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Pot of cooked white quinoa in a Le Creuset pot.
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5 from 12 votes

Perfect Fluffy Quinoa (Stovetop Recipe)

Recipe and tips for cooking white quinoa perfectly on the stovetop so that it's like a fluffy pilaf.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Any
Cuisine: South American
Keyword: how to cook quinoa
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 214.1kcal
Author: Susan Pridmore

Ingredients

Instructions

Rinse the Quinoa

  • Pour the quinoa into a medium or large bowl, and add enough water to cover it by about an inch. Gently rub the quinoa between your hands for 10-15 seconds to remove the bitter saponin coating.
  • Strain the quinoa through a fine mesh strainer and spray with water for 20 seconds to rinse very well. Repeat 2 more times.

Cook the Quinoa

  • Spill the rinsed quinoa into a medium pot, and add the water and salt.
  • Pro-tip: Use either vegetable broth or 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon to the water for more flavor. Add addition spices if desired, such as smoked paprika or nutmeg.
  • Cover the pot and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer for 15 minutes. Depending upon what your pot is made out of, you may need to move the lid slightly to the side to vent the pot to keep it at a low simmer.
  • Once all the liquid is absorbed, remove from the heat, and keep covered for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Nutrition

Calories: 214.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.7g | Protein: 8.1g | Fat: 3.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 674.7mg | Potassium: 319.1mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 7.9IU | Calcium: 29.8mg | Iron: 2.6mg