Today, I am here to show you how to cook quinoa in a microwave. To be honest, I had no idea that cooking quinoa in the microwave was possible until I read it in a magazine as I was doing research for another recipe.
Come to find out, this is the fastest way to cook quinoa. It takes 15 minutes, and it is just as fluffy as quinoa cooked in an Instant pot, quinoa cooked on the stove, or quinoa cooked in a rice cooker.
Table of Contents
- The Ratio of Quinoa To Water
- How much cooked quinoa do I get from 1 cup microwave quinoa?
- How To Make It?
- Why Not Cook It Longer In The Microwave?
- Would This Method Work With Other Types of Quinoa?
- Can You Reheat Cooked Quinoa In The Microwave?
- Recipes To Use Cooked Quinoa
- Microwave Quinoa (Quick and Fluffy)
So, if you are in a rush and want to use it in your meal prep, various quinoa salads, or weeknight meals like Mexican Quinoa, Quinoa Black Bean Tacos, or Butternut Squash Quinoa, read on. I will show you how to make it with step-by-step photos.
The Ratio of Quinoa To Water
The ingredients list is pretty short. You will need 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of cold water to cook quinoa in the microwave. You can use vegetable or chicken stock if you would like.
The ratio to follow is 1 to 2. If you want, you can multiply this quick quinoa recipe. You can also add salt and oil to the bowl for more flavor, as I did with my microwave quinoa porridge recipe.
How much cooked quinoa do I get from 1 cup microwave quinoa?
1 cup uncooked quinoa yields about 2 ½ to 3 cups cooked quinoa.
Even though you end up with only 3 cups, quinoa bubbles up a lot as it cooks, so choose a bowl that holds at least 7 cups (approximately 1.75 quarts).
If you decide to multiply this recipe, you will need an even bigger bowl.
How To Make It?
- Rinse the quinoa: Start by rinsing your quinoa under cold running water. If you are wondering why it is important to do so, feel free to check out the post I shared on how to and why rinse quinoa.
- Place quinoa and water in a microwave-safe bowl: Use a large bowl (at least 7 cups) that will hold 3 cups of cooked quinoa. If you prefer, add a pinch of salt, a splash of olive oil, or a tablespoon of butter.
- Stir to combine: Make sure that the quinoa is fully submerged in water.
- Cover it with a plate: Place a microwave-safe dinner plate (large enough to cover the bowl fully) on top. Or you can also use a microwave cover (affiliate link).
- Place in the microwave: Place it in the microwave and set it to cook for 6 minutes.
- Give it a stir and then cook some more: Carefully remove the plate (I used a kitchen towel because it is super hot) and give it a stir. Put the plate back on and set it to cook for 4 more minutes.
- Remove from the microwave: At the end of the 4 minutes, you might still have some liquid at the bottom of the bowl, which is okay. It should look like the quinoa seeds popped open. If there is still a lot of them that are not open, put it back in the microwave for 1 more minute.
- Let it rest until the water is absorbed: Let it sit on the kitchen counter for 5 minutes, covered. As it sits, most of the liquid will be absorbed. In the end, if there is still water in the bowl, remove the plate and wait for a few more minutes.
- Fluff it with a fork and enjoy!
Why Not Cook It Longer In The Microwave?
At this point, you might be wondering why not let it continue to cook in the microwave until the liquid is fully absorbed? Well, I had the same question, so I tested it.
Come to find out, if you cook it for longer, you end up with mushy and somewhat dry quinoa. It is obvious it cooked longer than it should.
That is why I find that the best timing is to cook it for 6 minutes first, give it a stir, and cook for 4 more minutes.
Would This Method Work With Other Types of Quinoa?
Yes. I have tested this method with white, red, and tricolor quinoa. Some readers have found that certain tricolor brands take a few minutes longer.
Before you take it out, look closely at the seeds. Cooked quinoa seeds should have a thin white ring curling around them. If most seeds still look like tight little balls, keep cooking in 1-minute intervals, stopping to check each time.
Can You Reheat Cooked Quinoa In The Microwave?
You sure can. However, I recommend adding a splash of liquid (water or stock) as it might get dry as it warms up. I find that a minute of cooking time for 2-3 cups of cooked quinoa is sufficient. However, if it is not warmed to your liking, you can continue to cook it in 30-second increments.
Recipes To Use Cooked Quinoa
I can almost hear you say, now that I have cooked quinoa, what do I do with it?
Well, I am glad you asked because I am a big fan of quinoa and have so many recipes that you can choose from.
- Add it to salads: You can easily turn a salad into a meal by adding in a few cups of quinoa. I especially like my Quinoa Tabouli Salad, Avocado Quinoa Salad, Thai Quinoa Salad, and Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipes.
