Some brands will already be pre washed and not need the rinsing process. If it needs rinsing you will see a light foam appear when you rinse it. You then bring the quinoa to the boil and then simmer it for 10 – 15 minutes. If you want it firm and crunchy then only boil it for ten minutes. If you want it soft and fluffy then cook it for fifteen minutes. After you have done this a few times you will get to know how you like it.

As well as boiling it in plain water you can use vegetable stock or meat stock to boil it in. This will infuse the quinoa with the stock flavour. Some people also add olive oil to the water. You can also add any herb or spice you want to experiment with. What ever you add will add this flavour to the grains you are cooking. This is good when you are using it as a plain meal accompaniment as it gives it a bit of flavour without overpowering it.

You can also cook quinoa in a microwave oven although this is no quicker than the standard method and it does take more watching than boiling.

If you are making a soup, risotto or a casserole then you do not need to prepare quinoa in this way. You can simply add it to the other ingredients and it will bulk up during the cooking process. You may need to add some more liquid because quinoa absorbs a lot of the moisture in the recipe. It will also slightly thicken the recipes which means you can reduce the amount of cornflower or other thickening agents you might be using. Your meals will feel much more satisfying and filling and you will feel fuller for longer because quinoa is a complex carbohydrate.

You can add the seeds into cakes, cookies and scone recipes. It has to be prepared using the boiling method described above. You can also make them into a breakfast style porridge and add fruit to give it a more interesting flavour.

Quinoa grain is actually a seed. It originally came from south america. In the last 20 years it has been grown in many more countries. I’ve even grown some on my own plot here in the UK. The quinoa plant grows to about 6 foot in height and has thousands of these seeds on large long flower heads. I am about to harvest mine once I can think of a way of doing this. The seeds are covered with a soft “petal” and I’m not quite sure how you get all the seeds out easily.

To cook quinoa grain you first rinse it under a tap to get rid of the bitter tasting coating. Not all quinoa has this. Some shops are selling it pre rinsed. Then measure out one part quinoa to two parts of water. Put this in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 – 15  minutes. It is then ready to serve. To see this in action there is a video here >>> Cooking quinoa grain.

The cooked quinoa can be served as it is with other vegetables or meat. You can also stir fry it and make an excellent quinoa salad with it. If your quinoa tastes bitter then you didn’t rinse it enough. I was told by a nutritionist that warm water works better for some varieties.

Once you get going with using quinoa in your diet you will find that it can be included daily in your diet. It is very flexible and easy to use in the same way that rice is. The benefit of quinoa is that it is a lot better for you nutritionally. More info here >>> Quinoa Recipes.

While I do know a great deal about quinoa I am not qualified or knowledgeable to know if this is true. If you know please comment below this post.

Having said all this I much prefer the texture of quinoa that has been boiled over quinoa cooked in a microwave oven. You can see the 2 main methods on the quinoa video page. Once you have cooked it you can add it to other foods in a quinoa salad or a stir fry dish.

Cooking quinoa is still a bit of a mystery to many because most cooks have never even seen it, let alone know what to do with it. The best recipes are usually savoury. Quinoa goes great with salads, vegetables and main courses. It makes a very good base for a Mexican chilli meal or an Indian curry. I read recently of someone cooking quinoa in a microwave oven. It isn’t any faster but it is convenient.
The occasional quinoa recipe use sweet ingredients in dishes such as fruity porridge, or quinoa cookies. It is completely dreadful mixed with modern processed foods. Quinoa for some reason only seems to mix well with fresh and healthy ingredients which is all for the better. You can see that there is more than one type of quinoa recipe.

The most successful use that you will find for quinoa is in quinoa stir fry meals. The mild flavour of quinoa and its slightly crunchy and nutty texture really comes into its own with these types of meals. The best place to find these recipes is of course online. There are many good recipes there that will never make it into a recipe book because quinoa is so obscure. Just check that there are not too many weird ingredients. I came across a quinoa stir fry recipe that had 30 different ingredients – some of which I have never heard of.

You now know how to cook quinoa and that it is very good to experiment with in the kitchen. My own quinoa recipes have really developed out of trial and error over a few years. If one of my experiments didn’t work I would change it around next time.

To stop the quinoa sticking to the pan, lightly spray the inside with cooking oil.
Rinse the quinoa in cold water and place in the rice cooker pot.
Use one parts quinoa to two parts water.
Put the pot into the rice cooker and cover with the lid.
Cook for about 20 minutes.
If your rice cooker has a “keep warm” setting you can leave the quinoa in the cooker until you are ready to serve it.

Cooking tip. You can substitute vegetable stock for the water. You can also mix in fresh sage or basil to the quinoa to add some bite to the flavour.

There are many more quinoa recipes in my quinoa cookbook here

If you have no idea how to cook quinoa then you are not alone. There are many variations to cooking it and different brands can have slightly different cooking times. This has created some confusion for people wanting to cook quinoa but needing simple instructions. The first thing you always do is rinse your quinoa under a cold tap. This gets rid of any remaining bitter coating that the grains may have. You then need to precook the quinoa before including it in your recipe. You simple add one part quinoa to two parts water and bring to the boil. Then you simmer it for 12 – 15 minutes. If you are a bit unsure how to cook quinoa go for the shorter time the first time as you do not want to overcook it

When you are cooking quinoa it usually absorbs all the water during the simmering process. The grains become light and fluffy and the germ of the grain produces as small “tail”. The feel of cooked quinoa is a bit like rice but with a slight crunch. It is this “tail” that gives the pleasant crunchy feel and flavour. Before finishing you recipe you must prepare the other ingredients that are going to be included. You will find when you are cooking quinoa that it goes best with vegetables that cook quickly in a pan or wok

One of my favourite quinoa recipes is a Mexican stir fry dish that includes sweet peppers, one medium chilli pepper, fresh tomatoes, chopped celery, sliced courgette and mushroom. I usually add 10 freshly chopped Basil leaves for flavour. All I do is fry these ingredients in top quality olive oil with the cooked quinoa for 5 minutes and serve. The whole meal can be ready in twenty minutes and is nutritious and tasty. You can serve it as a complete dish on its own or as a base for meat or fish. This has become one of my favourite quinoa recipes because I can throw in ingredients that I have to hand and the quantities are not too important.

