How to cook quinoa

How to cook quinoa is a question facing many housewives. They know about the benefits of quinoa for proper nutrition and the types of cereals, but it is important to cook this cereal correctly. White quinoa is used for side dishes, and black and red quinoa for salads, soups and main courses. Prepare quinoa, regardless of the chosen dish, by boiling it in a saucepan in a 1:2 ratio with water. Black quinoa has a bitter taste, so it is soaked in advance.

How to cook fluffy quinoa in a saucepan for a side dish

Quinoa is most often cooked in a saucepan for a healthy and tasty side dish for any dish. It is better to choose purified light quinoa, which has a milder taste. You can cook it in water, milk or any broth. In this recipe, cook the crumbly quinoa in a saucepan in a 1:2 ratio with water. Add only salt.

1. 
   How to cook crumbly quinoa in a saucepan for a side dish? Immediately measure the ingredients according to the proportions of the recipe and the number of servings you need.
2. 
   Place the quinoa in a separate bowl and cover completely with cold water.
3. 
   Grind the grains with your hands and drain this water.
4. 
   Then rinse the quinoa several more times until the last water is clear.
5. 
   Place the prepared quinoa in a saucepan special for cooking porridge, add cold water in the correct proportion and bring to a boil.
6. 
   Then add salt to your taste and cook the quinoa over low heat, covered, for 15-20 minutes. It is not necessary to stir the cereal.
7. 
   During this time, the quinoa will absorb all the water and double in volume. Turn off the fire. Leave the cooked quinoa covered for 5-7 minutes, which will make it crumbly.
8. 
   Then use a fork to move the cereal around well. Cooked quinoa can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or frozen, but it will taste best only immediately after cooking, so cook in small portions.
9. 
   Immediately add crumbly quinoa cooked in a pan with any ingredients and serve as a side dish. Bon appetit!

Quinoa milk porridge

Quinoa milk porridge has a pleasant taste with nutty notes, is filling due to the large amount of protein and is completely gluten-free. This porridge is great for breakfast, especially for children. If desired, the taste of the porridge is supplemented with honey, nuts or dried fruits. In this recipe for milk porridge we take white quinoa, cook it in milk and a standard ratio of 1:2.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 2.

Ingredients:

• Quinoa – 165 gr.
• Milk – 330 ml.
• Salt - to taste.

Cooking process:

Step 1. First of all, measure out the milk and cereal according to the recipe proportions.

Step 2. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, changing the water several times.

Step 3. In a saucepan special for cooking porridge, boil the milk and pour the washed quinoa into it.After the porridge begins to boil, turn the heat to minimum and simmer the quinoa under the lid for 15 minutes. You can stir the cereal a couple of times.

Step 4. Then remove the pan with quinoa from the stove and leave without removing the lid for 10 minutes to infuse.

Step 5. Divide the prepared quinoa milk porridge into portioned bowls, add any topping and serve warm for breakfast. Bon appetit!

How to cook white quinoa so it doesn't taste bitter

The bitterness of quinoa of any color is imparted by special substances (saponins), which are contained only in the shell of the cereal; whether the quinoa is peeled or not is indicated on the package, therefore, when cooking white quinoa, it is better to rinse it to avoid bitterness. Unpeeled white quinoa needs to be soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours in advance. In this recipe we cook white quinoa with frying, which will make the dish more delicious.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 4.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 1 tbsp.
• Water – 2 tbsp.
• Salt – 1 tsp.
• Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Immediately prepare, according to the proportions of the recipe, a simple set of ingredients for the dish.

Step 2. Transfer the pre-soaked quinoa to a sieve, rinse well under running water and leave for a while to allow all the liquid to drain.

Step 3. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, pour the quinoa into it and fry the cereal over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, no more.

Step 4. Then pour two glasses of cold water over the fried quinoa, stir and bring to a boil.

Step 5. Cook the quinoa, covering the pan with a lid, over low heat for 15-20 minutes. During this time, the quinoa will change its color and the grains will be more transparent.

Step 6.After 20 minutes of cooking, there will be some water left in the pan. Add salt to the quinoa, stir and simmer covered for another 5 minutes.

Step 7. Test the cooked quinoa for readiness and taste, and if the grain remains wet, keep it on the fire without a lid so that the remaining liquid evaporates. Then remove the quinoa from the heat, stir with a fork and leave to steep for 10 minutes, covered.

Step 8. Place the cooked white quinoa on plates and serve as a side dish with any dish, adding sauce and vegetables. Bon appetit!

How to cook black quinoa - proportions of water and grains

Black quinoa is more healthy and nutritious in comparison with white and red, its taste is richer, its consistency is more delicate, but it requires more time for cooking and a certain proportion with water. In this recipe, cook black quinoa in a saucepan on the stove.

Cooking time: 50 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 3.

Ingredients:

• Black quinoa – 170 gr. (1 cup).
• Water – 410 ml (1 and ¾ cups).
• Salt – 1/2 tsp.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Pour the black quinoa into a thick sieve, rinse with running cold water for 20 seconds and leave for a couple of minutes to drain.

Step 2. Pour the washed quinoa into a pan for cooking porridge, add the calculated amount of cold water, add half a teaspoon of salt and stir.

