At this point, I think we can all agree that pressure cookers are here to stay. I was skeptical at the beginning but after using it for almost a year now I totally see the value. That is why I am slowly but surely building my library of Instant Pot recipes.
In today’s post, we are going back to basics and cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot. With only one-minute of active cooking time, this pressure cooker quinoa recipe delivers perfect results every time.
Make it a part of your weekly meal prep, cook a batch (or two), and incorporate it in your sweet and savory gluten-free recipes throughout the week.
Agree? Let’s break it down.
Ingredients:
To cook basic quinoa in Instant pot (or any other pressure cooker), you will need only two ingredients: Quinoa and water.
However, though it is optional, you can also use a little bit of oil to grease the bottom of the pressure cooker insert and a pinch of salt.
My go-to water to quinoa ratio for cooking quinoa in a pressure cooker is 1 to 1.
Personally, I do not see a need for using oil if you are worried that it will stick to the pan because it doesn’t. However, if you are a fan of toasting quinoa to bring out its nutty flavors that is a different story. We will talk more about how to make quinoa in an electric pressure cooker taste better in detail below.
With that being said, I think a pinch of salt helps with seasoning and flavoring the quinoa so I recommend using it.
How To Cook Quinoa In Instant Pot
The process is simple:
- Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until water runs clear.
- Transfer it to the pressure cooker, pour in the liquid, and a pinch of salt, if using
- Secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to Sealing.
- Select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 1 minute*.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 7-8 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid. Fluff it with a fork and serve.
PROTIP: You might think of rinsing quinoa as an extra step. However, it is an important one. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin. It is a self-defense mechanism for the quinoa plant to protect itself from microbes, fungi, birds, insects, and other foraging animals in its natural habitat.
While it is necessary for quinoa plants’ survival, the problem with saponin is that it has a bitter taste. Therefore, washing quinoa thoroughly helps with getting rid of the bitter taste of quinoa.
If you are in need of more information on this topic, including things like how to rinse quinoa without a strainer and whether or not you should wash quinoa if its package says it is pre-rinsed, be sure to check the detailed post I wrote on How To Rinse Quinoa.
Cooking Time for Other Types of Quinoa (Red, Black & Tricolor):
You might ask, what if I want to cook tri-color quinoa in an instant pot?
I am glad you asked because I find that red, black, and tricolor (aka rainbow) quinoa takes just a bit longer to cook.
As a preparation for this post, I have cooked all three kinds of quinoa (red, black, and tri-color) and found that the best cook time for them is 3 minutes. Therefore, if you are cooking any other quinoa than the white quinoa, be sure to adjust the actual cooking time accordingly.
Helpful Tips:
- A Note On Various Pressure Cooker Quinoa Recipes on The Internet: If you do a quick search on the internet, you will quickly realize that content creators use different timing and water to quinoa ratios when cooking quinoa in a pressure cooker.
I wanted to address this because I was shocked to find recipes that suggested cooking quinoa up to 10 minutes (!) and with a 1 to 1 ½ ratio (1 cup quinoa to 1 ½ cups of liquid). Wondering how that would turn out, I tried cooking white quinoa in using longer times and with more liquid. Here is what I found:
- I do not recommend cooking white quinoa longer than 3 minutes (of active cooking time). In my opinion, any time over that makes it turn into mushy and flavorless.
- It is okay to use more liquid (up to 1 ½ cups), but you might end up with excess liquid in the pot. It can easily be drained, but just be aware.
- Be aware that various quinoa brands might deliver different results: I ran into the issue of different cooking times based on different brands during the recipe testing of my Instant Pot Wild Rice recipe. It was no different with quinoa. The brand you use matters. I have tested this recipe using there different brands of quinoa: Pride of India, Trader Joe’s and Ancient Grains (affiliate links).
Two of them, Pride of India and Trader Joe’s brands worked perfectly with my instant pot 1 minute quinoa recipe while the Ancient Grains needed one more minute to fully cook.
My suggestion here is to try your favorite quinoa brand with my 1-minute recipe first and then if it doesn’t then put the lid back on, seal, and cook for one more minute.
FAQs:
The ratio for quinoa to water is 1 to 1. In other words, you will need 1 cup of water (or liquid) to cook 1 cup of quinoa.
It usually takes about 6-7 minutes for it to come to pressure and then 7-8 minutes for it to release naturally. In total, depending on the type of quinoa you are using, it takes about 15-20 minutes of cooking time.
