do I cook quinoa if i am not eating sugar or flour
1:2.25 worked pretty well, just took a bit longer than expected! cooking at 5280
HI All, I am just learning to cook with quinoa and I'm wondering about high altitude directions? I live at 6900 ft.and just learned how to boil an egg correctly-you have to cook in hard boiling water for about 15 minutes! Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks, Susan
This was absolutely perfect – thank you!!
Thank you. I never realized that and lately I have been buying it from bulk @ the Market District Giant Eagle. I am going to ask them if it is pre-rinsed and if its not, I am a bit adamant they don't remind you to rinse it.
Why does it need rinsed? I have been eating Quinoa for years but never rinsed it.
I thought I read somewhere on your site the best way to store quinoa, but now I can't find it. I bought quinoa in bulk but am unsure the best way to store it prior to cooking. Any suggestions? Thanks!
It takes up to 40 minutes to cook, no nasty messages should result. Honestly. I hope those people never try to make French bread from scratch.
I use quoina instead of Bulgar wheat for my Tabouli..Started that for the benefit of gluten sensitive friends, but I continue because I think most all of us would benefit from more variety of grains ..especially grains that are not gmo, and a lot less wheat in general. Ariel
Totally legit recipe! Thank you for sharing!
I just made this for lunch — I used 1/4 cup red quinoa purchased in bulk from Whole Foods. Soaked for 15 minutes and followed the remaining directions.
Quinoa was light, al dente, and (best of all) NOT soggy.
I bought my quinoa in the bulk section at Fred Meyers. How do you know if it is pre-rinsed or not?
Jamie – My guess would be that it isn't. I always rinse bulk quinoa. When in doubt – rinse!
"What I found is that I like quinoa a lot more when I used less liquid". Just how much is 'less'? And, is this after you have soaked the quinoa?
I almost always soak quinoa prior to cooking. I typically use 1/4 to 1/2 cup less than a recipe calls for. This is just my personal preference.
Thanks for putting this site together, I just learned about quinoa and attempted to cook it last night. I have a toddler who basically refuses any meats or most things that have protein in them so I thought this would be a good introduction into the family since she usually loves rice. I say I 'attempted' it last night because it didn't turn out that great but I was in a rush and didn't follow your cooking directions above. I did use 1.75 parts water to the quinoa and it still seemed like it was a bit soggy but maybe that was because I 'rushed' it. Overall, it wasn't bad my toddler enjoyed it and even my VERY PICKY 12 year old daughter ate an full serving but to me and my husband it was kind of soggy and bland. I will reattempt it soon and follow your directions along with one of your recipes. It really is wonderful that you put all of this information out there, and I really appreciate the time and effort you have put into this site!
You are so welcome! Hopefully next time it will go better. If your quinoa is soggy you can always let it sit with the lid on a little longer. That will usually do the trick.
Thanks for following! I love food blogs!
Mika (www.mikaspantry.blogspot.com)
Sometimes I prepare a double batch of meals so that I can freeze portions for use at another time. Does quinoa freeze well if it has already been prepared?
Yes it does freeze well. Plain cooked quinoa is also good in the fridge for a week.
I boil mine like pasta for about 15 minutes, strain, put it back in the pot with a lid on it (off the burner) and let it steam itself for about 10 minutes (or until I am ready for it). Comes out perfectly every time, no measuring, no fussing.
Great advice and perfect for those in a time crunch!
tried it your way, Gloria….Perfect!!!!! I cooked the quinoa, mixed it with roasted pine nuts, sultanas, feta cheese and garam marsala. Stuffed into medium sized squash, a slice of tomato on top and drizzled with olive oil, baked until tender….MMMMMMMM!!!
Thanks for the tips on reducing the water ratio. I tried to cook a small batch with 3/4 c. quinoa to 1-1/2 c. water last night after letting it soak for an hour. The quinoa came out a bit to soft for the tabouleh recipe that I am preparing it for. I spent a good deal of time prepping the parsley for the dish, so I let the quinoa chill overnight, and it is still not acceptable for me. So back to the drawing board… I wish I would've visited your site yesterday, because I also made a big batch of steel cut oats in my rice cooker, and it never occured to me to add a bit of the quinoa to them as well. What would be a reasonable ratio for quinoa to oats and do they need to be cooked separately?
I think you could cook the oats and quinoa together – especially if you soaked the quinoa. Try red quinoa for tabouleh if you are looking for a firmer texture. Reduce the liquid ratio or steam!
I love Quinoa, I have not soak it maybe because I buy in the the bags from Costco. I am soaking some now and I look for to trying new recipes. Where can I find the red Quinoa??
The best place to buy quinoa is in the bulk bins of Whole Foods. I have purchased it for less than $2 a pound there! Other natural food stores are also good, but just make sure the quinoa is fresh or it won't cook right.
Red quinoa can be a little harder to find, depending on where you live. If you cannot find it locally, you can order it online:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2 Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D0%26ref_%3Dnb_sb_noss%26y%3D0%26field-keywords%3Dred%2520quinoa%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps&tag=httpwwwfin075-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957″ target=”_blank”>Red Quinoa (That is my Amazon affiliate link or you can just go to Amazon and search.)
