How to Prepare Quinoa (with 5 Easy Recipes)

Two years ago, I was at a friend's house, waiting for dinner. I noticed that she served some kind of grains that I hadn’t seen before, and they were super tasty and fluffy.

When I asked, she told me that it’s called quinoa, and ever since then, we’ve included it in a lot of meals.

Quinoa can be prepared in a wide variety of ways. If you want to know how to prepare quinoa, then you’re in the right place.

What Is Quinoa?

Most people think that quinoa is a grain when, in reality, it’s a seed. We tend to opt for quinoa as a healthier replacement for rice. It’s wheat-free, gluten-free, and low in carbs, making it a perfect option for a healthy diet.

Besides its benefits, quinoa increases up to 3 times when cooked, so 100 grams of dry quinoa should give you 300 grams of cooked quinoa.

How Much Quinoa Per Person?

The sufficient amount of quinoa per person depends on some aspects. For example, if you’re using it in a salad, then 150 grams should be fine. However, as a side dish, from 50 to 80 grams per person, it should be okay.

How Long Does Quinoa Take to Cook?

One thing I love about quinoa is that it doesn’t take much time to cook. It only takes around 15 minutes to be ready. Quinoa seeds are like rice, so they’re cooked in boiled water or broth.

Despite being easy to cook, there are some important tips to keep in mind to get the perfect quinoa.

You need to rinse the quinoa with a mesh strainer before cooking, to remove the saponin coating. Also, you need to rinse it again after cooking, to avoid ending up with a bowl full of water and quinoa. After all, we’re not making soup.

How to Prepare Quinoa for Breakfast?

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so I’ll give you more than one recipe to include quinoa in your breakfast. They’re all easy to prepare since I’m always late in the morning, and all the ingredients are suitable for one serving.

Dark Chocolate and Quinoa

What’s better than chocolate as a start for the day?

This is a vegan, gluten-free recipe. It can be prepared in one pot, which means less hassle in the kitchen. I couldn’t ask for more.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of dry Quinoa
• ¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk
• ¼ cup of coconut milk
• A pinch of salt
• ⅕ tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅕ tsp of maple syrup
• A chopped square of Vegan Dark Chocolate

Steps

• Rinse your quinoa thoroughly in a mesh strainer
• Heat a saucepan over medium heat
• Toast the quinoa seeds for a couple of minutes
• Add almond milk, coconut milk, and salt
• Stir the mixture and boil over high heat
• Switch to low heat and let it cook for at least 20 minutes
• When the quinoa absorbs all the liquid, that’s your sign to turn off the heat
• Add the maple syrup and the cocoa powder and stir
• Now add the chopped dark chocolate and any other topping you want, and voila!

Microwave Quinoa

Microwave recipes are one of my favorites because, let’s be honest, sometimes you wake up without enough energy for the stove or oven. It’s always easy to press some buttons and have your meal ready.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups of Water
• 2-3 tbsp of milk
• Honey for sweetening
• A pinch of cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• ¼ of a sliced banana

Steps

• Rinse the quinoa as usual
• Put the quinoa and water in a microwave safe bowl
  and cover it
• Let it cook in the microwave for 6 minutes
• Stir, then microwave for 3 minutes, until all the water is absorbed
• When the quinoa is ready, take ½ cup of it and place it in another bowl
• Store the extra quinoa in the fridge for future breakfasts
• Add milk, honey, cinnamon, and salt
• Mix the ingredients, and add the sliced banana as a topping. That’s it!

Overnight Quinoa

That’s a recipe for those days when you want to wake up and start eating right away without any preparations ahead. You can prepare it at night and leave it in the fridge.

Ingredients

• ½ cup of cooked quinoa
• 1 mashed banana
• 1 tbsp of yogurt
• ¼ cup of milk
• A pinch of salt

Recipe

• Get jar
• Put all the ingredients in it and mix them
• Close the jar and leave it in the fridge overnight
• In the morning, add some milk if the mixture is too thick
• Add nuts or fruits if you want

Note: The main ingredients of this jar are quinoa and yogurt. Feel free to change the banana with another fruit, or even add honey for sweetening. It’s your breakfast. Be creative.

Quinoa and Eggs

We can’t talk about breakfast without mentioning eggs. This recipe requires having cooked quinoa ahead to save some time in the morning, and a trusty nonstick pan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• 40 grams of sauteed mushrooms (I add more because I love them)
• ¼ cup of grape tomatoes
• Oil
• A pinch of salt
• One egg
• ¼ sliced avocado
• Cilantro

Recipe

• Add oil to a pan and cook the egg, sunny side up
• Add some salt and let it cook
• Don’t overcook the egg, as the runny yolk will serve as a sauce
• In a bowl, add quinoa, mushrooms, and grape tomatoes
• Add the egg and the avocado slices
• Sprinkle some cilantro and start eating your rich breakfast bowl

How to Prepare Quinoa for Salad?

When it comes to salad, I always think that the more colors I add, the tastier it’ll be. This rule has never failed me before. This is a colorful quinoa salad recipe that can serve from 6 to 8 people.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of dry quinoa
• 2 cups of water
• 1 chopped cucumber
• 1 chopped bell pepper (or 2 if you want red and yellow together)
• ½ cup of nuts
• ½ cup of herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley)
• 1 cup of cooked chickpeas

For the Dressing

I prefer basic dressings, but feel free to change the ingredients as you like.

• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt
• Black pepper

Recipe

• Cook the quinoa as usual in boiled water and set aside
• Combine all the ingredients along with quinoa in a large bowl
• Mix the dressing in a smaller bowl and add to the salad
• If you want, add some olives or cubes of feta cheese

How to Prepare Quinoa, Everything You Need to Know

Quinoa seeds are nutritious. They’re rich in fiber and protein, and they’re gluten-free. In addition to that, they’re a suitable ingredient if you want to lose a few pounds.

They’re quite versatile, and you can cook them in different ways until you find the recipes you like. What’s your favorite quinoa recipe?

Last update on 2022-08-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API