Quinoa

By Ali Slagle

Updated January 2, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 40 minutes
Prep Time
2 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(265)
Comments
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Quinoa is a small but mighty seed: Hearty, plump, protein-rich and gluten-free, use it as you might use rice or whole grains in salads and soups, or as a side. A ratio of one part quinoa to one-and-a-half parts water will create quinoa that’s fluffy with enough bite to maintain its shape. It’s important to rinse and dry the quinoa before cooking to remove its naturally occurring bitter, soapy coating. Optionally, you can also toast the quinoa — as with nuts or sesame seeds — to enhance the seeds’ nuttiness. Cooked and cooled quinoa will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Ingredients

Yield:3 cups

  • 1 cup quinoa 

  • Salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

27 grams carbs; 156 calories; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 99 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse: Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and cover with cool water. Use your fingers to agitate the seeds, then drain through a fine-mesh sieve. Repeat twice, shake dry, then transfer the quinoa back to the saucepan. (If your quinoa comes pre-rinsed, you can skip this process.) Grab 1½ cups of water and head to the stove.

  2. Step 2

    Dry and optional toast: Place the saucepan of quinoa on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the quinoa is dry, 1 to 2 minutes. For a deeper flavor, continue to stir until the quinoa is fragrant and makes a continuous popping sound, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat if the quinoa is burning.

  3. Step 3

    Cook: Add the 1½ cups water and a pinch of salt, stir to combine, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the quinoa is tender and translucent, and a thin white tail appears on the seeds, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
265 user ratings
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Comments

AJPeabody

The rinsing that removes the soapy coating on the seeds is much easier if the quinoa is kept in the strainer and repeatedly dipped into and agitated in multiple changes of water in a large pot.

Scooter

For a creamier product I recommend a fast cook with 1:1 ratio. (At this step it's still got some bite and can be used on its own in salads, soups, etc). Then you can season however you like, and cook at low temp with 2-3x more liquid (based on original dry weight). This gives something much creamier where the grains really expand a ton and blend into each other, can finish with cream or cheese as if it's creamy polenta, or just eat as is like a healthier substitute for mashed potatoes.

Jackie

This recipe doesn't actually say to bring the quinoa to any kind of boil before lowering the heat--could that possibly be correct?

lindamc

I rarely comment but wanted to confirm that this is an excellent technique. There’s a restaurant in my neighborhood with a quinoa dish that I love, but when I’ve tried to make quinoa at home it was never very good in terms of either flavor or texture. This is as good as the restaurant’s! I did the toasting step and then cooked it for a minute with a chopped shallot before adding the liquid (I made a super quick shortcut “stock” with a rotisserie chicken carcass and some garlic and thyme). I added some of the chicken, plus chopped tomatoes and kale. Looking forward to making this regularly with seasonal variations!

KREdd

Cook: Add the 1½ cups water and a pinch of salt, stir to combine, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the quinoa is tender and translucent, and a thin white tail appears on the seeds, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Nate

I did not know I needed a quinoa recipe. Today I learned something new!

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