How to Cook Quinoa
I mentioned soaking quinoa last week when I posted the Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Casserole and a few of you promised you wouldn’t be bored to tears so I decided to put together a post to show you how I prefer to cook quinoa.
Now I should clarify that I’m not achieving a sprout when I do this. I’m actually soaking it more so than sprouting, but the idea behind both methods is that they help reduce the amount of phytic acid (or phytates) which is thought to block the absorption of important minerals as well as reduce the digestibility of starches, protein, and fat.
There is a lot of conflicting research on phytates right now with some warranting it as a reason to avoid eating grains and legumes altogether and others promoting it’s health benefits due to the anti-inflammatory effects that it can have. With that in mind, it can be hard to determine whether or not soaking your grains, seeds, and legumes is something that is ideal for you.
Because Brandon and I are vegetarians, we consume a large amount of plant-based foods that contain phytates so I try to be mindful of that. I don’t have time to soak or sprout everything we eat but there are a few things, such as quinoa, that are fairly simple with the proper amount of planning. In addition, I find that it reduces the cooking time and results in a more desirable texture for my personal preferences.
Alright, so now that we’ve got all of the funny talk out of the way, let me show you how I do it!
Step One: The day before I plan to make a recipe with quinoa, I measure out how much I will need, place it in a fine mesh strainer, and then rinse it with running water for 10-15 seconds.
*Note: the purpose of this step is to remove saponins.
Step Two: Place the rinsed quinoa in a glass bowl then pour in enough filtered water to cover it by several inches.
Step Three: Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per cup of water used. {For example, if I’m soaking one cup of quinoa, I will add approximately two cups filtered water and two tablespoons apple cider vinegar} Stir together and then place bowl in a warm location that is at room temperature.
Step Four: The next morning, you will find your quinoa has absorbed some of the water and has also started to form little tails or sprouts. I usually let mine sit for 12-24 hours as the longer it soaks, the more the phytate is reduced.
Step Five: Drain and rinse the quinoa again with a fine mesh strainer and then place into a pot large enough for cooking along with the appropriate amount of filtered water (this depends on how much quinoa you are cooking).
I use less water than what is used to cook quinoa that has not been soaked. For example, for 1 cup quinoa I would use approximately 1.5 cups water.
Note: At this point you also have the option to achieve a full sprout by placing it in a mason jar (instead of a pot for cooking) without water and topping with a lid suitable for sprouting. Here is a helpful post on sprouting quinoa for several days: How to Sprout Quinoa.
Step Six: Bring the water to a low boil and then immediately reduce heat to low before covering with a lid. Allow to cook for 15 minutes and then check the texture. If it appears done and there is still water left, drain the excess like you would pasta. If it isn’t done, continue to cook for a full 20 minutes.
Now the quinoa should be fluffy (but not mushy) and ready to eat!
Hopefully some of you found that to be helpful! :)
Do you soak/sprout your quinoa?
How do you usually cook it?
Since I was totally out of touch with the world last week, I missed your previous post but I’m so happy your wrote about this topic! I have noticed that my stomach can get a bit off when I eat a lot of quinoa so I’m going to try your soaking/sprouting method before cooking up my next batch. I hope you had a fab weekend!
David & I have had the same stomach problems after eating quinoa. I’ve found that if I soak the quinoa for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking it really helps w/ the stomach problems.
I love this post! Sprouting is something I have been meaning to try and this is the direction I needed. Have you tried sprouting legumes also? Can’t wait to try this method out. Thanks Sarah! :)
Ohhhh how interesting! I actually don’t eat quinoa as often as I should, but I do have a bag in my pantry right now. This sounds very simple–all you need is time–so I think I will give this a try. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions!
Holy cow – what an informative post! I had no idea sprouting had health benefits. Definitely trying this with quinoa next time!
Thanks for sharing this! Hopefully the little different in texture convinces Josh that he loves quinoa ;-)
I have never sprouted my quinoa, nor have I ever thought to do so. Thanks for sharing this! :)
Very interesting! I pretty much don’t do anything with my quinoa other than cook it right from the bag. I’ll have to try this something.
Oh and by the way, I made your spinach artichoke casserole yesterday. I love it! I’ll be doing a recipe review for it on Wednesday! ;-)
I have to admit, I’m super lazy when it comes to quinoa – I don’t even rinse it half the time! I’ll have to try this out sometime though.
I haven’t tried sprouting/soaking them before, but will do this tonight :) I’m lazy with it too. I don’t even rinse it. Whoops. Ah well.
I just love this tutorial post! I have never tried sprouting my quinoa… and I think it might take too much planning ahead for me :) I am so curious to try it, though! Thank you for sharing your expertise!
This is super interesting! I clearly knew nothing about quinoa. I usually don’t even rinse it the first time before cooking it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of phytates with us!
Very interesting. I never thought of sprouting my quinoa, mostly because I had no idea about phytates. Great read.
I had no idea that sprouting had so many benefits. I also had no idea about phytates! Thanks for sharing. It’s food for thought. :)
Thanks for the tips! We just happen to have that particular apple cider.
Thanks for sharing. I learned so much about quinoa. I’ve always rinsed it beforehand, but never sprouted it. If I make a dish with quinoa in it and eat it for a few days in a row sometimes I notice slight stomach issues. I never knew sprouting it might take care of this.
Thanks so much for this post! I’ve never thought to sprout my own quinoa before, so will definitely be giving this a try :)
Great post, very useful to me. We had stomach problems after eating a quinoa based dish. I did not even know I had to wash it :( Now I fully understand how important is to rinse and drain quinoa properly!
This is a great tutorial, thanks for sharing. I’ve had issues with quinoa in the past with it not loving my digestion / body. I wonder if sprouting it would help things and I could eat it again?
I soak & sprout things like alfalfa, chia, lentils – to add some fresh micro greens to my diet, but I don’t properly prepare grains/nuts/seeds – I know, I know, I should.. but I’m so damn lazy.
I’d never thought of soaking quinoa! Thanks for the wonderful idea dear! xx
I am so impressed. Will try this straight away. Thanks for the tips.
Have you ever made a large batch like this and then put some in the freezer to use later? I’d love to make a large batch to use throughout the week…time is a precious commodity with a baby and I’m trying to become more efficient with my meal planning. Thank you!
Hi Angela! I haven’t tried freezing it but I think that’s a brilliant idea. I’ll have to test it out and let you know how it goes! :)
Hi Sarah,
I was just wondering why you added the apple cider vinegar to it…? Does that make the quinoa have tails faster than just straining & sprouting over night?
Thanks!
Hi Joni,
The ACV creates an acidic environment which helps break down the phytates faster so that it’s easier to digest. You can always leave it out if you want though. :)
Greetings! I love your website! I googled “Is quinoa a seed?” (I’d heard it is.
Result:
Quinoa (pronounced “keenwah”) is a seed that is harvested from a species of a plant called goosefoot. It is officially a seed and part of a group of pseudocereals, making it neither a cereal nor a grain, and more closely related to spinach and beets than to cereals or grains.Dec 8, 2012
Is Quinoa Paleo? A Deep Dive | Ultimate Paleo Guide
https://ultimatepaleoguide.com/is-quinoa-paleo-a-deep-dive/
I feel I finally have my answer.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing, Laura!