Our fool-proof Instant Pot Quinoa recipe is perfectly fluffy every time and is faster than most other Instant Pot quinoa recipes (hello quick release!).
This recipe was updated on May 2, 2023 to change the water-to-quinoa ratio.
In this post, we’re going to talk about the benefits of cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot and share some delicious Instant Pot quinoa recipes that you can try at home.
Benefits of Cooking Quinoa in an Instant Pot
When it comes to cooking quinoa, using an Instant Pot has several advantages over traditional stovetop methods.
For one, it saves time. No more waiting for the water to boil or worrying about the pot boiling over. The Instant Pot also retains more nutrients than stovetop cooking, ensuring that your quinoa is healthy and nutritious.
It’s easy to use and clean, and the results are consistent every time. Plus, the Instant Pot is versatile and can be used to cook a variety of grains and ingredients.
What You Need
Like cooking traditional quinoa on the stovetop, all you need is quinoa and liquid!
Quinoa: you can use any kind of quinoa for this recipe such as white quinoa, red quinoa, or a blend.
Liquid: this recipe calls for water, but we’ve also made it with broth to add more flavor!
Mesh Sieve: we also recommend using a mesh sieve for this recipe in order to rinse your quinoa (which you should not skip!).
Try it!
Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa
Bob’s Red Mill is our go-to brand for buying quinoa. Buy it now on Amazon.
Liquid-to-Quinoa Ratio
Traditional stovetop quinoa calls for a 2:1 water-to-quinoa ratio. We tested this ratio using the Instant Pot, and it came out much too moist.
We recommend a 1:1.25 water-to-quinoa ratio in order to get super fluffy, perfectly cooked quinoa.
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1.25 cups water
Cook Time for Instant Pot Quinoa
Some people like to use the rice cooking feature on the Instant Pot and some like a gradual natural release. If you’re anything like us, you know that a natural release can be slow and painful and take even more time than other methods.
This is why we tested our recipe with a quick release. We tested times ranging from 2 minutes to 8 minutes and 5 minutes was the golden time.
5 minutes + a quick-release created the perfectly fluffy quinoa that is truly fool-proof every time.
Tips and Tricks for Cooking Quinoa in an Instant Pot
- Rinse your quinoa before cooking. This will remove any residue and make sure you don’t get that sour aftertaste.
- Make sure your vent is turned to ‘seal’ instead of ‘vent’ before setting your Instant Pot.
- Use broth instead of water for extra flavor. Any kind of broth works!
- Set your pressure to high pressure instead of ‘low pressure.’
- Use a 1:1.25 ratio of quinoa to water or broth.
- Add salt or spices to the water for extra flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Bowls: We’re huge fans of bowls and quinoa is one of our all-time favorite things to really amp up the protein and nutrition of any bowl. Try our Thai Coconut Quinoa Bowls.
- Lunch Meal Prep: adding quinoa to one of our healthy lunch ideas is never a bad idea! It’ll get you more protein and a delicious side!
- Quinoa & Meatballs: one of my personal favorite things to do is sub out noodles for quinoa. Our Homemade Italian Meatballs would go great with a serving of quinoa!
- Soup/Chili: Want to amp up a brothy soup? Add cooked quinoa once it’s done cooking. Add about 1 to 2 cups of cooked quinoa to Taco Soup, Kale Soup, or Spicy Coconut Thai Curry Soup.
Storage
Store quinoa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Freezer Instructions
Can you freeze quinoa? Freezing cooked quinoa is easy! All you have to do is let the quinoa cool completely. Then, transfer it into a freezer-safe, gallon-size bag. Remove as much air as possible and then seal. The quinoa will last for up to 3 months.
Trust me, you will love cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot. Prep is easy and clean-up is a breeze!
Instant Pot Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups quinoa
- 1 cup water
- Optional: ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water.
- Add the quinoa and water to the Instant Pot and stir the two ingredients together. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 3 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork. If the quinoa is done, transfer it to a plate to cool before tossing it into a recipe. If there is still excess water in the bottom of the pot, cover the pot and allow the quinoa to soak up the water.
Tips & Notes
- There are a few different variables that will determine if the quinoa is done including; the type of Instant Pot used and how dry the quinoa is after rinsing it under cold water.
- This recipe was updated on May 2, 2023 to change the water-to-quinoa ratio.
This was absolutely perfect quinoa!!!!! I love the time savings, and it actually seemed like a lot less mess. Thank you for this.
It didn’t work out for me either 🙁 when I opened the pot it was full of water. I had to cook it for 5 more minutes.
The water hadn’t absorbed and I had to set the pot to cook for longer (hoping the 3 mins someone suggested below works). I did everything as stated so not sure why it works for some and not others
The water was not fully absorbed and it was not cooked.
This is exactly what happened to me and I had to cook it for five more minutes
I doubled the recipe but it was still full on liquid after the 5 minutes pressure cooking. Had to put it back in for another 3 minutes
Quinoa perfection! “Fluffy” is an understatement 😀
I’ve tried several ways and this way is the best! Comes out perfect every time and stores well in the refrigerator or freezer. Bravo!
My quinoa wasn’t done. It had run out of liquid and stuck to the bottom of the pan. I used 1 c quinoa and 2 c chx stock.
I son’t have that pot can I use a regular saucepan?’
I love quinoa
Just made this, and it worked perfectly!
Part of the directions are missing.