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How to cook quinoa: a nutty flavor and super fast cooking time make cooking quinoa from scratch a great option for healthy meals!
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Around here, we love quinoa – but I remember when it was new to me and all the questions I had.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is classified a “super food”, and is considered to be a whole grain. It is one of the most popular health foods, due to it being gluten-free, high in protein (and fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E).
It has a sweet, nutty flavor and a very distinctive, slightly chewy texture, and is great as a substitute for rice or couscous (4o calories fewer than the same volume of rice).
There are over 100 different varieties – but we tend to stick to the white.
Fun fact: Quinoa is not a grass like wheat or rice – it’s actually related to spinach and amaranth.
Check out how to cook Farro in this post!
Why should I eat quinoa? Is quinoa good for you?
Well, it tastes good. Plus it’s gluten free, and high in protein. And it’s good for you!
One half cup of cooked quinoa – has 4 grams of protein, 2.6 grams of fiber, 140 mg of phosphorus, 159 mg of potassium, 1.4 grams of iron, and 1 mg of zinc.
Quinoa also contains small amounts of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Why rinse quinoa?
While most boxed quinoa is already pre-rinsed, I always give it a good rinse anyway.
Rinsing will remove the natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Saponin is a naturally occurring chemical that coats every tiny grain of quinoa – it’s there to ward off insects—but it has a strong, unpleasant taste. Blech!
How to cook quinoa:
1 cup uncooked quinoa needs 1.75 Cups of liquid (the box says 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid – but for me, if you do a 1:2 ratio, you end up with gummy, paste-y quinoa)
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The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by rinsing the quinoa until the water runs clear.
- In a small saucepan bring water (or broth, depending on usage) to a boil then add quinoa.
- Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed (Small pockets of air will appear on the surface – see pics below)
- Remove from heat, and remove lid.
- Fluff with a fork.
- Devour.
Recipes using quinoa
- Healthy Quinoa & Black Bean Salad
- Quinoa Patties with Sriracha Dip
- Quinoa Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce (from Lemon Blossoms)
- Quinoa Greek Salad (from Bowl me Over)
- Mango Lime Quinoa Salad (from Bucket List Tummy)
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How to cook Quinoa – and what to do with it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ¾ cups water (or broth)
Directions
- Begin by rinsing the quinoa until the water runs clear.
- In a small saucepan bring water (or broth, depending on usage) to a boil then add quinoa.
- Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed (Small pockets of air will appear on the surface – see pics below)
- Remove from heat, and remove lid.
- Fluff with a fork.
- Devour.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
KSRK Pasad says
The information is very useful
Particularly nutritional percentages
Help to design a menu suited to individual readers needs.