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How to Cook Quinoa

Learn the basics of cooking quinoa, with easy (and flavorful) ways to serve it to babies, toddlers, big kids...and us parents! There is a base recipe here, plus simple ways to flavor it.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 78kcal

Ingredients

Base Quinoa (then choose a flavor option from below)

  • 1 cup quinoa (of any color or variety)
  • 2 cups water

Buttered Quinoa

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (you can also use olive oil here)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pesto Quinoa

  • 1/4-1/2 cup prepared pesto
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pizza Quinoa

  • 1/4-1/2 cup pizza (or marinara) sauce
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Lemon Butter Quinoa

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Cumin Quinoa

  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chicken Broth Quinoa (omit the water from the base recipe)

  • 1 3/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the quinoa to a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, stirring slightly, for about 1 minute. This helps to remove the saponins that can make quinoa taste bitter.
  • Add the water to a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed and the quinoa is very soft. (You will see that each grain will look more translucent verses opaque.)
  • Turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
  • Add desired flavorings, stirring well, and serve.

Notes

  • Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve to remove as much potential bitterness as possible.
  • Quinoa can be a little messy for those kids still learning to use spoons, but you can stir in cheese or mashed avocado or sweet potato to help it hold together a little more as needed.
  • Add as much or as little additional flavor as you want. (Which is to say, if you don't love plain quinoa, flavor it!)

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg