I could eat quinoa til the cows come home. And I don’t just eat it plain—I make it into salads, granola, or burgers and eat it alongside chicken, fish, veggie dishes…the possibilities are endless. For those of you who don’t know, quinoa is a seed-like grain that has been used for thousands of years and can be used in place of rice in many dishes. Quinoa is also a great source of iron, protein, and fiber.
I’m going to show you how to cook quinoa at home the easy way. It only takes a few minutes, two ingredients, and one pan. So let’s get started!
The proportions for quinoa are this: 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of quinoa (to flavor it), but if you’re on a low-sodium diet, you can easily omit it.
The first thing you’re going to want to do is rinse the quinoa because quinoa has a coating called “saponin” that makes it very bitter. A vigorous rinse through a fine sieve can get rid of the saponin easily though.
Once you rinse the quinoa, plop it into a saucepan, pour the water over the top (look for proportions below), and put it on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait for it to boil. Once it starts boiling, cover it with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 12 minutes or until the quinoa is fully cooked and fluffy.
Here’s a quick reference for quinoa proportions:
1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water = 3 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups quinoa + 4 cups water = 6 cups cooked quinoa
4 cups quinoa + 8 cups water = 12 cups cooked quinoa
Here’s the recipe:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
- Rinse the quinoa vigorously in a fine sieve until the water goes clear (this gets rid of the bitter taste that occurs naturally in quinoa).
- Put the rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan, add the water, and put it on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait for it to boil. Once it starts boiling, cover it with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 12 minutes or until the quinoa is fully cooked and fluffy.
Hi I found you at the five little chefs link party. I just wanted to stop by and say hi. I love to cook Quiona, but I use chicken broth instead of water to add a different flavor!
Amanda @ AZmomma.com
That’s a really cool idea, Amanda! I’m going to try that this weekend when I made quinoa for quinoa patties. Thanks for the tip!
Hi! I just saw your link on the Weekend re-Treat link party, and I’m so glad I did! I usually get my quinoa pre-made, because I’ve been intimidated by trying to cook it myself! This makes it look so easy–definitely trying this really soon! Thanks so much!!
Hello Anna! I know making quinoa at home may seem a little hard, but it’s really easy and so worth it in the end. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks sooo much for sharing this recipe! I’ve always wanted to know how to cook quinoa and this is going to help tons. Pinning
I hate how the quinoa packages only have instructions for cooking the whole box! These ratios are great to know going forward!
Hi Margaret Anne, I love quinoa and appreciate these instructions for making it even better – thanks!
Thanks for coming and linking up at #The Weekend Social. Please be sure to come back next week starting Thursdays at 9PM EST The Midnight Baker ! I hope to see you there!
Judy@ http://www.bakeatmidnite.com
I am aware of the nutritional value of quinoa, but because I was never sure how to use it only added it to soups. I’ll be trying this recipe out for sure.
Thank you for sharing what you know.
Popped over from the #SHINEbloghop.
G’day! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe at our #SayGdayParty!
Please make sure to stop back if you haven’t already and visit some other people’s blogs!
I am also curious if you have answered any of the questions I asked on my blog about this week’s party?
Cheers! Joanne
I have perfected the art of cooking the perfect quinoa! My husband? Not so much.
Thanks for linking up with Fitness Friday! You have a wonderful blog and I always love meeting new friends.
Hi! Found you at the Weekend Re-treat, and just wanted to say thanks for sharing. I’ve just started using quinoa and mine always seems a little bitter. Now I realise I think I haven’t been rinsing it enough. You’ve inspired me to give it another try!
I make quinoa all the time and always forget to rinse it. I had some for dinner last night with veggies and a dollop of Tikka Masala sauce. So satisfying! Next time I will rinse!!
I pinned it. #shinebloghop
I was eager to read this because we just started using quinoa — I don’t know where I”ve been but I never heard of it until recently. We love it. Tomorrow we are having it in stuffed peppers. ~Pamela
Ooh, quinoa in stuffed peppers sounds amazing, Pamela! Let me know how that turns out—I’d love to try that.
Hi found u from over at Sharefest. I do not like quinoa. All that I have tasted have been bitter… ugh. I’ll probably try it myself this way and see if that makes a better experience.
If you don’t rinse the saponin off the quinoa, the end result will be bitter. A vigorous rinse through a food sieve will get rid of that bitter taste and leave you with delicious tasting quinoa. Thanks for stopping by Renz!
Very helpful tips! I wish quinoa wasn’t so pricey though. I love to cook mine in chicken broth. Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!
Alison
Nancherrow
I’ve been able to purchase quinoa in bulk at Whole Foods for a reasonable price. Cooking it in chicken broth is an awesome idea. I’ll have to try that. Thanks!
I’ve never used cooked quinoa on the stove, but used a rice cooker instead. Turns out great too!