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    Home » Instant Pot Recipes

    How To Cook Quinoa In The Instant Pot

    Published: Feb 8, 2019 · Modified: May 17, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 14 Comments

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    Instant Pot Quinoa, is one of my favorite and go-to basic recipes. With a few basic ingredients and hands-off cooking technique the Instant Pot makes perfectly cooked, fluffy quinoa.

    Quinoa in a white bowl with fork

    I have enjoyed cooking in the Instant Pot for the last few years. As much as I love making one pot meals, dump and go desserts and creamy breakfast dishes, I use my Instant Pot for a lot of meal preps too. Some of them are cooking the perfect Instant Pot Quinoa or Brown Rice.

    What is Quinoa?

    • Quinoa is a gluten-free, nutrient-rich seed that is a whole grain carbohydrate and whole protein. It is considered a super food that not only makes a great low-carb rice substitute but can also be used in making salads, shakes and desserts.
    • Quinoa is commonly sold in three colors - white/ivory, red and black. White quinoa has a fluffy post-cook texture, while red and black quinoa are known to keep more of their shape and color after cooking. Red quinoa has a heartier taste and chewier texture while black quinoa tastes somewhat crunchy and slightly sweeter than either red or white. White quinoa can also have a slightly muted, bitter taste. Pro Tip - Rinse the quinoa 2 to 3 times and drain well to remove the slight bitter taste.

    Benefits of cooking Quinoa in the Instant Pot:

    • Quinoa cooks relatively fast using the traditional stove top method. So time-wise you are probably not saving much when cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot. The advantage of cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot is that you will get consistent results with hands-off cooking technique. Depending on the amount of quinoa you want to cook, you can use the main-pot or pot-in-pot method to cook quinoa. Add rinsed and drained quinoa to the pot, set the pressure cooking time and walk away. There is no need to watch over or turn off the heat.
    Uncooked Quinoa in a white bow, 1 cup of water in a measuring cup and cooked quinoa bowl lined up vertically

    Pro Tips for making perfectly cooked, fluffy quinoa:

    • Rinse the quinoa 2 to 3 times to remove the outer covering of saponin which removes the bitterness
    • Add a pinch of salt or cook in broth for added flavors to savory dishes
    • Remember its always 1:1 water to quinoa ratio
    • 1 cup of uncooked quinoa yields into 3.5 cups of cooked quinoa

    Two Ways to cook Instant Pot Quinoa:

    1. Pot in Pot Method - Works best when cooking less than 1.5 cups of quinoa:

    • Rinse 1 cup of quinoa 2 to 3 times under running water. Drain well and add to a stainless steel bowl along with 1 cup of water.
    • Add 1 cup of water to the main Instant Pot insert. Place the stainless steel bowl with quinoa on the trivet and then carefully place the trivet in the Instant Pot.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure release handle to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Hi) for 4 minutes.
    • Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release handle to venting and open the Instant Pot. Take the inner stainless pot and the trivet out using heat resistant mitts. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork or silicone spatula.
    • Rinse Quinoa
    • Add quinoa to a stainless steel bowl with water
    • Quinoa and water in the Instant Pot
    • Cooked Quinoa

    2. Main Pot Method - Works best when cooking more than 1.5 cups of quinoa:

    • Place quinoa in a wire mesh strianer and rinse 2 to 3 times, massaging it gently. Drain the quinoa.
    • Add drained quinoa to the Instant Pot insert. Add water and make sure all the quinoa is evenly submerged under water.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure release handle to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Hi) for 1 minute.
    • Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release handle to venting and open the Instant Pot. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork or silicone spatula.
    • rinsed & drained quinoa
    • quinoa added to Instant Pot
    • quinoa and water in Instant Pot
    • Cooked quinoa

    Looking for a healthy and delicious recipe using cooked quinoa? Try my favorite Quinoa almond date truffles or the flavor packed Fiesta Quinoa Salad!

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    Quinoa in a white bowl with fork
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    4.43 from 7 votes

    Instant Pot Quinoa

    Instant Pot Quinoa
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Meal Preparation, Misc.
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 156kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    • Place quinoa in a wire mesh strianer and rinse 2 to 3 times, massaging it gently to reomve the outer covering of saponin. Drain the quinoa.