I discovered this particular quinoa recipe when I was looking to rustle up a quick meal and only had a few simple ingredients to hand. You can almost any mix of fresh vegetables and herbs in a quinoa stir fry and the end result will be excellent.
Do not be afraid to experiment with quinoa stir fry recipes. You will soon be creating a quinoa recipe of your own.

When people first hear about quinoa they learn about its benefits but not how to include it in their diet. I have re-written the article this week and have put it on this page.

Background information

Quinoa is often thought of as a grain but in fact seeds from a plant. These quinoa seeds are small and come in a range of varieties. The most common variety is white which has now become readily available in the uk being stocked by Tesco, Sainsbury’s and numerous health food shops. Red quinoa has recently become available in the uk although I understand that it has been on sale in the U.S. for quite some time.

The truth about rinsing Quinoa

For most types you do not need to rinse it. This is because the large manufacturers realized that they would sell more if it was prewashed before going on sale. So I have not found quinoa on sale that has not been rinsed in the last few months. If it tastes bitter then you need to rinse it by running it under a cold tap for 2 – 3 minutes before cooking. Just occasionally you can taste a slight bitter twang to the quinoa but it is not enough to make the quinoa inedible

What does it taste like?

This superfood has a unique flavour and feel to it. It is compared to rice but it has a definite crunch to it. If you overcook it, it will become soft and fluffy like rice but it will not become sticky and stodgy like overcooked rice does. The flavour is unique but is similar to other grains which is probably why it gets confused with other grains. The best description I can think of is like a mildly crunchy porridge.

How do you cook it?

The simplest method is to boil it. You take one part of quinoa to two parts of cold water. Bring it to the boil and simmer for 10 – 20 minutes. There are 2 factors that effect the cooking time.

You can slightly under cook the grains for 8 – 10 minutes which gives a much nuttier and crunchy feel. This is the way I prefer it. When it is subsequently added to other ingredients for a bit more cooking it is better to undercook it. In fact one method of cooking (shown below) includes no pre-cooking at all.

How to microwave quinoa grains

It can be cooked in a microwave quite simply. Using the same ratio of 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water place them in a microwave dish and cook for 3 minutes. Then leave to stand. Stir for a moment and cook for a further 3 – 5 minutes. Allow to stand for 2 minutes. Any remaining liquid can be drained – it is important that the grains in a microwave are not allowed to go dry.

Cooking soups and casseroles with quinoa

This method simply includes quinoa in soup recipes and casseroles. There is no need to pre-cook the grains in the ways shown above. In soups it can add substance and flavour just by adding it to a favourite recipe. It really is a matter of trying out different soup recipes to find out what you like. Casseroles are very similar.

How to sprout quinoa

Quinoa sprouts are the least impressive sprouts you will ever see.It takes only 2 – 3 days to sprout and must be eaten straight away as it does not keep well. The sprouts are tiny. The benefit of preparing the grains this way is that you can eat it raw. A huge boost for those on a restrictive diet demanding raw food. The protein content is almost legendary and raw it really packs a punch as it is full of nutrients and vitamins. It is best combined with other salad vegetables as it can be quite bland on its own.

Now there are 40 recipes in the guide and a further group of quinoa recipes focusing on quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. The response to the recipes has been great and there will be an update version soon with new ideas for cooking and preparing quinoa.

If you need to know more about the book visit our sister site www.quinoa-cookbook.com where you will find a detailed information page about this quinoa recipe book.

There is some important news about a new quinoa related book that I have nearly finished. Watch this space or sign up with the form on the right and you will be first to know.

You can order your own copy of the complete guide to cooking quinoa by clicking here

Quinoa is not bad for you if you do not cook it for a set amount of time. For certain foods such as kidney beans the instructions insist that you cook for a minimum set time to get rid of impurities but with quinoa you are quite safe. You can even eat raw quinoa

For the basic cooking method you measure 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water and bring it to the boil. Then you simmer it for 12 – 15 minutes. The quinoa will absorb all the water. The quinoa is then ready to serve or include in your recipe.

But you can reduce the cooking time to about 8 minutes if you prefer the quinoa to have more body and be crunchy. You can also cook it for 20 minutes for a creamy soft texture. I much prefer the shorter cooking time for salads and stir fries as I like the crunchy feel.

There are differents ways to cook quinoa and you can experiment with these cooking time to acheive the end result you are looking for. Quinoa is much more flexible than most people realise.

All you need to do is rinse the quinoa,soak it in cool water for 8 hours and rinse it once more. That’s it. It is still quite crunchy and if you have dentures I would forget it. But the benefit of preparing quinoa this way is of course you retain nearly all the goodness.

The other method of preparing raw quinoa is of course by sprouting them. I use quinoa this way from time to time but it is my least favourite way of eating it. It just doesn’t taste as good. If you have sprouted quinoa you know they barely change at all and the sprouts are tiny. Very unimpressive.