- Microwave Porridge Bowl: For years, I cooked my quinoa porridge on the stove top. But if I am short on time, I cook my quinoa in the microwave, divide it into small bowls, pour in a splash of milk (or almond milk if you are following a dairy free diet), and top it off with fruit (and perhaps a drizzle of maple syrup) to turn it into a quick quinoa porridge in the morning.
- Need more ideas to make your cooked quinoa taste good? Check out the post I shared that outlines everything I know about How To Flavor Quinoa.
Microwave Quinoa (Quick and Fluffy)
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa*, rinsed under cold water
- 2 cups water, or vegetable or chicken stock
Optional:
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or butter
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa: Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water.
- Place ingredients in a bowl: Put rinsed quinoa and water in a large microwave-safe bowl (at least 7 cups) so it does not bubble over. Add the salt and oil, if using. Stir to make sure that the quinoa is fully submerged in the water.
- Cover it with a plate that is large enough to fully cover the bowl. You can also use a microwave cover.
- Cook for 6 minutes on high in your microwave. Carefully remove the plate using a kitchen towel. Give it a stir. Put the plate back on and cook for another 4 minutes on high. When you take it out of the microwave, carefully remove the plate on top and check the quinoa. If there are still a lot of seeds that are not opened, put it back for one more minute.
- Remove from the microwave. At this point, you might still have some liquid in the bowl. This is normal.
- Let it sit covered on the counter for 5 minutes. As it sits, most of the liquid will be absorbed. In the end, if there is still water in the bowl, remove the plate and wait for a few more minutes.
- Fluff it with a fork and serve.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes 3 cups of cooked quinoa, with 2/3 cup per serving.
- This recipe and timing work perfectly with white quinoa. However, some readers have reported that some tricolor quinoa brands take longer to cook. To photograph this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s tricolor quinoa so this was not an issue for me.
If this happens to you, place the quinoa back in the microwave and cook in 1-minute increments until you see the quinoa seeds pop open, revealing the germ of the kernel. - I tested this recipe in a 1200-watt microwave on high. If your microwave is less powerful, or your quinoa is older, it will take a few more minutes. Keep cooking in 1-minute increments, checking for liquid in the bowl each time you check.
- How to store: Let it cool to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you are making it for meal prep, divide it into single portions before it goes into the fridge. To keep it longer, here is how I freeze cooked quinoa.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Boiled over in 2 minutes and made a mess of the microwave
Hi Jack,
I am sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you. That was totally not my intention. Will you please provide some more information? Did you follow the recipe as written? What kind of microwave do you have? Did you cook it is high power? Did you cover it with a plate?
Like I said, I am sorry it didn’t work out, but it would be super helpful if you could provide some more information so I can look into it further.
Thanks.
Quinoa came out perfectly! Thanks!
I am thrilled to hear that it worked for you Rich. Thanks for coming back and taking the time to leave a review.
This works perfectly. Thank you so much. It’s my first time cooking quinoa.
It is wonderful to hear that it worked for you Carmen. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Awesome! I’ve been looking to ditch the pressure cooker.
Thanks so much.
Hello, Aysegul. Thank you for this excellent answer to my question, “How is quinoa cooked in the microwave?” I appreciated your including that the cooking of red is the same process as white. That was my next question, already answered. I look forward to exploring the other recipes. Great job w/the photography.
Thank you, again
Of course! I am so happy to hear that you found the answer you needed. Thanks for coming by.
Looks good i’d like to try it. What power Microwave are you using and what level please?
Hello Pat,
This is a hard one to answer because usually specific power level information changes from one brand to another. However, I would recommend starting from a low to med power level and see how it goes. For example, if your microwave has a power level setting starting from 1 to 10 (low to high), I would recommend cooking at level 5 to start and then increase from there, if need be.
I hope this answers your question.
…also, if you like yellow Quinoa or yellow Rice put in a pinch of turmeric (so little has no taste) with your salt, and a dash of roasted dry garlic is nice too.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing Joon.
Quinoa cooked great. Thanks for sharing.
I am happy to hear that. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Remember to use the plate! 😊 I forgot until I pulled it out at the 2nd round of microwaving. But have no fear, I put the plate on, did 3 more minutes and it was great. So happy this quick method worked. Thanks so much.
Yes, that plate on top is important as it traps the heat. 🙂 Thanks for coming by Becky.
Is three cups cooked only 209 calories? Or how many servings?
It is 209 calories for 1 cup of quinoa. I usually serve 2/3 cup per serving so it is about 4 servings.
Hope this answers your question Bernadette.
Hi,
I wondered what wattage microwave you used? Mine is 1200 watts but still was not done.
