Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe – Perfect and Fluffy!
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Instant Pot quinoa is so easy to make, perfectly cooked and fluffy! Once you try making quinoa in your Instant Pot, you’ll never cook it on the stove ever again!
Before I got my Instant Pot, I would always cook quinoa in a rice cooker. I love gadgets that make my life easier and am definitely not a fan of cooking quinoa on the stove :) Well, Instant Pot does as good of a job in cooking quinoa as a rice cooker in half the time!
I now always use my Instant Pot to cook quinoa and also rice (see my recipes for Instant Pot white rice and Instant Pot brown rice). The only time I use my rice cooker is when my Instant Pot is taken up by cooking another dish, such as Instant Pot BBQ Chicken, Instant Pot Meatloaf and Instant Pot Meatballs. Seriously, I think I need to get a second Instant Pot ;) LOL!
Quinoa is the healthiest grain ever, and the easy hands-free way of cooking it certainly helps in adding more of it into your diet! I love using it for healthy lunches throughout the week, such as quinoa chickpea salad!
How To Cook Quinoa In The Instant Pot
Cooking time for quinoa in the Instant Pot is just 1 minute, followed by 15 minute natural pressure release. Basically, the Instant Pot is doing the active pressure cooking for 1 minute, and then quinoa finishes cooking while the pressure slowly releases.
To cook quinoa in the Instant Pot, all you need to do is put quinoa and water in the Instant Pot, press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the cooking time for 1 minute on High pressure. When it’s done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release (QR) the remaining pressure and open the lid. The quinoa will be perfectly cooked. Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve!
Instant Pot Quinoa Water Ratio
The water ratio for cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot is same as for rice. If you rinse your quinoa, the ratio is 1:1 (1 cup quinoa to 1 cup water). If you don’t rinse quinoa (so quinoa is dry), the ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/4 cup water. This is because when quinoa is wet, it traps some water inside, skewing the ratio.
I personally buy quinoa that is labeled “pre-rinsed” or “pre-washed”, so no rinsing is necessary! Yes, I’m that lazy :) The fewer steps for me to cook something, the better! I also buy quinoa in bulk from Amazon, it’s actually much cheaper then those little boxes from a regular supermarket!
If you like this Instant Pot quinoa recipe, you will also love these easy yummy recipes:
Vegan Quinoa Buddha Bowl – use your freshly cooked quinoa in this awesome healthy lunch bowl recipe comprised of quinoa, eggplant and spinach!
Quinoa Mason Jar Salad – meal prep healthy lunches for the week ahead with this beautifully layered quinoa mason jar salad!
Instant Pot Broccoli – learn how to make perfect steamed broccoli right in your Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Applesauce – making your own homemade apple sauce is super easy in the Instant Pot – you don’t even need to peel the apples!
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – once you try making your mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot, you’ll never make them on the stove ever again!
Instant Pot Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa dry
- 1 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Put water, quinoa and salt in the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing position.
- Select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" option and set the time to 1 minute at High pressure.
- When quinoa finishes cooking, do the 15 minute natural release (let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure).
Notes
