How To Cook Quinoa In A Rice Cooker The Easy Way

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Learn how to cook quinoa in a rice cooker, and you’ll see why the rice cooker is the fastest, easiest, and best method for cooking quinoa like a pro.

Sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are my own.

How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker

Can you really put quinoa in a rice cooker? Yes, you can! Making quinoa in a rice cooker is the best way to cook quinoa because it cooks very evenly and produces the fluffiest texture. You may have noticed that most quinoa recipes have a four-step cooking process in which you cook, fluff, cover, and let stand. The rice cooker condenses that process into two steps: cook and fluff.

Quinoa cooked in a rice cooker and fluffed

Fluffed quinoa

Bob’s Red Mill has an excellent collection of quinoa, including Organic Quinoa, also known as white or yellow quinoa, the most commonly seen variety; Organic Red Quinoa; and Organic Tricolor Quinoa, which is a blend of white, red, and black quinoa. I use Bob’s Red Mill products all the time (check out my favorite sorghum pancakes).

Bags of Bob's Red Mill quinoa in yellow/white, tricolor, and red

Quinoa colors

Choosing a Quinoa Color

With several quinoa options from which to choose, you might be wondering which quinoa is the healthiest. Despite having different colors, the nutritional profiles of the quinoa varieties are very similar, racking up similar amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. That means they’re pretty much interchangeable in terms of healthfulness.

Nutrition labels on the back of three bags of quinoa

Quinoa nutrition

Each color of quinoa has a slightly different flavor profile. White quinoa is the mildest and softest, while red quinoa cooks up a bit sturdier, making it suitable for cold salads. Black quinoa has a tiny touch of sweetness. Tricolor, of course, is a mix of the three.

Bob’s Red Mill Tri-Color Quinoa

Preparing to Cook Quinoa

No matter which color of quinoa you choose, you don’t need to rinse or soak it before cooking. Bob’s Red Mill quinoa is pre-rinsed and can go straight from the bag into the cooking vessel; that’s why the instructions on the bag don’t mention rinsing or soaking.

Ratio of Quinoa to Water

The ratio of quinoa to water is 1 to 2, measured by volume. For example, if you want to cook 1 cup of quinoa, use 2 cups of water.

Ratio of quinoa to water

Measuring Servings of Quinoa

You’ll need 1 cup of uncooked quinoa for every 4 servings. Simple arithmetic will help you scale up or down as needed. Be mindful of your rice cooker’s capacity; every 1 cup of uncooked quinoa will produce 4 cups of cooked quinoa.

2 servings = 1/2 cup quinoa + 1 cup water
4 servings = 1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water
6 servings = 1 1/2 cups quinoa + 3 cups water
8 servings = 2 cups quinoa + 4 cups water

Shop for organic quinoa with Bob’s Red Mill and enjoy the easy preparation in your rice cooker for all your favorite recipes!

4.8 from 5 votes Print

How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker

Learn how to cook quinoa in a rice cooker, and you'll see why the rice cooker is the fastest, easiest, and best method for cooking quinoa like a pro.

Course Side Dish Cuisine Gluten Free Keyword bowl, dairy free, dinner, easy, fiber, gluten free, protein, quinoa, rice cooker, side dishes, weeknight, whole grain Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 4 Calories 156 kcal Author Katie Moseman

Ingredients

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Quinoa any variety
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

If you have a standard rice cooker with a simple on/off setting: Add the quinoa and water (plus salt, if desired) to the rice cooker. Cover and turn on. Cook for about 30 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork or rice paddle as soon as it's done cooking.
If you have an advanced rice cooker with multiple cooking cycles: Add the quinoa and water (plus salt, if desired) to the rice cooker. Cover and select the "Quick" cook setting (or similar setting; will vary by make and model). Cook until the cycle completes, or about 30 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork or rice paddle as soon as it's done cooking.

Nutrition Facts How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker Amount Per Serving Calories 156 Calories from Fat 18 % Daily Value* Fat 2g3%Sodium 299mg13%Potassium 239mg7%Carbohydrates 27g9%Fiber 2g8%Protein 6g12% Calcium 24mg2%Iron 1.9mg11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ideas for Leftover Quinoa

Got leftover quinoa? Try these salads.

Blueberry and Feta Quinoa Salad
Ensalada de Quinoa
Vegetable Bounty Quinoa Salad with Asian Vinaigrette

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Reader Interactions

Comments

I have never tried cooking quinoa in my rice cooker. I will definitely have to think about doing this. I always go with the 1 to 2 ratio, and it’s strange because sometimes the quinoa ends up watery. Once I even had to drain the excess water – yet the quinoa was soft enough to eat and had the spirals that indicated it was cooked. Thanks for sharing this – our rice cooker has made cooking rice so much easier and it’s good to know it can work for other grains.
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I tried quinoa once before and basked on your information I know it was the tri color kind. I didn’t know before reading your post 5hwt there were options to choose from!
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I recently tried Quinoa and loved it! I am most definitely going to try your method of cooking here and also grab that Bob’s Red Mill tricolor variety as it looks lovely!
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I hardly eat quinoa but learn recently from social media, quinoa is in fact better than rice. Some of my friends has already converted eating quinoa from rice. Great post on how to prepare and cook them in rice cooker.
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I’ve never tried cooking a Quinoa in Cooker. I will tried it because I heard a lot of good things about Quinoa.
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I am seriously considering getting a rice cooker since I’ve been eating so much of it. Good to know it works for quinoa too!
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- Get a Zojirushi. The best out there!
  Reply
  - I LOVE my Zojirushi. One of my favorite kitchen appliances ever!
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I haven’t really had quinoa before, but it looks so good! I’ll have to give this a try in my rice cooker as well and see how much of a hit it is with my son. Thanks for sharing!
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I actually didn’t know that each color of quinoa has a different flavor. I have been experimenting with cooking quinoa in my rice cooker lately and this information comes at the right time. Thanks again for a great article!
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