Did you know that Quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah“, incase you were wondering) originated in South America and was first domesticated by the Andean people over 3,000 years ago? Given the fact that Quinoa is high in protein, gluten-free, and provides an adequate source of all nine essential amino acids, it is no surprise that it was considered THE sacred “mother of all grains” by the Incas! However, “botanically speaking”, Quinoa isn’t a grain at all, it’s actually a relative of spinach. The part of Quinoa that we eat (and cook) is actually the seed, which I’ll explain more about below.
Let’s get started! Follow these simple tips to learn how to cook the perfect Quinoa!
Rule number one- always use the 2:1 ratio: 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa.
Now you’re probably wondering, “hmmm…what type of liquid should I use?” Most of my recipes will use water, chicken broth, veggie broth, or a combo of the aforementioned. Let me give you an example:
If I put one cup of dry quinoa into a pot to cook, I will need two cups of liquid. To do this, I can use:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of water and 1 cup of veggie broth
- 1 cup of water and 1 cup of chicken broth
- 2 cups of veggie broth
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- etc.
Psssst…..Check out my Quinoa Measuring Table to determine exact serving sizes.
Cooking directions:
- Place your Quinoa and liquid into a pot, using the 2:1 ratio.
- Place your pot containing the Quinoa and the liquid on the stove using a medium to high heat setting.
- Let sit until Quinoa comes to a rolling boil.
- Once Quinoa has come to a rolling boil add a dash of salt if you would like, and turn the heat down to low and cover your pot with a lid. The Quinoa will absorb all of the liquid allowing it to fully cook.
- Stir Quinoa with a wooden spoon about every 4-5 minutes.
- You will begin to notice that there will be less liquid in the pot and your Quinoa will look more full.
Remember what I said above about how the Quinoa we eat and cook is actually a seed? Well, during the cooking process, as the Quinoa absorbs the water, you will notice something that looks like a curly “tail” sprouting from your Quinoa. This “tail” is actually the germ separating from the seed, which indicates that your Quinoa is ready! Look at the pictures below. Can you see the difference?
Did you notice the “tails” in the bottom picture? You will know you quinoa is cooked when its “tails” have sprouted and it looks similar to the quinoa shown in the bottom picture.
- Once the Quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid and the Quinoa “tails” are noticeable, uncover the pot and remove from the stove. Fluff your Quinoa with a fork, using an upwards motion.
- Let uncovered, cooked Quinoa cool for about 3-5 minutes.
Congratulations, your Quinoa is done! You can drive in or add it to whatever yummy recipe you’re making!
PS- If you want to know how to FLAVOR your quinoa so that it tastes delicious, click through my Quinoa Recipe box! If you have any questions, please comment below!
