How to cook quinoa (fluffy, not mushy)
Quick answer: rinse 1 cup of quinoa, add it to a pot with 2 cups of water (or 1 3/4 cups for fluffier grains) and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and rest it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. 1 cup dry makes about 3 cups cooked.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa, white, red or tricolor
- 2 cups (475 ml) water or low-sodium broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter (optional)
Stovetop method
- Rinse. Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds, rubbing it with your hand. This removes saponins, a natural coating that tastes bitter or soapy. Many packaged brands are pre-rinsed, but a quick rinse does no harm.
- Toast (optional). Heat the oil in the pot and stir the drained quinoa for 2 minutes until it smells nutty.
- Boil. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.
- Simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
- Rest. Remove from the heat and leave the lid on for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork. You should see a little white tail (the germ) curling off each grain.
Quinoa to water ratio
| Dry quinoa | Water | Cooked yield |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | 1 cup | 1.5 cups |
| 1 cup | 2 cups | 3 cups |
| 1 1/2 cups | 3 cups | 4.5 cups |
| 2 cups | 4 cups | 6 cups |
For firmer, separate grains in salads, use 1 3/4 cups water per cup. Need to scale a recipe? See how to halve or double a recipe.
Other methods
- Rice cooker: same 1 to 2 ratio, use the white rice setting.
- Instant Pot: 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/4 cups water, cook on high pressure for 1 minute, then release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Pasta method: boil in plenty of salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, drain in a fine sieve and steam in the pot, covered, for 5 minutes. Hard to get wrong.
Why is my quinoa mushy?
Too much water, too high a simmer, or skipping the rest. Measure carefully, keep the heat low and let it stand covered.
Storage
Cool cooked quinoa and refrigerate it within 2 hours. It keeps 3 to 5 days in the fridge and about 2 months in the freezer. Freeze it flat in bags so it thaws quickly.
Serving ideas
Use it in place of rice, as a salad base with roasted vegetables and feta, in grain bowls with salmon or beans, or as a warm breakfast cooked in milk with fruit.
Nutrition
One cup of cooked quinoa has about 222 calories, 8 g protein and 5 g fiber. See quinoa vs rice nutrition for a full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to rinse quinoa? It is optional for pre-rinsed brands but recommended if the bag does not say so.
Is quinoa cooked like rice? Almost. It uses a similar 1 to 2 ratio and cooks in 15 minutes, faster than most rice.
How much does 1 cup of dry quinoa make? About 3 cups cooked.