Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Rinse the quinoa using a fine mesh colander under cool running water (See Note 1). Drain.
Add the quinoa to a saucepan, cover with water, add the salt, and stir. Bring to a boil,
Lower the heat to the lowest setting possible, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, and let it sit for 5 minutes without peeking!
Uncovered, fluff with a fork and serve.
- The key to good tasting quinoa is to rinse it well to get rid of the saponins coating the seeds, this is a natural occuring phytochemical that gives quinoa a bitter taste. If you don’t rinse your quinoa well, it might turn out bitter and possibly difficult to digest.
- Sub the water for stock for a richer flavor! To add even more flavor, substitute the water for vegetable or chicken stock, add a squeeze of lemon juice, sauteed onions and/or garlic, and dried herbs.
- Season your quinoa. Quinoa is plain on its own, so I recommend seasoning it with other things such as olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, stir in freshly chopped herbs, a little garlic, top with toasted nuts or feta cheese, the possibilities are endless!
- Store the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5-7 days. You can also batch cook the quinoa, and freeze it to use later.
- The recommended portion per person is ¼ cup of uncooked quinoa or ¾ cup of cooked quinoa if served as a side dish. That would be about 40-50 grams of uncooked quinoa.
- To cook quinoa in the Instant Pot you need a ratio of 1:1 water to quinoa and pressure cook it on high for 1 minute. In a rice cooker, keep the water to quinoa ratio the same as the stovetop method which is 1:1½.
Serving: 40g | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg