Quinoa is a big part of my diet, so I am always looking for new quinoa cooking tips. Although many people ask me how to cook quinoa perfectly, I have to be honest and say that there are just so many different ways of cooking quinoa! Here are some of my favorite quinoa tips!
Quinoa Cooking Tips
How to Cook Quinoa Grain with Style
Those who know me know I am a magazine junkie. Seriously – I read about 10 magazines a month. No, I don’t have a weakness for grocery counter tabloids. I just love cooking magazines, fitness magazines and women’s magazines.
In the spring Food and Wine ran and article on jazzing up grains to then use them in other dishes. Now, I know quinoa is a seed and not a grain but the article got me to thinking about whether the method would work well with quinoa. I tried it, and guess what – it did!
Here is my adaptation for Thyme-Scented Quinoa. The quinoa will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days and in the freezer for a month. (You probably could keep it a little longer but I tend to be a bit psycho about food safety.
How Do You Cook Quinoa for Salads?
While I often include other instructions in quinoa recipes, I do have a preferred method for preparing quinoa that I am going to use in a quinoa salad. The reason I don’t include it in recipes is that it takes a bit more effort and I don’t want to turn people off from cooking quinoa.
I found this method on Epicurious.com, and although I was skeptical I must say that it does create the most perfect texture for salads.
1. Add quinoa to a saucepan of boiling broth (chicken or vegetable) and cook for 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in a fine metal sieve and rinse with cold water.
2. Boil a pot of water and place the sieve over it. Cover with a kitchen towel and lid and steam for 10 minutes or until fluffy.
How do You Keep from Having Quinoa with a Texture of Glue?
I get a lot of emails from people wanting quinoa cooking tips. The one that I get most often is along the lines of:
“Help, I really want to add quinoa to my diet, but every time I try to cook it is has the texture of paste. It’s so mushy that I end up tossing it out!”
If your quinoa is mushy it means that you are overcooking it. Remember, just as there are many different ways to cook quinoa, every stove is a little different. So when considering how long to cook quinoa, you are going to have to get to know your stove and make necessary adjustments. Because electric stoves don’t cool down as quickly as gas, you will typically need to shorten your cooking time. Check out this post on how to cook quinoa perfectly.
Mushy Quinoa = Overcooked Quinoa
Quinoa Storage
While we are talking about how to cook quinoa grain, let’s talk about storage. After all, if you start with a product that is less than fresh it is unlikely that you will get stellar results. It is best to store quinoa in glass or plastic. Because quinoa has a high content of polyunsaturated fats, it is especially important that quinoa be stored in a cool area that is also dry and dark. Stored properly, quinoa will keep for at least a year. It can keep longer if conditions are ideal or if you remove the oxygen first. I like to use a seal a meal to store my quinoa.
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I am new to quinoa and just bought some recently. Is it okay to store it in the refrigerator? I am looking forward to trying some of your recipes.
Yes – it is just fine to keep your quinoa in the fridge.
Have you considered listing calories, etc. for your recipes? It would be helpful.
Pat – I have thought about it but I'm having a hard time finding a method to do this that doesn't take so long that I just don't want to post the recipes. Do you have any suggestions?
i use the website calorie count… you can enter the ingredients and the amount and it breaks down the recipe for you.
I am very very new to quinoa. My massage therapist told me about how it enhances the flavor of everything you cook with it. So off to the health food store to buy the beautiful colored quinoa seeds.
I am what people call the "pressure cooker queen". I am on my third pressure cooker and absolutely love the vegetables, stews,and soups that arenutritious and on the table in a flash. I have a Kuhn Rikon from Switzerland that is a size of a fry pan that works great for small meals. I also have a 7 quart cooker.
I tried your recipe for Minestrone Soup and cooked it in the pressure cooker. After full pressure cookin, I.added the quinoa. It was delicious. Today I cooked my fresh beets in three cups of water and when finished I added a cup of quinoa to the beet water and brought it back to full pressure. I kept it at full pressure for five minutes and then did a quick release. The most beautiful color quinoa was ready to add to my pickled beets for a delicious beet salad. To this I will add pine nuts and some green onion for more color and crunch.
I am going to cook the quinoa in chicken stock next for a stew I make in the cooker. I am excited that I can add this nutritious seed to my dishes and cook it in half the time.
Yes, quinoa can be cooked in a pressure cooker and the reults are fluffy and adelicious full flavor.
One thing you may want to tell a new cook to quinoa is that the seed opens and a small vine is released.. I did not know that since I had never eaten it anywhere befor I cooked it myself. Surprise surprise.
I have enjoyed your recipes so much and can't wait to do the stir fry this evening. Thankyou for all the great information about a wonderful seed that will keep us healthy, wise and happy!!
Very good to know! I don't actually have a pressure cooker. I have to be honest – my mom had one when I was little and it was a little scary. I am sure they are much safer now. Thanks for sharing!
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