How to Cook Perfect Quinoa & 10 Quinoa Recipes
Learn all about quinoa—my secrets to cooking perfectly fluffy quinoa (no more mush!), 10 fantastic quinoa recipes, quinoa nutrition facts, and where to buy.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
I like to consider myself a quinoa expert. I have cooked a lot of it for my cookbook. Small amounts, or lots at once, with spices and greens, or without—I’ve done it all. The standard quinoa cooking method started failing me early on. My quinoa was mushy and overdone, every time, and it was driving me nuts.
I tried using slightly less water than usual, which has been recommended elsewhere. It helped a little sometimes, but other times, I had to add more and more water while the quinoa was cooking. Then, the dry quinoa soaked up way too much of the dressing I added later.
At some point, I wondered, why do all the quinoa recipes suggest covering the quinoa while cooking? My quinoa was all overcooked and mushy, so covering it seemed like the last thing I should do.
Bingo! Here’s the trick for perfectly fluffy quinoa: Use twice as much water as quinoa, as usual, then cook uncovered until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. The cooking time will vary based on quantity.
Once the water is all absorbed, remove the pot from heat, cover it and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. That’s when the quinoa pops open into fluffy quinoa perfection, and that is how to cook quinoa properly.
I’ve gotten quite a few questions from you guys about how to avoid mushy quinoa, so I just had to share. I typed up the full recipe and instructions for you below.
Scroll down for the full recipe, plus a short video showing my technique and 10 of my favorite quinoa recipes. For even more quinoa inspiration, you can view all of my quinoa recipes here.
Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa
Perfect Quinoa
Learn how to cook perfect quinoa, every time. I’ve tried all the other quinoa cooking methods and this one works best. It’s easy to cook fluffy quinoa when you know the right way to do it!
Ingredients
- 1 part uncooked quinoa (e.g. 1 cup quinoa—any color will do—you will end up with three times as much cooked quinoa)
- 2 parts water (e.g. 2 cups water)
- Salt, to taste (around ¼ teaspoon salt per cup of dry quinoa)
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa: Pour the quinoa into a fine mesh colander and rinse under running water for at least 30 seconds. Drain well. This step removes any bitterness on the outside of the quinoa (caused by naturally occurring saponins).
- Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat a bit to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 10 to 20 minutes (small amounts of quinoa will be ready closer to 10 minutes; larger amounts between 15 to 20). Reduce heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Remove the pot from heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. This step gives the quinoa time to pop open into little curlicues, so it’s nice and fluffy. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Season with salt, to taste, unless you’re proceeding with another recipe as written.
Notes
Serving suggestions: I love to stir a drizzle of olive oil and clove of garlic into warm quinoa for extra flavor. Other options include chopped fresh spinach or arugula, or massaged kale. Fresh herbs and/or dried spices are nice, as well as grated or crumbled cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, pitted and sliced olives, etc.
Storage suggestions: Leftover quinoa keeps well, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days. Make sure it has cooled to room temperature before covering and chilling.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Wait, what is quinoa?
In case you haven’t encountered quinoa yet, it is a pseudocereal that grows near the Andes in South America. By pseudocereal, I mean that it is grain-like, but it’s technically not a grass like wheat. Quinoa is pronounced KEEN-wah, although my dad likes to tease me by calling it queh-NO-ah.
Quinoa is very nutritious—it’s full of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, including manganese, magnesium and folate. Quinoa’s health benefits are really too long to list here, but the key point is that quinoa is remarkably dense in nutrients, and worth including in your diet.
You can buy quinoa in most grocery stores these days, usually in the health section or near the rice. You can also buy quinoa online at Amazon (affiliate link).
