Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe - The Spruce Eats

Skip to Content Tired of losing recipes? MyRecipes now saves from 1,000+ sites. Join for free

• Recipes By Diet
• Vegetarian & Vegan Food

Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe By Diana Rattray Diana Rattray Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer. Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process Updated on 06/4/22 (4) Save Write a Review Print Close

Prep: 3 mins Cook: 1 mins Pressure and Release: 18 mins Total: 22 mins Servings: 6 servings Yield: 3 cups 4 ratings Write a Review Add a comment SaveRecipe

Using the Instant Pot to cook quinoa means there's no stirring, no messy boil-overs, and cleanup is a breeze. It's just a matter of combining the quinoa with some water and salt in an oiled Instant Pot and pressing a button.

This recipe calls for plain white quinoa, but it's easy to make it with other varieties as well. Tricolor and red quinoa need an extra minute of cooking time, and black quinoa requires two extra minutes. Water and salt amounts and release time are the same as with the white variety.

It's easy to scale the recipe up with no cooking time changes if you need more than three cups. Use your cooked quinoa in salads, side dishes, or add it to vegetable soup to make it more substantial.

Never Lose a Recipe Again!

Love a Spruce Eats recipe? With MyRecipes, your personal home for recipes, easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. Keep Screen Awake

• 1 cup quinoa

• 1 1/4 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Spray the interior of the Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray or apply a thin layer of cooking oil. The quinoa tends to stick if it isn't sprayed or lightly oiled.

3. Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under running water until the water runs relatively clear.

4. Transfer the rinsed quinoa to the Instant Pot and add the water and salt. Swirl to combine.

5. Lock the lid in place and check to make sure the steam release knob is in the sealing position (on some models). Choose high pressure and set the timer for 1 minute (2 minutes for tricolor or red and 3 minutes for black). It will take 4 or 5 minutes for the pot to reach full pressure. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure.

6. Use a fork to fluff the quinoa.

7. Taste and season as desired.

How To Store and Freeze

Refrigerate cooked quinoa—within 2 hours of cooking—in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To freeze cooked quinoa, transfer it to a zip-close freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.

How To Use Quinoa

Cooked quinoa may be used to add texture and a bit of protein to many foods, even desserts. Here are some excellent ideas:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
• Crock Pot Chicken and Quinoa Burrito Bowl
• Maple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa
• Quinoa Egg Muffins
• Zucchini and Quinoa Patties
• Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers
• Quinoa Oatmeal Bread

Why Do You Need To Rinse Quinoa?

Quinoa seeds are coated with saponins, a natural compound that can make them taste bitter or soapy. Saponin also contains toxins that can cause issues for some people. Rinse quinoa well, and if you are sensitive, give it a 20 or 30-minute soak before rinsing and cooking.

Is Quinoa Gluten-Free?

Quinoa is naturally gluten-free. However, quinoa does contain prolamins—a protein found in many cereal grains—so it might not be well tolerated by some people with celiac disease.

Is Quinoa Low In Carbs?

While quinoa is nutritious and high in fiber and protein—it contains all 9 essential amino acids—it is not a low-carbohydrate food. One cup of quinoa contains about 39 grams of carbs, which is about the same amount as in white rice and about 50 percent more than in brown rice.

How Can I Add Flavor To Quiona?

Like many grains, quinoa is rather bland on its own, so it is like a blank canvas. For a French twist, add some roasted garlic along with a dash or two of fines herbes or herbes de Provence and kosher salt. Or add some Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil or dried Italian seasoning for an Italian flavor profile. Cajun seasoning or chili powder with dried oregano are excellent seasoning choices as well.

Helpful Links

• Leftover Quinoa Ideas
• What is Quinoa?
• Quinoa vs. Couscous

• Vegetarian & Vegan Food
• Basic Ingredients
• Side Dishes
• Rice & Grains Recipes
• Gluten-Free Sides

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
104	Calories
2g	Fat
18g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label ×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	104
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g	2%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 108mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 18g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 15mg	1%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 160mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

• cooking quinoa in instant pot
• lunch
• american
• family dinner

Rate This Recipe I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating! Steamed Thai Sticky Rice 40 mins Ratings Instant Pot Brown Rice 27 mins Ratings Instant Pot Lima Beans 35 mins Ratings Miso Soup With Tofu, Bok Choy, and Scallions 30 mins Ratings Easy Thai Fried Rice Noodles 40 mins Ratings Watermelon Salad 20 mins Ratings Thai Vegetable Stir-Fry (Vegan/Gluten-Free) 25 mins Ratings Everything You Need to Know About Almond Flour Instant Pot Minestrone Recipe 13 mins Ratings Kappamaki (Cucumber Sushi Roll) 20 mins Ratings Refried Beans From Scratch 2 hrs Ratings Gurkensalat (German Cucumber-Dill Salad) 15 mins Ratings Wild Rice Stuffing 50 mins Ratings Savory Quinoa Egg Muffins With Spinach 35 mins Ratings What Are Quinoa Flakes? Many Winter Squash Varieties Can Substitute for Butternut Squash