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Fluffy quinoa on fork over the Instant Pot
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5 from 2 votes

Perfectly Cooked Quinoa (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

Looking for the secret to fluffy quinoa, perfectly cooked every single time? Here are all the tips and tricks you need to learn how to cook quinoa in the Instant Pot or on the stove. It's the ideal base for salads and bowls, or as a simple side dish to chicken, beef, or pork
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 252kcal
Author: Borrowed Bites

Ingredients

  • 2 cups quinoa
  • 3 cups chicken stock water or vegetable stock can be substituted
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Instant Pot

  • Place quinoa in fine-meshed strainer. Rinse thoroughly until water coming out the bottom is clear.
  • Shake strainer well and allow to drain. Meanwhile, heat IP on Saute for at least 5 minutes.
  • Spray Instant Pot with cooking spray. Put drained quinoa into Instant Pot and toast for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Turn Saute off. Add liquid, being sure to pour around the edge to get the stragglers down in the liquid. Add salt.
  • Lock the lid. Set to sealing. Select manual and cook time 1 minute on high pressure. It will take approximately 5 minutes to come to temperature.
  • Allow natural release for 10 minutes. Then release remaining pressure.
  • Using a fork fluff the quinoa by raking the tines of the fork back and forth across the top.

Stovetop

  • Place quinoa in fine-meshed strainer. Rinse thoroughly until water coming out the bottom is clear.
  • Shake strainer well and allow to drain. Meanwhile, heat pot on stove for at least 5 minutes.
  • Spray pot with cooking spray. Put drained quinoa in pot and toast for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Pour in chicken stock and allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat to a low in order for it to simmer. Mostly cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small hole for steam to escape. Allow to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
  • Uncover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Using a fork fluff the quinoa by raking the tines of the fork back and forth across the top.

Notes

Tips & Tricks
  • Thoroughly rinse until all the water coming out of the strainer is clear.
  • After the quinoa has drained, be sure to toast it until it is dry. See the post for an explanation for why this step is so important.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3mg