10 Favorite Quinoa Recipes
1) Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad
“I have made this salad twice in a week it is that good – easy and delicious!” – Terri
2) Broccoli, Cheddar & Quinoa Gratin
“This was so good! I’ve been trying to find one dish recipes that can also feed baby and this was perfect! I was almost too lazy to make the breadcrumbs but I’m so glad I did because it was simple and and so worth it! I also used a bit of cauliflower because I had it and it was good in there too. I think I’m going to make this again and bring it to Easter! It’s a perfect healthier version of a classic!” – Stephanie
3) Quinoa Black Bean Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce
“This is one of my favorite dishes ever! Followed the instructions (first time ever was not inspired to change anything) and enjoyed a yummy dinner with my partner, twice now. He loved it as well! Thanks for sharing and good luck! :)” – Dessi
4) Colorful Beet Salad with Carrot, Quinoa & Spinach
“THE best salad ever! My husband and I absolutely love it! I’m sharing with my family and friends!” – Jacqueline
5) Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
“I just found this recipe via pinterest! I made the soup yesterday and I absolutely love it!! Never thought of quinoa in soup but this makes so much sense! I am always looking for ways to add protein without adding meat so this is great and my whole family loves it! (I’m a college student by the way, not a mom, in case you couldn’t tell. lol) This soup is great for all ages!!” – Maya
6) Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce
“We made this for dinner 2 hours ago and can’t stop talking about it! OMG! It was so delicious and full of flavor and it was easy to make. My kids loved it, too. We already can’t wait to make it again :) thank you so much!” – Tiffany
7) Favorite Quinoa Salad
“Delicious recipe, Kate. I’ve been crazing something light and refreshing and this quinoa salad hit the spot. This is definitely one of the best quinoa salads I’ve made. Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!” – Allison
8) Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
“Made this for dinner tonight when a friend came over. Even my four-year-old loved it! He is not always into raw veggies, but upon the first bite, exclaimed, “I like this! Yeah, I love it!” and had a second helping. We did leave the cilantro on the side for him. Will be making this again very soon.” – Lea
9) Quinoa Broccoli Slaw with Honey-Mustard Dressing
“Three of us polished off this recipe in one sitting. It was wonderful! Tangy, sweet and crunchy, thanks to the almonds. It was also so easy to make. Thank you!” – Leah
10) Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa
“Made this for breakfast this morning, and it’s amazing! It’s definitely going to be in my regular rotation.” – Carly
More resources you might appreciate: 23 make-ahead breakfast recipes, 16 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You can shop my essential kitchen equipment here. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!
I made quinoa for the 1st time tonight. I followed your instructions. It came out perfectly! Thank you for the helpful tips!
I tried your Quinoa recipe and it came out perfect!!! I’m so excited!!! Your recipe was the first one I clicked on and I’m so glad I did. Thank You
Linda
You’re welcome, Linda! Thank you for your review.
Let me give you the plug.It tasted perfect.I followed your timing but I boiled in coconut milk.I added garlic ,salt,thyme and scallion while boiling as well as pumpkin.This gave it a good taste and body.I served with coconut curried fish and vegetables…so tasty.I’m surprised ..I added 4 stars because I changed up mine a bit.
I don’t think that it is fair for you to deduct a star from your review because you decided to stray from the recipe as written.
Agree with Pete! Seems really unfair to bring the rating down because you added ingredients?!
It deserves all 5 stars as it came out perfectly as a base quinoa that can then be adapted.
Agree with Pete and Irene. Very weird to deduct a star for this reason. Anyway, I made some quinoa for my Mediterranean salad following this recipe and turned out perfect! Delish, thanks!
I never ate or made Quinoa until today. I used this recipe and it turned out perfect my first try. Many thanks, much much appreciated.
You’re welcome, Aaron! Thank you for your review.
Hi. Quinoa newbie What a nice variety of quinoa recipes. Yum! Can’t wait to try them!!! Thanks so much!
Hi Kate, been using your cooking method for a long time now, perfect quinoa every time. Recently I’ve come across the suggestion of toasting the quinoa before adding the water. Rinse, toast for about 5 minutes until it’s dry and nutty smelling (use a whisk to keep it from sticking) and then simmer as usual. Adds great flavor! Have you tried this?
Hi Eva, I do this with oats but I don’t with quinoa. Sounds interesting though!
One recipe I saw said it Must be toasted first! ! I didn’t, but maybe that remove that last tinge of bitterness. A nice option, like toasting rice, which I’m also too time-crunched to do (and, more pots to clean). Good to see this suggestion here (two years after you wrote it..) :-)
Thank you for the easy Quinoa recipe! The clear instructions and video gave me the courage to make Quinoa for the very first time and they tasted delicious!
I had prepped a pot with dashi stock to boil my vegetables. After removing the vegetables, I used the same stock to make the quinoa. Lovely flavor and I did not need to add any salt.
Love your recipe and no more overpaying for ready cooked Quinoa from salad shops :)
I have made quinoa before but it had been a while, so thank you for the reminder! I cooled mine and made a salad with tomato, red onion, and homegrown basil with a bit of mint. Delightful!
Hey, that salad sounds delish’! I will try it! Red onions are the only ones I can tolerate raw.
There’s a first time for everything, perfect Quinoa! When I’ve made Quinoa, it has usually turned out mushy or kind of lumpy, which meant I didn’t make it that often. This time it’s perfect. Thanks for the instructions!!!
OMG this worked PERFECTLY!!! So grateful for this as I have forever been struggling with cooking quinoa and ending up with a mushy mess. Thank you!
Hooray! That’s great.
Lovely recipe!! I kept making terrible quinoa, so much so I stopped cooking it for a few months. Tonight I gave it another try and found your recipe in an attempt to course correct. Your instructions were clear, concise, and my quinoa was perfect! Fluffy and delicious, just like you said. Thank you so much!
