How to Prepare and Cook Quinoa

What is Quinoa?

Pronounced "keen-wah," quinoa is a nutritious seed with a nutty flavor that originated in the Andes in South America. While quinoa has been enjoyed for thousands of years, it’s becoming more and more popular here in the United States.

How to Prepare Quinoa for Cooking

Quinoa is easy to prepare. It’s cooked very similar to rice but takes a bit less time. There are also a variety of ways to cook it including on the stove, in the microwave, and in a pressure or rice cooker. We’ll hit all the methods below.

Before that, let’s talk about how to prepare quinoa for cooking. Don’t worry; it’s easy!

It is best to rinse quinoa before cooking. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make cooked quinoa taste bitter or soapy. Rinsing well before cooking reduces the saponin and produces a delicious nutty flavor. Some packages are labeled with the words "pre-rinsed." Since we are pretty sensitive to the saponin, we rinse anyway.

Instead of rinsing, you can also add the uncooked quinoa to a bowl of cold water and swirl it around a few times. Drain the water, then repeat.

How to Cook Quinoa?

Quinoa seeds

Now you’ve got rinsed and ready to cook quinoa, it’s time to cook.

For most cooking methods, you need two parts of liquid to one part quinoa. That means if you are cooking 1 cup of quinoa, you will need 2 cups of liquid. The liquid can be water, but try broth/stock for even more flavor. While it isn’t necessary, you can also add a pinch of salt to the liquid for seasoning. We love using our veggie stock to cook quinoa.

For even more flavor, try toasting the quinoa for a minute or two in a dry pan before cooking. This enhances the nutty flavor. You can also add a little fat like butter or olive oil to the saucepan and adding a few fresh herbs to the pot is always an excellent idea. I especially love adding a bit of butter and one bay leaf.

Cooking on the Stovetop

To cook quinoa on the stove, add the rinsed quinoa and liquid (water or broth) to a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat so that the liquid is at a low simmer.

Most packages recommend covering the saucepan at this point, but we’ve found that you can leave the pan uncovered and the quinoa turns out beautifully. It might even make it slightly more fluffy.

Cook the quinoa at a low simmer until all the liquid has absorbed. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. When the liquid has absorbed, slide the pan off of the heat and cover with a lid for five minutes. After five minutes, use a fork to fluff the cooked quinoa then use in your favorite recipes.

Cooking Quinoa in the Microwave

The microwave method takes a similar amount of time as the stovetop method, but I love that it’s possible to cook quinoa in the microwave! This would have come in handy in my college dorm room.

To do it, combine one cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water (or stock/broth) in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with a microwave-safe plate then microwave until about half of the liquid has been absorbed. This takes about 6 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave, stir the quinoa, and then cover again and set aside for another 5 to 10 minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed. Fluff with a fork, and then enjoy!

Cooking Quinoa in the Microwave

The microwave method takes a similar amount of time as the stovetop method, but I love that it’s possible to cook quinoa in the microwave! This would have come in handy in my college dorm room.

To do it, combine one cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water (or stock/broth) in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with a microwave-safe plate then microwave until about half of the liquid has been absorbed. This takes about 6 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave, stir the quinoa, and then cover again and set aside for another 5 to 10 minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed. Fluff with a fork, and then enjoy!

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