How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly

Learn how to cook quinoa perfectly so it is ready to use in your favorite quinoa recipes. We’ve included foolproof methods for the stovetop, microwave, rice cooker, and Instant Pot.

It actually took us a while to fall in love with quinoa, but once we found the perfect quinoa-to-water ratio and cooking method, everything changed. This easy stovetop quinoa recipe makes tender, separate grains in about 25 minutes. No mushy texture and no bitterness—just perfectly cooked quinoa ready for salads, bowls, or any of your favorite quinoa recipes.

While the stovetop remains our favorite way to cook quinoa, reader requests inspired us to test other methods. Below, we have also included our best tips for making quinoa in the Instant Pot, a rice cooker, or the microwave.

Key Ingredients

• Quinoa: Pronounced keen-wah, quinoa is a highly nutritious, grain-like seed with a naturally nutty flavor. It originated in the Andes of South America and is packed with protein, offering over 8 grams per cooked cup. Don’t be fooled by their size—these tiny seeds are loaded with essential nutrients like manganese, magnesium, folate, and iron. (Read more about the health benefits of quinoa here.)
• Water-to-Quinoa Ratio: The ideal quinoa-to-water ratio is 2:1. So, for every 1 cup of dry quinoa, use 2 cups of water. One cup of uncooked quinoa yields about 3 cups of cooked quinoa. For extra flavor, you can easily swap the water for broth or stock. We love using our homemade vegetable broth, chicken broth, or try bone broth for even more protein.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Cook Quinoa

While we’ve made quinoa in almost every cooker out there, we still return to our trusty stovetop method over and over again. It’s quick and easy, and it turns out nice and fluffy every time. That said, to help you out, we’ve also included Instant Pot, rice cooker, and microwave methods in the recipe below.

Tip 1: Rinse your quinoa. We always rinse quinoa before cooking it to remove the natural saponin coating, which can make it taste bitter and soapy. Rinsing it well before cooking helps reduce the saponin and brings out a delicious nutty flavor. Some packages may be labeled “pre-rinsed,” but since we are sensitive to saponin, we still prefer to give it a quick rinse anyway.

Tip 2: Simmer without a lid. Combine the rinsed quinoa and liquid in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. We prefer not to cover the saucepan while it simmers, and find that leaving the lid off helps the quinoa cook up light and fluffy rather than mushy. Let it simmer on low until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Tip 3: Let it rest and fluff. Once the liquid is absorbed, remove the saucepan from the heat, cover it tightly with a lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes before gently fluffing it with a fork. This is the exact same strategy we use when making rice. Taking the pan off the heat and allowing the trapped steam to work its magic ensures every single grain of quinoa is perfectly tender and fully cooked.

For microwave, Instant Pot, or rice cooker methods, see the recipe below!

Ways to Use Quinoa

• Make a salad. I love this superfood quinoa salad, and Adam leans towards this quinoa and black bean salad.
• Use our oatmeal recipe, but replace the oats with quinoa for breakfast. Top with your favorite toppings like blueberries, honey, and yogurt. Or, for a savory breakfast, top fluffy quinoa with a fried or poached egg and sautéed spinach.
• Scatter it over salads or swap out rice in rice bowls or stir-fries.
• We’ve also used cooked quinoa in these veggie burgers with great success.
• Stir into soups, stews, and chili. I use it to make our vegetarian chili.
• Make these tahini lemon quinoa bowls!