Step by Step Recipe to Make Fluffy and light Quinoa in an Instant Pot. No Soaking required. Perfectly cooked Quinoa every single time in just 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe - Easy, No Soaking Required. No Oil, non-sticky, light and fluffy quinoa ready under 30 mins. Use it in salads, buddha bowls, serve with lentil curry or dal and a side of veggies for lunch.
Cooking Quinoa has never been this easy. Thanks to Instant Pot, the results are perfect every single time. Great for meal preps as you can double cook a batch and chuck it inside the refrigerator.
Before IP, I cooked Quinoa using stove top pressure cooker. I have no complaints whatsoever but IP makes things simpler with the dump and go approach.
Quinoa can be a great replacement for rice (if you are looking for grain-free meals) and can be served with steamed vegetables and curry of your choice.
Since I mentioned its a rice substitute, the possibilities of using cooked quinoa are endless. South Indians can easily substitute rice with quinoa for making lemon rice, tomato rice, bisibelebath or even curd rice.
Quinoa, unlike lentils or rice, does not need prior soaking before cooking. Just rinse it couple of times and its ready to be cooked. Absolute life saver for busy days.
The step by step detailed recipe covers IP settings and timings to cook Quinoa perfectly.
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Instant Pot Quinoa - Directions, Timing / Settings
There are only 3 ingredients - Quinoa, Water and Salt.
Salt prevents the quinoa from tasting bland. However, this is applicable for savory dishes only. If you are using the cooked quinoa for porridge or kheer, skip the salt.
It is recommended to use a colander for rinsing the quinoa, else you will lose valuable grains in the kitchen sink. Rinsing removes dust or any other particles that is stuck on the surface.
Quinoa to Water Ratio
For 1 cup of Quinoa, I have used 1 & 1/2 cups of water (room temperature) in Instant Pot.
For Stove Top Pressure Cooker, I use 1 : 2 (1 cup Quinoa : 2 cups water).
Timing / Setting
Quinoa cooks for 1 minute on High pressure and then Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes. That's it!
Now before you wonder why does the recipe state 30 minutes of cook time if the Quinoa takes 1 minute to cook? Well, it takes time to build pressure before the cooking commences. Roughly 7 - 8 minutes of time followed by 1 minute of cook time and 10 mins later, you can naturally release the pressure for fluffy quinoa.
Step-wise Instructions
Step 1 - Rinse and Drain 1 cup Quinoa and add it to the Inner pot.
Step 2 - Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water. Mix and ensure nothing sticks on the sides.
Step 3 & 4 - Now add salt. Cover the lid, adjust the vent to "SEALING". Pressure Cook for 1 (ONE) minute on High Pressure.
Step 5 & 6 - Do a Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes and then manually release the balance pressure. Once the pin drops, open the lid, fluff the quinoa using a fork.
Recipe Notes
- Remove quinoa onto a bowl or container, allow it to cool (if storing in the refrigerator) or use immediately as required.
- The recipe can be doubled. No change in pressure cooking time.
How to Use Quinoa in Recipes?
Salads - You can bulk up your salads by adding a cup of cooked quinoa. They make a filling summer time lunch. Throw in some fresh herbs, spices or seasoning to make it interesting.
Replacement to Rice and Breads - Quinoa is full of fiber and makes a great replacement to rice and breads. Serve with a side of vegetables, lentils or protein of your choice for a balanced meal.
Soups - Quinoa can be added to soups, as a healthy substitute to noodles or pasta. Ditch the pasta in Minestrone Soup and add cooked quinoa for a filling lunch.
Tacos, Burrito and Enchiladas (substitute rice with quinoa) - Having a bowl of cooked quinoa makes it easy to whip up Mexican fare at home for the family.
Burgers or Patties - We love Quinoa Patties at home. Made with sweet potatoes and spices, this is a great choice for meat-free burgers during bbq season. They make a wonderful filling for wraps and sandwiches with lettuce and chipotle sauce.
FAQ's
Once the quinoa has cooled, transfer to an airtight container or clean, dry ziplock bag. They can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and / or frozen up to a month, depending on usage.
Quinoa can be directly cooked (after thorough rinsing) in an Instant Pot.
As replacement to rice, add to salad or burrito bowls, soups with vegetables.
Stock definitely adds a lot of flavor. Choose low sodium stock or adjust the quantity of salt while cooking.
Instant Pot Basic Recipes
Corn on the Cob in Instant Pot
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Instant Pot Quinoa
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa Rinsed and Drained (Refer to Note 1 below)
- 1 ½ cups Water (Refer to Note 2 below)
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Rinse and Drain 1 cup Quinoa and add it to the Inner pot.
- Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water. Mix and ensure nothing sticks on the sides.
- Now add salt. Cover the lid, adjust the vent to "SEALING". Pressure Cook for 1 (ONE) minute on High Pressure.
- Do a Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes and then manually release the balance pressure. Once the pin drops, open the lid, fluff the quinoa using a fork.
- Remove quinoa onto a bowl or container, allow it to cool (if storing in the refrigerator) or use immediately as required.
Notes
- Quinoa can be directly cooked in an Instant Pot. No Soaking is required. Rinse thoroughly.
- Stock or Water - You can use water or vegetable stock. Stock adds flavor. If using store bought stock, opt for low sodium or adjust the salt while cooking quinoa.
- Cook Time - Quinoa takes just 1 minute to cook on High Pressure but the recipe says "under 30 minutes" - Similar to stove top pressure cooker, Instant Pot takes a while to build pressure. In this case, it takes around 7 to 8 minutes for the pressure to build and then the actual pressure cooking of 1 minute happens. After the pressure cooking is done, we allow NPR up to 10 minutes, then manually release the pressure (move valve to venting) and then open the lid. This process should take another 2 odd minutes.
- Storage and Leftovers - Once the quinoa has cooled, transfer to an airtight container or clean, dry ziplock bag. They can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and / or frozen up to a month, depending on usage.
- The recipe can be doubled. No change in pressure cooking time.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
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