How to Cook Quinoa

Want to make a tasty quinoa dish but don't know how to cook quinoa? No problem!

We've all been there. Package of quinoa grain in one hand while the other is scratching your head.

Cooking quinoa is easy. Anyone -- especially you -- can do it.

So relax. Keep reading. And in no time you will know how to make quinoa!

After you've mastered cooking quinoa try making some tasty healthy quinoa recipes!

Below we'll show you the steps to cooking this delicious seed. Then we'll talk about tips for buying it. And last we'll address the matter of rinsing your quinoa grain.

So let's go!

How to Cook Quinoa: The Steps

Strapped for time? Of course you are. We made the following instructions with you in mind.

1. Buy quinoa
   
   
2. Pour one (1) cup quinoa into a colander or strainer
   
   
3. Rinse thoroughly with water
   
   
4. Pour two (2) cups water into saucepan
   
   
5. Turn to high and wait for water to boil
   
   Tip: For a unique fun flavor add spices like garlic, onion, basil, or oregano
   
   
6. Add rinsed quinoa to boiling water and return to a rolling boil
   
   
7. Let quinoa simmer covered for fifteen (15) to twenty (20) minutes until water is no longer visible
   
   
8. Take pot off the burner, open lid slightly, and let sit for five (5) minutes
   
   Tip: The quinoa will soak up any remaining water during this time

Isn't that easy?

Still scratching your head?

Let's see if we can clarify a few things...

How to Cook Quinoa: Tips for Buying It

Make no mistake, quinoa grain is not as cheap as wheat or oats. But for the health-conscious consumer like you and me, it's worth the extra cost.

And if you're like our family you want to find this healthy wheat-substitute for as cheap as possible. And you still expect high quality.

Wondering where to buy quinoa?

One option is to buy quinoa online at Amazon or some other online retailer.

Try buying quinoa bulk (25+ lbs.) You can find a 25-pound bag of quinoa for around $100. And if they'll throw in the shipping for free, this is a fine deal.

Our family has found that $100 for 25 pounds of quinoa is pretty much the standard rate offline as well. That's the price we were paying at one of our local "country stores."

We recently found another local store that sold us 25 pounds of quinoa for only $50! And it was organic, too. They just raised the price to a little over $75, but still this is reasonable.

So, shop around. You never know what kind of deals you'll find!

If you find a good one, let us know. We're always hungry for good deals on quinoa!

How to Cook Quinoa: Why Rinse It?

Quinoa was designed with a bitter-tasting coating called saponin. It keeps birds and insects away.

These saponins would also keep most humans away! Lucky for us that most companies that sell quinoa wash the saponins away before they package it.

So if your quinoa comes to you pre-rinsed, why would you need to rinse it again?

I suppose you don't, really. But our family does.

Why? Two reasons.

1. There may be a remnant of quinoa saponins left on the seeds. Might as well give it a quick rinse just in case.
   
   
2. We're not always sure how clean the place is where the quinoa has been stored. Why not give it a quick rinse to get rid of any dirt or dust?

We usually rinse our quinoa for less than a minute -- probably about 30 seconds. When we see that the quinoa stops repelling the water we're done.

Some people recommend rinsing for only 5-10 seconds. Find what works best for you.

What's Next?

Now that you know how to cook quinoa, why not try to make some quinoa recipes?

Or keep browsing our site dedicated to quinoa for more helpful information.

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