If you are planning to include quinoa in your meal planning and want to make more than a batch you can certainly double or triple the recipe. The best part is that all you have to change is the amount of liquid used (1:1 ratio of quinoa to liquid). The time of cooking does not change.
One cup white quinoa yields 2 ¾ -3 cups of cooked quinoa. If you are using tricolor quinoa, you get about 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups of cooked tricolor quinoa.
A Few Ways To Flavor:
While the simple water, quinoa, and pinch of salt combination deliver good results, you can easily take this pressure cooker quinoa recipe up a notch. Here are a few easy adjustments you can make to this Instant pot 1-minute quinoa recipe to make it taste better:
- Toast quinoa with oil: Toasting quinoa with coconut oil (or any other vegetable oil of your choice) using the sautee function for 2-3 minutes helps with bringing out its nutty and earthy flavors. I would recommend using 1-2 teaspoons of oil for every cup of quinoa you cook. Also, be sure to stir constantly to prevent it from burning.
- Swap water with broth: Depending on where you are planning to use your cooked quinoa, you can switch up the cooking liquid. Simply use the same ratio and use vegetable, beef or chicken broth as the cooking liquid.
If you are in need of more ideas to flavor quinoa, be sure to check out the detailed post I wrote on how to make quinoa taste good.
More Instant pot quinoa recipes:
Other Ways To Cook Quinoa – AKA Back to Basics
Recipe Ideas To Use Cooked Quinoa:
If you have been following me for a while you know that I am a big fan of quinoa and regularly incorporate it into my meals. Here are a few recipes to help you use your instapot quinoa (as my husband calls it):
- Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad With Chickpeas
- Vegan Southwest Quinoa Salad
- Avocado Quinoa Salad
- Tabbouleh with Quinoa
- Vegan Quinoa Power Bowl
- Lentil Quinoa Salad
Pressure Cooker Quinoa Recipe (Instant Pot Method)
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white quinoa red, black, or tricolor quinoa would also work
- 1 cup water*
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until water runs clear.
- Transfer it to the Instant pot, pour in the liquid, and a pinch of salt, if using.
- Secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to Sealing position.
- Select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 1 minute for white quinoa and 3 minutes for red, black, or tricolor quinoa.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 7-8 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting position to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid. Fluff it with a fork and serve.
Video
Notes
- How long does it take from start to finish to cook quinoa in a pressure cooker? It usually takes about 6-7 minutes for it to come to pressure and then 7-8 minutes for it to release naturally. In total, depending on the type of quinoa you are using, it takes about 15-20 minutes of cooking time.
- Do I Need To Adjust Timing If I Multiply The Recipe? If you are planning to include quinoa in your meal planning and want to make more than a batch you can certainly double or triple the recipe. The best part is that all you have to change is the amount of liquid used (1:1 ratio of quinoa to liquid). The time of cooking does not change.
- Two ways to flavor quinoa:
- Toast quinoa with oil: Toasting quinoa with coconut oil (or any other vegetable oil of your choice) using the sautee function for 2-3 minutes helps with bringing out its nutty and earthy flavors. I would recommend using 1-2 teaspoons of oil for every cup of quinoa you cook. Also, be sure to stir constantly to prevent it from burning.
- Swap water with broth *: Depending on where you are planning to use your cooked quinoa, you can switch up the cooking liquid. Simply use the same ratio and use vegetable, beef or chicken broth as the cooking liquid.
Janet
A foolproof recipe indeed. You are so right about different quinoa brands delivering different results. I have had this issue when I cooked quinoa on stovetop before and always thought that I am the only one.
I was a little hesitant about cooking 1 minute only but it was great. This is how I will cook my quinoa going forward. Thanks.
Aysegul Sanford
I know, right? Noone talks about it. 🙂
I am happy to hear that it worked for you Janet.
Cheers!
Ari Y.
I have so many failed attempts at cooking quinoa because I’m not a patient person. Your version of pressure cooker quinoa with your tips takes all the guess work out and it is indeed foolproof. It is the quickest way I know but I will try your microwave quinoa method too.
Thanks so much for all the quinoa recipes. Keep them coming.
Aysegul Sanford
Ha ha.. Me too. And for exactly that reason, cooking quinoa in Instant pot is perfect for people like us. It is hands off, quick, and foolproof 🙂
Cheers Ari!