Basic Boiled Quinoa

Updated February 23, 2016

Chef

Cookbook

The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking from Patagonia to Rio De Janeiro, With 450 Recipes

Published by Harvard Common Press

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The two methods for cooking plain quinoa given here are very simple and can be used for making sweet or savory specialties. If you are not going to use the cooked quinoa right away, store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days, or freeze it for up to two months. Cooked quinoa is excellent as a breakfast cereal; just reheat it in the microwave and serve with milk and sugar. Raw quinoa can also be toasted to obtain a more intense flavor. Toast for a few minutes in a little butter or oil, stirring constantly, before proceeding with this or other recipes.

CostInexpensive

Easy

Total Timeunder 30 minutes

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

Recipe Courseside dish

Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, halal, kosher, lactose-free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free, vegan, vegetarian

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1¾ cups water

Instructions

Place the quinoa and water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, about 12 minutes. For a firmer grain, bring the water to a boil, then add the quinoa.
Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. If the quinoa tastes bitter, rinse with cold water until the bitterness disappears.
Variation:
Cook 1 cup rinsed quinoa in 4 to 6 cups boiling water until the grains are transparent throughout, about 12 minutes. Drain immediately, rinse, cover, and steam dry over low heat for 5 minutes. This yields perfect, separate grains, especially good for salads.