    To cook Quinoa directly in the main pot:

    • Add drained quinoa to the Instant Pot insert.
    • Add water and make sure all the quinoa is evenly submerged under water.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure release handle to sealing.
    • Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Hi) for 1 minute. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release handle to venting and open the Instant Pot. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork or silicone spatula.

    To cook Quinoa using pot in pot method:

    • Add 1 cup of water to the main pot.
    • Add drained quinoa and water to a stainless steel pot and place the pot over the trivet.
    • Carefully place the trivet inside the main pot.
    • Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure release handle to sealing.
    • Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Hi) for 4 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release handle to venting and open the Instant Pot. Take the inner stainless pot and the trivet out using heat resistant mitts. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork or silicone spatula.

    Video

    Notes

    • If you are planning to use the quinoa in savory dishes or salads, add a pinch of salt while cooking. You can also use broth instead of water for added flavor.
    • If you are making lesser than 1 cup of quinoa, it is best to use the pot in pot method.
    • When cooking quinoa directly in the main pot, you can also spray the bottom on the Instant Pot insert with oil. This prevents the cooked quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥

    Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. Theresa Hammond says

      February 08, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      Please , please check for me. I am getting NONE of your posts. I love your site. My sister sends them to me. My name is Theresa Hammond , email , ng.theresa48@gmail.com. I re subscribed and refused as I already have subscribed. Don’t know what to do. HELP , Theresa.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 09, 2019 at 12:39 pm

        I am so sorry. I will add you again. But do check your spam folder, just in case. And thank you for the kind words. If its ok I will also add you to my bi monthly newsletter for more recipe inspiration.

        Reply
    2. Pallavi Gupta says

      March 11, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      Hi archana

      Can I make rice and quinoa together using stackable inserts and pip method

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 12, 2019 at 8:11 am

        Yes! Will work with the pot in pot recipe for quinoa. Just stack rice and quinoa.

        Reply
    3. Alex says

      August 18, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      Good day, Archana,
      we have your new Instant Pot cookbook and LOVE it and also follow your website - but there is a question about measuring cup sizes - the Instant Pot cup size, which is 170 mills and the standard Northamerican cup size which is 250 ml - do you always use the Instant Pot cup for ALL your recipes???
      Thank you for your help, best wishes from northern Canada, Alex

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 18, 2019 at 6:28 pm

        Hi Alex, Thank you for your messgae. I can't wait to see what you make from the cookbook first and your feedback on the recipes. All the recipes in the cookbook as well as the website use standard 250 ml cup. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    4. Mikhail says

      September 05, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      i put 2 cups water ans still got sign Burn1 star

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 05, 2019 at 7:55 pm

        Was the silicone ring placed properly? It looks like the pressure might not building properly

        Reply
    5. Dennis B says

      January 02, 2020 at 11:40 am

      Would the instructions for cooking Qiunoa be the same for brown Basmati rice? Thank you for this edition of your blog too. I love your cooking 101 & your great recipes!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 04, 2020 at 9:52 am

        Here is my detailed recipe for brown rice - https://ministryofcurry.com/instant-pot-brown-rice/

        Reply
    6. Henri Avenard says

      September 13, 2020 at 10:17 am

      Hi,

      Thanks so much for your tips Quinoa is perfectly cook like this !

      Can we do like this for Buckwheat ? I tried with "Kasha" but food burn each time...maybe more suitable for main classic Buckwheat ?

      Can we use a Pyrex Glass container instead of Stainless Steel one ?

      Many thanks for your support you can answer to me here

      My mail is avenardm@gmail.com

      Have a nice day

      Henri5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 14, 2020 at 3:37 pm

        I have not use buckwheat or "kasha", but yes you can use pyrex glass bowl, just be careful especially if its too old or over used. Sometimes they can break with hight heat

        Reply
    7. Nikita says

      April 21, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      Tried this today. The quinoa cooked perfectly! Thank you for these recipes5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 23, 2022 at 5:36 pm

        You are most welcome! This is a great meal prep recipe.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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