I live in Sacramento, CA and I just bought red quinoa in the bulk foods section at the local Raley's market. Didn't know about rinsing but will do so in the future. I cooked it just like rice 2:1, but I agree that a bit less liquid would be good. Used it for stuffed peppers with ground turkey last night and it was amazing… we found the taste to be a bit earthier than regular quinoa… My first attempt with quinoa was based on a Rachel Ray recipe for 'Sunshine Salad'… and I was hooked.
Thanks Wendy. I made a small batch of the quinoa, following your directions, and it came out perfect. And then I did add it to salads and sauteed dishes for a few days. I will be making lots more of it. I loved the nutty taste. And it would be perfect in the morning as a cereal too. By the way, did you happen to look at my blog at http://www.hugyourbody.com? I've lost around 150 lbs and just started blogging, in an attempt to inspire others (and to inspire myself to lose the last 40 lbs). Good luck. Debi
Someone gave me a bag of quinoa to try. I'm going to try your method of cooking it. Is this something that I can cook a batch of and store in the refrigerator for a few days? I'm trying to eat a low-sodium diet but am also trying to lose weight and stay away from processed foods. This sounds like a good food to have on hand and add into salads and sauteed dishes.
Debi – I prepare a big batch every weekend because it is great to have on hand to throw into soups and salads. It lasts for seven days in the fridge, although I must admit that I am a food saftey freak and I only keep it for five. I am trying to lose weight too – I need to lose quite a bit and quinoa is a big part of my plan. I am now working on developing some healthy but easier quinoa recipes to help me stay away from processed foods.
I am also a Licensed therapist and I've been cooking Quinoa for about 2 years now. I first started to add it to our oatmeal…and still do that now! My kids love it. I've prepared it with a Curried Chicken dish and my entire family loved it. Now I make Organic baby food and I use it in one of the combinations. I am preparing right now for my youngest baby who's 7.5 months…I hope she likes it as much as I do. It is such great source of protein.
I SO wish I had known about quinoa when my boys were little. I try so hard to get them to eat healthy now, but if I could do one thing different it would be to have started them out much healthier when they were little.
Thanks you for the cooking advice. I made quinoa for the first time this evening with chicken broth. Outstanding!
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I am a Licensed Massage Therapist who is looking to enhance her nutrition, and Quinoa sounds like the perfect addition to my diet. Had anyone cooked quinoa in a rice cooker? It seems as though it would be able to be done, since it is cooked so similarly as rice.
Yes! You can read how here:
How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker
I've only cooked quinoa twice now – it's a very recent discovery for me. But both times, I put double the amount of water as quinoa and the water was all soaked up within 10 or 15 minutes, even on low heat. Should I really leave it on for the full 30 minutes? I did toast my quinoa in the oven first (and used some of it for the Quinoa Berry Crunch), so perhaps it was extra dried up from being toasted? I'm not complaining, just sharing my experience so far to see if anyone has any thoughts or similar experiences. It tastes great with a little bit of butter and light brown sugar (a great oatmeal substitute for those of us who live gluten-free!).
I'm going to buy some more quinoa today, and then tomorrow I'll cook some of in the water without toasting it first to see if that makes a difference. Thanks for a great site Wendy!
I have never toasted quinoa and then cooked it but my guess would be that that is the reason the water absorbed so quickly. Most people actually have the opposite problem and end up with soggy quinoa. Let me know if you have any problem when you try it again. I agree that quinoa is a fantastic substitute for oatmeal. I also like to do 1/2 oatmeal and half quinoa!
How do I know if it is pre-rinsed or not? I bought it in bulk from I don't recall!?!
When in doubt, I would always rinse your quinoa. It is not going to hurt anything if it has been pre-rinsed and you can save yourself from having a bitter tasting dish and possibility making yourself sick. Unless you are cooking quinoa from a package that specifically says that it has been pre-rinsed, I would always rinse it first.
I just made some in my rice cooker and it's wonderfully fluffy, only thing I didn't know was the soaking.
I knew to rinse it, but it's still a little bitter.
I'll try soaking next time.
i've tried it in the rice cooker and i just could't get it right.
what's your secret? what ratio of quinoa/water? anything else?
tnx
Slade – It is really a matter of experimenting when using a rice cooker. Some just seem to take longer to get done, so it can take up to 25 minutes, but it may only take 15.
Hey Adrienne and Wendy,
I am just now venturing down the road to something 'other than rice'. Someone mentioned quinoa and told me that you can cook and serve it just like rice. (I am familiar with and have cooked pasta made from it, but didn't realize you could cook it by itself.) I have a steamer that I cook my rice in…I am not sure what the ratios are but am wondering how to adjust for the quinoa…any suggestions? Here are the basic directions for brown rice – 1/2 cup rice, 2/3 cup water, steam for 40-41 minutes. Any suggestions you can make will be greatly appreciated! Thanks
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