This step-by-step recipe explains how to make quinoa perfectly every time. Great on its own as a side dish, tossed into salads, and more!
Do you love quinoa? It seems to be having its moment, in American cuisine at least. According to some, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is one of the world’s most perfect foods, due to its high nutritional content. It’s high in protein, calcium, Vitamin B, and iron. It’s also gluten-free. And—fun fact—apparently the Incas thought it was sacred, because eating it regularly appeared to provide a long, healthy life.
Here at A Couple Cooks, we love quinoa and have used it in many of our recipes! It’s also great as a side dish, seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. Here’s our master recipe for how to make quinoa: complete with a video of us making perfect quinoa in our kitchen!
Related: Try our Instant Pot quinoa method!
Watch how to make quinoa
Quinoa is very easy to prepare, but Alex and I have had some issues with it being too watery when cooked according to the package instructions. We did a little research and came up with a revised quinoa to water ratio and method for how to make quinoa that works every time! Here we are in our kitchen showing you how to cook this fluffy quinoa recipe: and we’ve thrown in another recipe for how to use it: our Loaded Quinoa Tacos.
Tips on how to cook perfect quinoa
Wondering how to make quinoa? Making perfect quinoa every time is easy, but there are a few things you should keep in mind to prevent the quinoa from becoming too watery or too dry. Here’s the best way to make quinoa:
- Add dry quinoa to cool water—Unlike pasta, quinoa shouldn’t be added to water once it’s boiling. Instead, you need to bring the dry quinoa to a boil with the water to make sure it cooks through properly. What is the quinoa to water ratio? 1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups water.
- Put a lid on it—Once the quinoa has been brought to a boil, turn the heat down and put a lid on the pot to make sure none of the steam escapes. This will help the quinoa absorb the water more easily and will steam the quinoa near the end of the cooking time. This will make the quinoa extra fluffy!
- Let the cooked quinoa rest in the pot—Once the quinoa has cooked through, turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit in the pot with the lid on. Again, this steams the quinoa and helps to make it fluffy.
- No water should be left in the pot—To test whether it’s done cooking, pull back the quinoa along the edge of the pot to see if there’s any water still sitting at the bottom. If there is, the quinoa needs to be cooked for longer.
How long to cook quinoa?
Cook times for how to make quinoa will vary depending on the type of stove you’re using, whether or not the heat is up high enough, etc. But we’ve found that perfect quinoa is ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Once the quinoa has cooked, we then let it steam for another 5 minutes before serving. So your quinoa should be done in 20 to 25 minutes!
Got more questions? Scroll down to our Quinoa FAQ below.
Looking for more quinoa recipes?
After mastering how to make quinoa, looking for a few ways to use it? Here are some of our favorite ways to use quinoa:
- 10 Easy Quinoa Recipes
- Mango Black Bean Chili
- Tropical Mango Quinoa Bowl
- Artichoke and Quinoa Vegetarian Enchiladas
- Go Green Bowls with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- Vegetarian Bibimbap Bowl with Quinoa
- Veggie Packed Quinoa Fried Rice
- Feta and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Quinoa Black Bean Vegan Chili
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl
This recipe is…
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and plant-based.
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How to Make Quinoa
(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups cooked 1x
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This step-by-step recipe explains how to make quinoa perfectly every time. Great on its own as a side dish, tossed into salads, and more!
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups quinoa using a fine mesh strainer, then drain completely.
- Place quinoa in a saucepan with 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer where the water is just bubbling for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.)
- Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to steam for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. If desired, add additional kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a side with a bit of olive oil and some herbs or spices.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: perfect quinoa, how to cook quinoa perfectly, quinoa cooking instructions, how long to cook quinoa
Yes! Quinoa is a gluten free grain (it’s actually a seed…see below).
Though often referred to as a grain due to its similar properties, quinoa is a seed, not a grain. It’s harvested from a plant that is a relative of spinach, beets and chard.
Quinoa is pronounced KEEN-wah.
No. Due to the high amount of carbs in quinoa, even though it’s not technically a grain, it’s not considered keto.
Yes! Quinoa has a whole host of nutritional benefits, including being a complete protein.
Yes, dogs can eat quinoa! Start with a small amount and if your dog reacts adversely, do not continue to feed them quinoa.
A 3/4 cup serving of cooked quinoa has 6 grams of protein or 12% of your daily intake.
Quinoa is a very small grain that turns out fluffy when cooked; the flavor is somewhat nutty. It can be slightly bitter plain, so make sure to season it when cooking.
Quinoa is available in most standard grocery stores in the US near the rice and other grains. If you can’t find it, here’s where to find it online.
To rinse quinoa, place it in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water, then shake it dry.
Some easy ways are to drizzle with olive oil (or add butter) and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. A few other ways: add some lemon or fresh herbs. Or, try our Pesto Quinoa.
Yes! This means that it contains all nine essential amino acids.
It’s actually the same method as white quinoa: follow the recipe above!
Quinoa is an Andean plant that originated in Peru and Bolivia.
Not necessarily! But we love using it for variety as a rice substitute.
Try our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or Summer Quinoa Salad with Corn.
1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups water
Cooked quinoa lasts for 3 to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
12 Comments
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
September 15, 2011 at 9:49 amMy Quinoa did not work last time I cooked it. I will use this and try again – Thanks!
Molly
April 20, 2012 at 2:56 pmBest quinoa recipe I’ve used. Fluffiest batch to date! Thanks.
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum
September 15, 2011 at 7:20 pmGreat post – quinoa is kind of annoying to make but awesome to eat! I have to admit… I always make mine in the rice cooker and I love how easy it is! :D And it always turns out great!
Mary
September 16, 2011 at 9:57 amI enjoy quinoa but have never cooked it this way. Next time :-). I am new to your blog so I took some time to browse through your earlier posts. I’m so glad I did that. I really like the food and recipes you share with your users and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Alex
September 18, 2011 at 10:18 pmThank you! I’m glad you are enjoying the site :)
incrediblecrunchyflavor
September 18, 2011 at 12:21 pminteresting… my quinoa always comes out either too wet or overcooked. i will try your technique. thanks!
Ashley
September 18, 2011 at 12:56 pmThis is almost exactly how I cook quinoa, and you’re right, it is perrrfect! I use 1:2 ratio of quinoa:liquid and cook for 15min. :) SO fluffy! This works for millet too! [cook time is about 20min though]
Alex
September 18, 2011 at 10:17 pmThanks for the tip, we’ll have to add millet to our list of go to grains!
Anonymous
June 28, 2012 at 5:49 amThis really does make the best, most perfect, fluffy quinoa.
I used to make perfect quinoa but recently I lost my touch and it’s been turning out wrong every time. I then tried many variations with cooking time and water ratio. But none have been this good. I was getting frustrated and stopped cooking quinoa until now :-)
Thank you for giving me back quinoa.
Melissa
August 5, 2012 at 11:48 amLove this recipe, this is my go to for quinoa!
Nadine
May 7, 2014 at 2:35 amFinally!! A recipe that works…i have tried so many, but this is the best. Light and fluffy quinoa. Thank you!
Katie @ Whole Nourishment
September 8, 2014 at 10:30 amYep, I’ve had the most success cooking quinoa this way as well, using way less water than the package directions call for and letting it fluff up covered off the heat. Glad to know this has been tested and is true for others as well. And I’ve found rinsing is necessary when the package directions call for it. I think some companies pre-rinse their quinoa (i.e. Costco brand?) while other companies don’t.