Why do I need to rinse quinoa before cooking?

Rinsing dry quinoa removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. To rinse: place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and run under cold water. If you purchase pre-rinsed quinoa, like Ancient Harvest Quinoa , rinsing is not necessary.

How to store cooked quinoa?

Store cooked quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

Can you freeze quinoa?

Yes you can. Once the cooked quinoa is cooled, store it in an airtight container or a ziptop bag . Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat frozen quinoa, remove the container or bags from the freezer and let it defrost overnight in the fridge. Add the quinoa and a splash of water to a small saucepan over medium heat until heated through (or alternatively in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 45 seconds or until heated through).

Quinoa is not a grain, it's a seed. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah ) is a seed that comes from a plant in the amaranth family. Although, because quinoa shares similar nutrients as cereal grains, it's known as a "pseudograin".

What are the nutrition benefits of quinoa?

Lucky you, we have an entire post on why quinoa is considered a super grain! You can read that article here .

How much does 1/4 cup dry quinoa make?

Similar to rice, quinoa expands while it cooks. 1/4 cup of dry quinoa yields about 3/4 cup.

How to Cook Quinoa (The Easy Way)

Servings: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water (or 1 cup water + 1 cup broth of choice)

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Instructions

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, if the quinoa is pre-rinsed, you can skip this step.
Over medium-high heat, add the quinoa and water to a saucepan. Stir together. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Then stir with a spoon, fork, or spatula and serve.
Store leftover cooked quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1/4 cup dry (~3/4 cup cooked) made with water
Calories: 170
Fat: 2.5g
(Sat Fat: 0g)
Sodium: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 29g
(Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 0g)
Protein: 6g
Cholesterol: 0g

Dietary

Dairy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-free Nut-free Vegan Vegetarian

Recipe By: Stacie Hassing