Lovely recipe!! I kept making terrible quinoa, so much so I stopped cooking it for a few months. Tonight I gave it another try and found your recipe in an attempt to course correct. Your instructions were clear, concise, and my quinoa was perfect! Fluffy and delicious, just like you said. Thank you so much! *Edited with 5 stars because I forgot to put that in the last one!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you love it, Sam.
Thanks for the recipe! The quinoa cooked perfectly :)
I like the way you cook kiddo!! I’m a cook and baker for almost 40 years and I have to tell you I am so tired of recipes sites like this that start out all nice but unfortunately don’t get to the point or the recipe is actually stupid as it doesn’t make any logical sense. This recipe blog is not like that. Good for you for making food that is also baby friendly! I’m a mum as well and it is hard to find foods that babies can eat but also not have to make a zillion dishes in the meantime. I have made quinoa like this in my years past but honestly forgot how I had done it. Yes, cooking it uncovered is the best, had an Arabic friend who said to cook it uncovered :D and it works. Thanks for your lovely recipes and beautifying the simple nature of quinoa!
I’m glad you enjoy my blog, Shannon! I appreciate your comment.
Many thanks for your tip regarding cooking quinoa uncovered. It turned out perfect. Yum!
Great to hear you enjoyed it, Louise!
Fantastic…got my perfect quinoa by using your cooking recipe. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Hana!
I tried it your way, and it worked. Woot! Woot! Woot!
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Alicia.
Just before taking off the heat, when broth (I used homemade kale/scallion broth from scraps I save) had been absorbed (nearly all, after 18min) I swirled in some raw greens, covered, and let sit on turned off burner for 10 min. Perfect! Thanks so much.
Linda
I love it! Thank you for your review, Linda.
The recipe was easy to follow. My wife and I use quinoa for Buddha bowls and the flavor and texture were perfect.
That’s great, Denny! I appreciate your review.
I tried the basic quinoa recipe. Failed. Followed instructions to a T. I used to cover n cook before and get perfect quinoa each time
This recipe left it undercooked.
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you let it simmer? Did it seem to bubble while it was cooking? If it is too high, the water will cook off too fast. If it is too low, it won’t cook in the right time.
I love Quinoa and thanks for the amazing recipes.
You’re welcome, Freddy!
Cooked Quinoa for the first time following your directions added a few seasonings I believe it came out perfect ,No gluginess what so ever Ate very well on the top of stir fried chicken and veg.
Thanks very much for recipe Don
So do you put the salt in while cooking the quinoa or after? Usually with rice and pasta I always put it while cooking but not clear in the recipe since you just say season with salt. Thanks.
Hi, I season it once cooked and fluffed. See the final step. I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing good information!
I tried the cooking method, using a three quinoa blend. The method worked for most of the quinoa, but the red did not “pop”. It was ok, it added a little crunch. I stuffed portobello caps with a mixture of quinoa, sausage, onion, and pepper. It was quite tasty.
I followed your instructions and was able to make perfectly fluffy quinoa. Thanks much Kate.
You’re welcome, Blessy!
Will try you creative yet simple recipes. Thank you, Rich
The recipe for plain quinoa worked perfectly, it came out so fluffy! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Yascha!
Thank you very much, I like you have been trying to get quinoa right thanks again your recipe nailed great not lumpy and cooked to perfection. Your did not disappoint! I have it for safe keeping and will definitely be make for now on. Simply the best way da go
I think your recipes look incredible! I want to try a vegetarian diet and your recipes are inspiring me that I may be able to. I m concerned about the fat content though. Suggestions?
Hi C, I can’t speak to those concerns as I’m not a registered dietitian. More on my Nutrition Disclaimer
OMG!! KATE: YOU ROCK… THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER HEARD EVER COOKED QUINOA. I FOLLOWED YOUR RECIPE WITH INCREDIBLE RESULTS I MEAN WELL KIND OF FOLLOWED IT…LOL
I APOLOGIZE… BEING A 74-YEAR-OLD FORMER RESTAURANT OWNER AND AMATEUR CHEF I HAD TO IMPROVISE …WHAT CAN I SAY…
I COOKED MIKE WINONA AND WATER IN A MINI 6-IN ROUND ELECTRIC FRY PAN… WITH A GLASS LID WITH A VENT HOLE… A SINGLE MAN’S ONE CUP RICE COOKER…HAHA
AND THEN I ADDED A DAB OF OLIVE OIL, SALT,PEPPER, DRIED ONION FLAKES AND GARLIC POWDER.
I brought it to a boil for 5 minutes and then let it simmer raising the temperature in the frying pan twice during the 15 minutes by plugging the electric cord in for about 30 seconds each time.
