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Instant Pot Quinoa

With it’s one minute cook time and foolproof results, making quinoa in the Instant Pot will be your new go-to for healthy meal prep and delicious side dish options!

gray bowl filled with cooked quinoa

Have you ever made quinoa and been left frustrated because it was over or under-cooked? Or forgot about the pan on the stove until it boiled over and made a mess?  You can forget about all of that and instead make this foolproof quinoa in your Instant Pot!

Why make quinoa in the Instant Pot?

  • it turns out perfectly every time
  • it’s the perfect healthy side dish or base for your layered bowl meal
  • you can make up a batch to use for the whole week
  • this recipe uses chicken stock for even more flavor (swap out veggie stock if vegetarian)

collage of steps for making quinoa in the instant pot

How to make quinoa in the Instant Pot:

  • determine if your quinoa has been pre-rinsed by reading the package, if not you will need to rinse well using a colander
  • measure and equal amount of quinoa to stock and add to Instant Pot
  • cover and set to high pressure for 1 minute (pot will say “ON” until it comes to pressure then will display time once cooking begins)
  • allow the pot to rest (natural pressure release) for 10 minutes after cooking time has completed 
  • turn valve to release any remaining pressure and wait for pin to drop before removing lid
  • fluff quinoa before serving 

instant pot filled with cooked quinoa and serving spoon with wood handle

Is quinoa better than rice?

I won’t go into all the health benefits or nutrition facts around quinoa (you can read more about those here), but I like quinoa for the extra protein and just as an alternative to rice to go with some meals.  

Quinoa has a distinct mild nutty type flavor and a fluffy texture.

So while I would never call one better than the other, it certainly has it’s place on my table.

bowl with cooked quinoa and serving spoon

Common questions about cooking quinoa:

Do you need to rinse quinoa before cooking? It depends.  Check your package and see if it says pre-rinsed.  If it doubt, rinse, because otherwise it could turn out bitter and inedible.

Can I freeze cooked quinoa? Yes! It’s great for making ahead and portioning into individual serving sizes.  Store in zipper bags or airtight containers in the freezer.  Stasher bags work great for this.

Can I use water instead of broth? Absolutely! I prefer stock or broth for the extra flavor, but water will work just fine.

Can I double this recipe? Yep! You can make as much as you like (depending on the size of your Instant Pot).  Keep the ratio of liquid to quinoa the same and the cooking time will also remain the same.

What goes well with quinoa:

Quinoa make a perfect simple side for meals like salmon or pork chops.

But my favorite way to use quinoa is for meal prep! This goes perfectly with Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken to build delicious bowls to eat all week.

instant pot filled with cooked quinoa and serving spoon with wood handle
3 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Quinoa

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With it's one minute cook time and foolproof results, making quinoa in the Instant Pot will be your new go-to for healthy meal prep and delicious side dish options!
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Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:1 minute
Pressurize and Pressure Release:20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup chicken stock or veggie broth if vegetarian

Instructions

  • Add quinoa and stock to pressure cooker and stir
  • Cover, set pressure cooker to seal and set to high pressure for 1 minute
  • Pressure cooker will read "on" until it reaches pressure, then timer will start
  • Once cooking completed, timer will start counting up (this is the natural pressure release time)
  • Allow 10 minutes for natural pressure release, then you can turn valve to release and wait for pin to drop before removing lid
  • Stir to fluff before serving

Notes

  1. determine if your quinoa has been pre-rinsed by reading the package, if not you will need to rinse well using a colander
  2. you can double or triple the recipe by measuring equal amounts of quinoa and liquid
  3. pressure cooker display will read "ON" as it comes to pressure. Actual cooking begins when timer starts to count down.
  4. once cooking is completed, display will read L0:00 then the timer will start counting up.  Do not remove the lid from a pressure cooker until the valve as dropped.  This will happen naturally by waiting about 15 minutes or can be done via quick release by turning the valve.
  5. You can easily freeze cooked quinoa by portioning into individual serving sizes.  Store in zipper bags or airtight containers in the freezer.
  6. If needed, you can sub water for the broth/stock in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4
Calories: 178kcal
With it's one minute cook time and foolproof results, making quinoa in the Instant Pot will be your new go-to for healthy meal prep and delicious side dish options! #instantpot #quinoa
With it's one minute cook time and foolproof results, making quinoa in the Instant Pot will be your new go-to for healthy meal prep and delicious side dish options! #instantpot #quinoa

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