Instant Pot Quinoa

Learn how to make easy Instant Pot quinoa. You will love this nearly hands-off method of cooking quinoa if you’re a pressure cooker user. Try it today! 

If you guys haven’t made quinoa in your Instant Pot, now is the time.

Quinoa is a good source of plant-based protein and is naturally gluten-free. Try it as a side dish, along with vegetables. It’s more nutritious than rice and can be flavored in many of the same ways.

Stretch your meat dollars by adding quinoa. Quinoa and chicken are combined in green chile chicken quinoa casserole or one pan chicken quinoa marsala. We love these stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Quinoa is a meat substitute in vegetarian chili or my vegan Bolognese sauce.

Boost the protein and fiber in many of your recipes by adding quinoa. Making Instant Pot quinoa is a great way to have quinoa on hand for quinoa pancakes, quinoa muffins, quinoa salads, quinoa bowls, and more. Try this quinoa salad with Brussels sprouts and pepitas or quinoa chickpea salad with blackberries. So good!

Included in the recipe is a cilantro lime variation (similar to cilantro lime rice). Cilantro lime quinoa is absolutely perfect as a side dish for any Mexican recipe, and it makes the best base for burrito bowls. It’s one of my faves!

About This Recipe

This is a basic how-to recipe. You can easily double the amount of quinoa and water, making plenty to put in the freezer to use later (learn how to freeze quinoa here).

Some of you may have heard about toasted quinoa. Toasting the quinoa before cooking it adds a nutty flavor that you may enjoy. You can also add uncooked toasted quinoa to salads, breakfast cereals, or roasted vegetables to add a bit of crunch and protein. Keep reading to learn how to toast quinoa.

What you need

All you really need for this recipe is uncooked quinoa, water, and salt. Any type of quinoa will work (red, white, black, or tricolor). If you’d like, try using broth instead of water for a flavor boost. If you use broth, you may want to decrease or omit the salt.

Check out the recipe card for more variations on this recipe!

How to Make Quinoa In an Instant Pot

It’s so easy! Here are the simplified steps, but as always, scroll down for the complete printable recipe.

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear.

If desired, spray the inside of the Instant Pot lightly with nonstick spray. Place quinoa in the Instant Pot insert and add salt, and water or broth; stir to combine.

Turn valve to seal and set the pressure cooker for Pressure Cook for one minute (or Manual, High).

It will take approximately 6 minutes for the pressure cooker to come to pressure. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure and carefully remove lid.

Fluff quinoa with a fork, season as desired, and serve!

How long do I cook quinoa in an Instant Pot?

Only 1 minute! Of course, if you’ve used the Instant Pot before, you know there’s a little more to the story than that. It does take some time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and with this recipe, you’re also going to let it naturally release for ten minutes.

How much does 1 cup of dry quinoa make?

1 cup of dry quinoa will make about three cups of cooked quinoa. If you double this recipe, use 2 cups of dry quinoa to make about 6 cups of cooked quinoa.

Do you need to wash quinoa before cooking?

Different brands of quinoa have different recommendations but I recommend giving it a quick rinse in a fine mesh strainer. In the Instant Pot, rinsing the quinoa before cooking also cuts down on the chance of it foaming up too much.

What is the quinoa to water ratio for cooking quinoa?

In the Instant Pot, use 1 ¼ cups of liquid per every cup of dry quinoa. Either water or broth can be used.

How Do You Toast Quinoa?

Rinse the quinoa well. Heat a heavy skillet over medium low heat. Add the quinoa in a single layer. Stir constantly with a wire whisk. As the quinoa heats up, it will bounce around a little and begin to turn golden brown. Keep stirring until it has a fairly uniform color, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the quinoa to a plate, spreading it out to cool.

Add toasted quinoa to salads or roasted vegetables. You can also cook the toasted quinoa in your Instant Pot, as directed below. It will have a deeper, more nutty flavor.

FAQs

Make It Your Own

• Cilantro Lime Quinoa: This is one of my favorite burrito bowl building blocks (see recipe for measurements). Add Instant Pot shredded chicken or crockpot BBQ chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, pickled red onions, restaurant style salsa, or whatever your heart desires! Other great choices are sheet pan fajitas or this mango avocado salsa with pineapple. And don’t forget to add guacamole to your burrito bowls.
• Not into quinoa? Make Instant Pot white rice or Instant Pot brown rice instead.

Make-Ahead Ideas

If you want extra quinoa to freeze, make a double batch by doubling all the ingredients. Cook as directed. It will take longer for the Instant Pot to reach full pressure.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerate leftover quinoa in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to one week.

• Freezing Instructions: Cool cooked quinoa completely. Using a measuring cup, scoop 1 or 2 cup portions into freezer bags and label with measurement. Flatten and freeze for up to 10 months.
• Thawing Instructions: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, on the counter for a couple of hours, or in the microwave 45 seconds to 1 minute.
• Reheating Instructions: To reheat quinoa, microwave in 30-second bursts until heated through. If you prefer, reheat in a skillet or sauce pan over low heat.