Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa

We meet again quinoa.

First, let me say that I love quinoa. And I especially love it when other people make it for me.The first time I ever tried it was when my mom pulled a crazy “Zesty Quinoa” recipe from Pinterest back in the early 2000’s, and since then I’ve been hooked. It’s the perfect way to switch up your side dishes, and because of its protein content, a great alternative for main dishes too.

For the LONGEST time I was unable to master perfectly fluffy quinoa. It always came out disgustingly mushy or undercooked and hard as a rock… Not exactly appetizing and encouraging you to eat a “healthier” option, right? Right. However, after a bit of practice, experimentation, and tips from all of my chef friends, I’ve succeeded in unlocking the quinoa mystery.

Making fluffy quinoa doesn’t have to be a science experiment.

Though those can be fun, just not when you’re hungry. Avoid the mushy stuff and follow my tried and true tips and tricks for the perfect quinoa every time. Bonus: This only takes about TEN MINUTES in the Instant Pot.

Quinoa. TEN MINUTES. Mind. Blown.

Add in a couple of minutes for rinsing your quinoa – a key step, and you can have this ready in under 15 minutes. Weeknight dinner winner? I think yes.

Now, when making quinoa in the instant pot, I call for a little bit less water than if you’re boiling it on the stove. This is because of evaporation – not as much happens when you use a closed, pressure cooking system. This method also really helps to reduce your chances of overcooking quinoa, which can be a bit of a mess.

(Not So) Pro Tips

Buy quinoa from the bulk section. It tends to be a little bit cheaper and you can control exactly how much you’re buying so that you don’t have a quarter of a box of quinoa chilling in your pantry for the next six months until you finally decide to reorganize your shelves. Ok who am I kidding – I do that maybe once a year 🙂

Always, always, always rinse your quinoa. Always. This helps reduce that sometimes bitter flavor by rinsing off the saponins that coat the seed (yes quinoa is technically a seed!). Saponins protect the seeds from from fungi and microbes, which is great for storage, not so great when you want a tasty side dish.

As I said before, make sure not to use the amount of water listed on the package of quinoa for cooking in the Instant Pot – due to less evaporation, we need to use a little bit less water.

I also recommend seasoning the quinoa with a little bit of salt during the cooking process, but if you’re someone who is salt sensitive or has been told to reduce your sodium consumption by your doctor or dietitian for any reason, go ahead and feel free to skip that step.

You know your quinoa is done when you see the small ring around the see and it fluffs nicely with a fork. If you don’t see that ring, it’s not quite done. If it’s turned to mush, you’ve gone too far – I’d recommend trying to turn it into some kind of veggie burger at this point…

A note on nutrition…

Quinoa is a great gluten-free replacement for most grains if you are someone who has Celiac disease or another gluten-sensitivity. It’s also a great source of plant-based protein for vegetarians, vegans, and those of us trying to reduce our meat intake. In fact, quinoa is considered a “complete” protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce on their own. Additionally, it’s a good source of fiber – quinoa is higher in fiber than rice, so it can be a great substitute in most dishes where you would typically choose white or brown rice.

Quinoa is a great option to add to your meal prep list because it’s so versatile. It can be used in anything from cold salads, to warm side dishes, to casseroles (hot-dish for my Minnesotans ;)), and anything in between.

What’s your favorite way to use quinoa?

I’d love to hear in the comments below, or you can send me a note here.

Mindfully yours,
Sam

Print Recipe

Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa

Fluffy, perfectly cooked quinoa every time using the Instant Pot.

Prep Time

2 minutes

Cook Time

1 minute

Passive Time

14 minutes

Servings

cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa Don't forget to rinse!
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 sprays olive oil cooking spray Just enough to coat the inside of the Instant Pot.
• 1 pinch salt Feel free to omit if you are salt-sensitive or have been told to reduce your sodium intake by your doctor/dietitian.

Prep Time 2 minutes Cook Time 1 minute Passive Time 14 minutes Servings cups Ingredients 1 cup quinoa Don't forget to rinse! 1 1/2 cups water 2 sprays olive oil cooking spray Just enough to coat the inside of the Instant Pot. 1 pinch salt Feel free to omit if you are salt-sensitive or have been told to reduce your sodium intake by your doctor/dietitian.

Instructions

1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer for at least 2 minutes.
2. Spray the inside of the Instant Pot with cooking oil.
3. Add rinsed quinoa to the Instant Pot. Cover with 1 1/2 cups of water.
4. Add a pinch of salt to flavor.
5. Close the pressure release and set the Instant Pot to one minute High Pressure.
6. Allow quinoa to cook and then Natural Pressure Release (NPR) the Instant Pot for 10 minutes.
7. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure from the Instant Pot.
8. Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve immediately or refrigerate.