If you’re wondering, “How to cook fluffy quinoa”, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will teach you how to cook it perfectly- and season it like a pro. A delicious, healthy side dish.
Quinoa is my favorite whole grain. I love its fluffy texture and nutty flavor, and I love that it is high in protein. Most of all, I love that it can be cooked in 20 minutes- a lifesaver on busy days!
Our Best Quinoa Recipe
As a chef, I’ve noticed a few problems that can occur when cooking quinoa. Sometimes it turns out bitter, sometimes it’s gummy, heavy, and not fluffy, but the most common problem of all? It’s bland! Let’s change this!
Below, I share a simple guide to quinoa: what it is, how to cook it, ways to use it.
I also share my best quinoa side dish recipe made with lemon zest, shallots, and fresh herbs, and it always gets rave reviews, here and in our catering business!
Having a cooked grain like quinoa ready for meal prep is truly lifesaving. Quinoa can easily be added to salads, soups, wraps, and bowls. It is so healthy and versatile!
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is an ancient seed from the Andes Mountains in South America. Technically, it is not a “grain,” but it is classified as a “whole grain” here in the States. High in protein, with zero gluten, nutrient-dense quinoa offers many health benefits. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a complete protein with essential amino acids, chock full of vitamins and minerals! One cup cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
3 Common Types of Quinoa
- White quinoa: The most common quinoa is white, with a mild nutty flavor and light fluffy texture. If new to quinoa, start with this one!
- Red Quinoa: Bolder in flavor and a little firmer in texture than white quinoa, red quinoa is well-suited to salads and soups.
- Black Quinoa: Earthy in flavor, mildly sweet, with a firm, almost crunchy texture.
Quinoa Recipe Ingredients
- Quinoa– use white, red, black or tri-colored quinoa. If new to quinoa, I suggest starting with white quinoa for the fluffiest texture.
- Salted Water or broth– water works just fine, but broth (veggie broth or chicken broth) does elevate.
- Extra virgin Olive oil – just a little splash.
- Optional additions: shallot, lemon zest, black pepper, and fresh herbs, toasted nuts or seeds- add a nice toasty crunch.
How to cook quinoa
Step one. Rinse the quinoa. Quinoa is coated in saponins, a natural protection against pests. However, saponins can give quinoa an unpleasant bitter taste and make it difficult to digest, so always rinse quinoa and strain before cooking, using a fine mesh strainer.
Step two. Simmer the Quinoa. Add broth or water, salt, rinsed quinoa, and a tiny splash of olive oil to a medium saucepan, stir and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover well, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step three. Fluff with a fork. The quinoa will be light and tender and fluffy.
It is now ready to use in salads, soups, or create our delicious side dish recipe below in the recipe card!
Herby Quinoa Side Dish
To enhance the flavor, we add sautéed shallots, lemon zest, toasted almonds and fresh herbs. The recipe card provides detailed instructions.
Perfect Quinoa to Saltwater Ratio
I find the best quinoa-to-water ratio is 1 cup of dry quinoa to 1 3/4 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt, for perfect fluffy quinoa.
Can you cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker?
Quinoa can be cooked in a rice cooker using the same ratios. One cup rinsed quinoa, 1 ¾ cup liquids and ½ teaspoon salt. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Storing Cooked Quinoa
Quinoa will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, making it perfect for meal prep! You can freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw it before reheating.
Chef’s Tips
- RINSE: Always rinse quinoa in cold water several times before cooking to help remove bitterness.
- RATIO: Use 1 3/4 cups of salted water ( or broth) per 1 cup of quinoa, for perfect tenderness.
- DRESS: A drizzle of olive oil elevates it even more.
8 Favorite Ways to Serve Quinoa
- Use in Grain Bowls: like our quinoa bowl.
- Add to soups and stews: Moroccan Lentil Quinoa Soup
- Use it in salads: Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe, Lemony Quinoa Chickpea Salad, and Chicken Quinoa Salad
- Add to Burritos! Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde Sauce (Vegan!)
- Add to vegetarian burgers– The BEST Veggie Burger
- Make Quinoa Cakes! Broccoli Quinoa Cakes, Quinoa Cakes with Tomato-Chickpea Relish
- Turn it into Crunchy Salad Topper
- As a tasty side dish (see recipe card)
Play around with this recipe and embellish it as you please. It is perfect for meal prepping and batch cooking! xoxo
More favorite quinoa recipes
Enjoy the quinoa and let us know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo
Print
Herbed Quinoa with Lemon
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Side dish, vegan, gluten-free, healthy side dish
- Method: Stove-op
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make light and fluffy quinoa using this tried and true method. Use it in salads, grain bowls or make this herby lemony quinoa side dish (see recipe notes)
Ingredients
Basic Quinoa Recipe
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed until water runs clear, drained with a fine mesh strainer
- 1 3/4 cups water (or broth)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa well, this removes the bitterness. Drain using a fine mesh strainer.
- Place quinoa, water, olive oil and salt in a medium pot and bring to a rolling boil. Cover, lower heat to medium low or gentle simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork.
Notes
Herby Quinoa Side Dish:
- 1 shallot, finely diced or sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (or use 1-2 minced garlic cloves with the shallot)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or dried thyme, italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence, or similar)
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Pepper to taste
- lemon zest from one small lemon
- A sprinkling of fresh herbs- Italian parsley or dill.
- Optional: 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds or pinenuts
- Drizzle of good olive oil, optional but good
Herby Quinoa Side Dish Instructions
- In a medium pot, over medium heat, sauté the shallot in the olive oil, until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Set half aside for the garnish. To the pot, add rinsed/drained quinoa, water, salt, cumin, granulated garlic, and dried herbs, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover well, and cook for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork, place in a serving bowl and toss gently with lemon zest, taste and adjust salt, adding more as necessary. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, remaining sauteed shallots, and optional nuts. Don’t over-mix.