I am using a 7 cup pyrex round bowl. The quinoa is It still a bit crunchy. It must have bubbled up, because is some raw quinoa on the side of the bowl. that is try after the inital 6 minute cooking time.
I wondered if you used a larger than a 7 cup bowl? Would it help to spray the bowl?
Also, I will have an 800 watt microwave in a couple weeks. How would that affect the cooking time? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Hi Deborah,
My microwave is 1200 watts as well. To answer your questions:
– Bowl size: A 7 cup bowl sounds like it is large enough. I would make sure that you are using a plate (or a cover) that you can cover it fully.
– Spray? – I do not think that you need to spray it with oil.
– 800 watts – I think it is the best to use 1200 watt as it is more powerful and that is what I tested this recipe in.
Here are a couple of notes that might help:
– After the listed cooking time is complete, I would recommend continuing cooking in 30 second to 1 minute intervals. I am intentional when I do not give you an exact time as it is best to check it often. Toward the end, 30 seconds will be sufficient, whereas, in the beginning, 60 seconds is ideal.
– Please know that the age and type of quinoa you use might affect the cooking time.
– It is okay if there is some liquid in the bowl. I usually let it sit for 10-15 minutes (covered) so that it can continue to cook and absorbe the rest of the liquid. In the unlikely event that it is not, then you can drain it. As long as the quinoa is cooked to your liking, it is okay to drain the liquid.
I hope these notes help. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.
If I double the recipe, will it take longer to cook in the microwave?
Hi Rho,
It may take a bit longer but I doubt that it would be double the time. I would keep a close eye on it after the first 8 minutes of cooking and extend the cooking time in 1-minute increments if needed.
Hope this helps.
Made a smaller batch. Used 1/2 cup quinoa and a little less than 1 cup of water and a large bowl. Cooked according to directions and it came great. Added 1/2 banana and 1/4 cup blueberries. Makes 2 servings for me.
Sounds great. I love the additions on top. So happy to hear it worked well for you Janet.
I read somewhere a long time ago that different coloured quinoa should never be cooked together as they have different cooking times , The black takes the longest and the white the shortest . I just cooked the black am still cooking the black after 18 mins. Only 5 mins at a time my microwave is a 900watt on full power each time with at least 5 mins rest in between to give it time to fluff.any how , I’ll let you know once it is cooked .ok after this last 5mins I left to rest a little longer and was almost done but I was hungry , so ate with a little grittiness lol
Thanks for sharing your experience Dee.
The microwave furnished is not very powerful so I did the initial 6 minutes and then stirred it and did another 2 minutes as suggested, but I ended up adding an additional 2 minutes and still tons of water so I did 90 seconds more and let it rest for 10 minutes. It was perfect. You must be using an 1000+ watts microwave. I am go have to invest in one for myself and store the one that came with the apartment! Or do 6 minutes, stir, and do another 6 minutes. I’ll I cooked was one cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water.
This recipe works but what she is saying is right. The brand of quinoa you are using may change things. I made it with multicolor quinoa and it took about 8 minutes to cook and I had to let it rest for 10 minutes. Then I made it with white quinoa and the recipe worked perfectly.
Aloha! I already cook my various rice in the micro; excellent way to have quinoa on hand! Much appreciated, Linda
Aloha Linda. I am so happy to hear you liked this microwave quinoa recipe. I too love how easy and simple it is to cook quinoa this way.
Thanks for coming by!
Neither the recipe nor nutrition information indicate how many servings the recipe yields. Please share that information, as it would be helpful in determining portion size, as well as how much to cook, based on number of persons one is planning to feed. Thank you!
I’m looking forward to trying this method. I’m not sure why, but I avoid the stove and oven, in favor of the microwave and instant pot…depending upon the dish being prepared.
Hi A.P.,
If you look at the recipe card (at the bottom), right under the name of the recipe, you will find the amount that this recipe yields. It is also written in detail within the post. Feel free to navigate using the table of contents at the top.
For the record, 1 cup uncooked quinoa yields about 2 ½ to 3 cups cooked quinoa. In our household, this is good for 4 servings.
I hope I answered your question. If I can help in any other way, please let me know.
Ice
I saw you making this on Instagram but I wasn’t sure it would work for me. Who knew?
It took a little bit longer for the liquid in the pot to absorb but it did at the end and it was so good.
It is much easier to cook quinoa in the microwave. I will be using this method going forward. Thank you.
I am happy to hear that you enjoyed it Whitney. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Cheers,
Aysegul
I had no idea that I can cook quinoa in my microwave. I followed your recipe to a t and it worked perfectly. Mind blown. I am never going back.
Hi Darlene,
I know, right? It is so much easier to cook quinoa in the microwave, especially if you are in a rush.
Thanks for coming by.