I learned how to say it that day, but I didn’t venture out to actually try cooking it until this year. To be honest, it kind of scared me a little. I had known about quinoa for a while but had never even had it, much less tried to cook it, so it took going grain-free for me to give it a go.
I watched some youtube videos on how to cook it and it’s actually very easy to make and doesn’t take much time at all. AND, I think it tastes great!
Quinoa is perfect for a grain-free lifestyle!
It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. –Wikipedia
I use Quinoa instead of rice and noodles, or as a side dish all on its own. It’s also a great addition to salads!
Here’s how to make perfect quinoa:
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1½ cups water
- salt to taste
- Rinse the quinoa through a metal strainer with very small holes.
- Put the rinsed quinoa in a skillet and turn the burner on medium heat.
- Stir the quinoa around in the skillet until dry, and then continue stirring while the quinoa cooks in the skillet.
- The quinoa will start to pop a little bit and you'll smell a somewhat nutty smell once it has been cooked enough (I stir it for around 3-5 minutes after it has dried).
- Add the water (and salt if desired), turn the heat down to med-low, and put a lid on top of the skillet.
- Tilt the skillet lid to the side a little bit so that the steam can escape.
- Continue cooking without stirring for 15 - 18 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork and serve!
I usually make at least 2 cups worth so that I can have plenty leftover to use in another meal later in the week. I typically don’t like leftover rice, but leftover quinoa is great!
You can totally make it in a rice cooker too, easy peasy
That´s good to know! Do you do the 1:1.5 quinoa to water ratio in the rice cooker, or 1:2?
I think I did 1:2 but google probably remembers better than I do. We ran out and I haven´t made it back to traders joes.
Too bad i didnt see this sooner. I made quinoa from a box tonight and it was super gross. Reminded me of the first time i tried to make brown rice.
I do mine in the rice cooker too. I use the same amt of water as they say to use for brown rice.
you have to rinse most quinoa…or else it will be super bitter….the super expensive stuff seems to be the only pre-rinsed stuff I can find…I love quinoa but I hate rinsing.
We use seasoned taco beef with it, almost like a taco salad it is really, really good! I was just adding this so that if you ever get the urge to have tacos and you are trying to stay away from flour and corn tortillas this is a nice substitute.
I recently started a blog – Sheila’s Life – and wanted you to know that I reference your quinoa pin. I hope I have given you proper credit.
Your recipe is the one I refer anyone to because it was very easy.
Thank you.
Sheila Ward
Thank you so much for sharing my recipe Sheila!!
Huh, and all this time I have been pronouncing it wrong. I thought it was keen -wah. I found out even if the package says prerinsed if you better rinse again.