- Drizzle with good-quality olive oil
Storage: Quinoa will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Meal Prep: If you’re batch-cooking for the week, double the basic recipe; you may not need any of the garnishes.
Rinsing the quinoa is imperative. It really does help remove the bitterness.
Ratio: Whether I’m making a smaller or bigger batch, my general ratio of water to quinoa is 1 cup quinoa to 1.75 cups water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Basic Quinoa Recipe – ¾ cup
- Calories: 161
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 292.8 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
so many to try – can’t wait! Think I’ll be doing the Everyday Quinoa with Lemon, Shallots and Herbs for dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing!
Looks so delicious!! I truly love your recipes. I cannot wait to try it.
thanks so much ❤️
Perfect easy dish for potlucks. Love the combination of flavors and the fresh lemon flavor.
I’ve been trying to like quinoa forever & this did it! I serve it with a grilled lemony Greek chicken and some sauv Blanc- perfect for hot nights
Awesome Julie- glad you enjoyed this!
This is hands-down the BEST quinoa I have ever had/made! This has the most amazing flavour and it’s so versatile. I can’t WAIT to make it again!
Delicious, there are so many quinoa recipes, but this rates up there with one of the best. I toasted the quinoa mixture for a bit before adding the water. Thank you!!
Nicely put. Thank you!
Made this last night – amazing!! Perfect texture ! Thank you:) Quick question – the quinoa to liquid ration seems different – I thought quinoa was 1c quinoa to 2 c liquid – this recipe was off 3/4 cup liquid – but turned out fabulous!! Not sure how to measure going forward – really enjoyed the light – fluffy texture with this recipe. Can you advise on measurements? Thanks again for a fabulous recipe!!
It just depends on how you want the end result. I wanted this one to be a little more chewy!
what’s the best way to rinse quinoa? it goes right through the holes of a fine mesh colander. cheesecloth should work well but I would like to avoid using that if you know of a better way. either way I will be trying this recipe today.
Use a fine mesh strainer- the holes of a colander will be too large.
Maybe she’s using the wrong strainer.
Hi. Would you suggest toasting the almonds? Thanks
Yes, that would be nice!
I am so glad I stumbled across this recipe. I was going out on a limb last night when I picked up some quinoa for the first time at the local Winco. I have heard from many people (and sources online) about how much of a super-food that quinoa can be, and had been hesitant to try it with a picky 8-year-old at home (and Father-in-Law who loves to eat microwave meals.) Finally, we took the plunge, and I am so grateful for the tips in this recipe (I would never have thought to soak the quinoa.)
Once this finished up, we added a bit of soy sauce, and it was simply delightful. Highly recommend!
Very nice fresh salad with a good protein number in the quinoa.Lots of lemon zest for me kicks it up a notch.Thank you for the recipe.As you mentioned you could add anything to turn this salad into a main course.
This recipe is amazing
Thanks so much!
Haven’t made this yet but I’m bringing this to a thanksliving potluck tonight. I can’t wait! Thank you for this beautiful vegan friendly recipe!
I hope you enjoyed this!!!
how’d it go?
I get recipes off the internet all week long, but rarely do I come back to leave a comment. This dish has probably been one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. It was such a pleasant treat, so full of flavors! I loved it so much and will definitely be adding it into my rotation. If you’re looking for a fantastic, healthy side dish, this is it!! Yum, yum, yum! ?
I’m so happy you liked this!
Top notch! Wow this is such an easy and delicious recipe it’s definitely going into my “go-to-recipes”. Thanks so much again Sylvia. You never disappoint.
If you’re looking for extra flavor with your quinoa, I will suggest toasting it in a skillet over medium heat stirring constantly for a couple of minutes to lightly brown it gives it a Nutty flavor
Made this using chicken broth instead of water. Cumin added a nice warmth. Topped with shallots, toasted pepitas & toasted sliced almonds, chopped parsley. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice boosted the freshness. I think next time I will add golden raisins. Nice layers of texture & flavor. Served alongside grilled pork tenderloin & roasted asparagus.
Thanks for good recipe!
Excellent and easy! Thanks!!!
We’re big herb fans so rather than sprinkling as garnish I diced up a bunch of fresh parsley and cilantro and mixed it in with the lemon zest and olive oil at the end. Delicious.
Wow! Super easy and wonderful flavor!!! My family loved it and they have never been quinoa fans. Great to have a go-to simple recipe like this. Can’t wait to try it out on company. Thank you!
I have one kilogram of quinoa – that would require 1.5liters of water would you say?
Eager to cook this.
Not been able to make a nice quinoa dish as of yet. Cheers, thanks from Korea!
So I actually measure by volume, not by weight. 1 cup quinoa to 1 ½ cups water. 1 part quinoa to 1 ½ parts water… hope this helps! 🙂
Hi, I don’t have any lemons on me, but I do have some lemon juice. Would drizzling a tiny bit of the lemon juice on it still deliver the flavor? Or am I better off without?
Yes, this would be fine!
Delicious especially if you enjoy it a day or two later. I’ve been searching for a quinoa recipe that would get me to eat this healthy food and this is it. I also warned slightly and tossed with crumbled (creamy German) Feta cheese. I think it will make a great cold or room temperature salad. Thanks for a great healthy recipe.
Im so happy you enjoyed it Celia! Thanks for sharing how you served it!
Easy and very good taste! Totally recommend this recipe.
Thanks Jacqueline, I appreciate your comments and ratings~!!!
Thank you , amazing recipes very healthy easy to make
I am very please thank you
Awesome Maria, thank you so much!