It came out incredibly fluffy… And then I added chopped fresh olives, homemade garlic butter and cranberry sauce
OMG!
I’M AFRAID I’M GOING TO HAVE TO GO LOOKING FOR A QUINONANS ANONYMOUS GROUP… I AM INSTANTLY ADDICTED
THANK YOU
I’m happy you enjoyed it!
1/12/22
Wow! I am so glad I found this recipe. This was the first time I made Quinoe and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. What a great tip on boi;ing with tthe lid off and then putting it on at the end when it is resting.
I used your suggestion of mincing garlic and putting it in the olive oil to drizzle over it but took it a step further: Fantastic taste.
2 large Garlic Cloves minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp lemon pepper
Mixed all together and let it sit while the Quinoe was resting then drizzled over the top and stirred around with the fluffing of the Quinoe. The lemon was a perfect little zing to the flavor and the pepper gave it a little bite.
1/12/22
Wow! I am so glad I found this recipe. This was the first time I made Quinoe and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. What a great tip on boiling with the lid off and then putting it on at the end when it is resting.
I used your suggestion of mincing garlic and putting it in the olive oil to drizzle over it but took it a step further: Fantastic taste.
2 large Garlic Cloves minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp lemon pepper
Mixed all together and let it sit while the Quinoe was resting then drizzled over the top and stirred around with the fluffing of the Quinoe. The lemon was a perfect little zing to the flavor and the pepper gave it a little bite.
Thank you for the cooking method! Made all the difference!
You’re welcome, Emily!
I wanted to cook quinoa for a garbanzo bean,feta salad similar to the favorite salad. The quinoa was perfect. I expect I’ll be trying a few of the quinoa recipes below
Thank the universe and food gods for Cookie+Kate !! Being a reducetarian, your recipes might just push me over the edge and make me a full blown vegan…. plant power!!
I never liked eating quinoa before but with your recipe it came out perfect!
Hooray! That’s great to hear.
I used your recipe, but I don’t think I quite know when the water is boiled away – mine still came out mushy :( But the flavor is amazing! Cooking it this way really brought that out.
Hi Alissa, I’m sorry to hear that. Once it started boiling, did you turn it down to simmer? A simmer is a few bubbles.
Omg! This is a life saver for me! I love quinoa, but whenever I make it at home, it’s always mushy and clumpy. I just made a big batch for the week using this method and it is perfect! Light, fluffy individual grains perfect for salads. Thank you so much!
Happy to hear that, Chrissy! Thank you for your review.
Yes, I may have just not cooked it long enough or I may have turned the heat down too soon. I’ll try it again :)
Let me know if you try again!
Thanks for the tips. One question though, why do I have to cook it uncovered?
Hi! I find it helps to keep it from gettin mushy as some of the water evaporates while its cooking.
My quinoa came out perfectly following your steps. I added a smidge of Better Than Bouillon to the water for flavor. No more mushy quinoa!
I’m gonna try your recipes today and thanks for pointing out the wrong way to cook quinoa!I’ll let you know how I get on..thankyou
I made your “favorite quinoa salad“ recipe and it was fantastic. It’s the type of salad that I could eat every single day! Thank you, Kate!
No more mushy quinoa! This recipe turned out perfectly, and I’ve had disasters before. It was super easy as well. I was a little concerned about how it would translate to my altitude (6500 ft.), as rice always needs more water and more time up here. But this didn’t seem to need alteration (although I’m not exactly sure how long it cooked–I watched it instead of timing it). I also tried the spinach and sun-dried tomato add-in linked at the bottom. YUM.
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Tara. I appreciate your review.
Love it. The only problem is now my SO wants me to make quinoa all the time. ;)
Turned out great! Perfect. After warming/steaming 5 min…I added salt, minced garlic, avacado oil, curry spice and nutritional yeast seasoning. Mmmm mmm.
Thank you! I just made quinoa for the first time and it came out perfect. So fluffy and light. I was looking for another rice alternative but was hesitant on quinoa but this is perfect- thank you very much!
I’ve just been given some quinoa by my daughter and your recipes came up … sounds fantastic. Currently I’m pescatarian but despite gentle pressure from my daughter, I don’t expect to become vegan.
Going to try one of these for dinner tonight. Thanks for a wonderful educational culinary experience
thank you for this!! my very first time to cook quinoa and it was perfectly done based on your instructions! Will definitely try other recipes for this!
You’re welcome, Joanne!
I’m new at cooking quinoa, but I’ve had it in protein bowls at restaurants. I printed all of these recipes and looking forward to trying each of them.
My question is, does the color of quinoa matter per recipe? What’s the difference between the black, red or white?
Hi! I think it’s more for visual appeal. It’s up to you!