Step 3. Bring quinoa to a boil over high heat.

Step 4. Then close the pan with a lid and cook the black quinoa for 20 minutes over low heat.

Step 5. Turn off the fire. Transfer the cooked quinoa again to the same thick sieve to drain the remaining liquid, which will make the cereal crumbly and non-sticky.

Step 6. Then put the quinoa back into the pan, cover with a lid and leave for another 15 minutes.

Step 7. After this time, carefully mix the cooked black quinoa with a fork, season with any sauce and serve. Bon appetit!

Quinoa with vegetables

Quinoa, due to its high content of protein and nutrients, is considered a modern superfood, and in combination with any set of vegetables, you will have an excellent independent dish for proper nutrition. Quinoa of any color goes well with vegetables. In this recipe, we take white quinoa and add fried eggplant, onion, garlic and tomato.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 5.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 300 gr.
• Water – 2 tbsp.
• Eggplants – 3 pcs.
• Tomatoes – 4 pcs.
• Onion – 1 pc.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.
• Salt – 1/2 tsp.
• Ground black pepper – ½ tsp.
• Dried basil – ¼ tsp.
• Olive oil – for frying.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Immediately prepare, according to the recipe, all the ingredients for the dish.

Step 2. Using a thick sieve, rinse the white quinoa under cold running water.

Step 3. Boil 2 cups of clean water in a saucepan, add the washed quinoa, bring to a boil and cook over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the quinoa to steep for 10 minutes without removing the lid.

Step 4. Wash the eggplants, cut into small cubes, add salt and after 15 minutes, rinse under running water.

Step 5. Cut the peeled onion into small cubes, and cut the tomatoes into medium cubes.

Step 6. Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them with a knife.

Step 7. Heat olive oil in one frying pan, fry the chopped onion in it until lightly browned, add the chopped tomato and simmer covered over low heat for 5 minutes.

Step 8In another deep frying pan, fry the sliced ​​eggplants until half cooked.

Step 9. Then add stewed tomatoes to them, add chopped garlic with salt and spices, stir and simmer under the lid for another 7 minutes.

Step 10. Place cooked quinoa on top of the vegetables. Serve the cooked quinoa with vegetables without stirring. Bon appetit!

Quinoa porridge with coconut milk

Quinoa porridge with coconut milk will be your option for a hearty, healthy and tasty breakfast, especially for a fasting table. The porridge is prepared simply and quickly. Coconut milk is chosen not too fatty (about 17-20%) and mixed with water. It is appropriate to supplement such porridge with fruits, honey and nuts. In this recipe, we cook porridge from white quinoa and serve with nuts.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 1.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 30 gr.
• Coconut milk – 100 ml.
• Water – 100 ml.
• Sugar – 1 tbsp.
• Honey - to taste.
• Salt - to taste.
• Cashews - for serving.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Measure out the ingredients for the porridge according to the recipe proportions and the number of servings you need.

Step 2. Rinse the quinoa well under cold running water. In a saucepan for cooking porridge, boil 100 ml of clean water, add the washed quinoa and cook over low heat under the lid for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Pour sugar and a little salt into the porridge.

Step 4. Then mix well and cook for a couple more minutes.

Step 5. Pour coconut milk into the cooked quinoa porridge, stir again, remove from the stove and let it brew a little under the lid.

Step 6. Then add a little honey to the porridge, mix again and take a sample.

Step 7Transfer the prepared quinoa porridge with coconut milk to a plate, add cashews and serve hot for breakfast. Bon appetit!

Quinoa porridge with pumpkin

Quinoa porridge with pumpkin will be a healthier and tastier dish. You can simply cook it, as with millet, add fried vegetables and it will be like a warm salad, or you can do it a little differently. In this recipe, we cook quinoa with chopped pumpkin and bake it in the oven, adding egg, sour cream and butter.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 2.

Ingredients:

• Quinoa – 4 tbsp.
• Grated pumpkin – 1 tbsp.
• Egg – 2 pcs.
• Sour cream – 2 tbsp.
• Butter – 40 gr.
• Salt - to taste.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.
• Greens - to taste.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Rinse the quinoa well with cold water and cook according to the instructions on the package until tender.

Step 2. Grind the peeled pumpkin pulp on a coarse grater, add a glass of the vegetable to the boiled quinoa and mix. Turn on the oven at 190°C.

Step 3. Then break two eggs into the quinoa and pumpkin, add two tablespoons of sour cream, salt and black pepper and mix again.

Step 4. Cut the butter into small pieces, add to the porridge and mix again.

Step 5. Then transfer the porridge into two silicone molds and place a slice of pumpkin on top.

Step 6. Bake the porridge in the oven for 20 minutes. Add prepared quinoa porridge with pumpkin with chopped greens and serve hot. Bon appetit!

Sweet quinoa porridge with banana

Sweet quinoa porridge with banana, and these two ingredients go well together, will be a nutritious, healthy breakfast option for children or diet food. The porridge is cooked in milk and in this recipe we use coconut milk, but you can also use regular milk.Bananas are lightly fried with the addition of lemon juice, sugar and spices.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 1.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 70 gr.
• Coconut milk – 1.5 tbsp.
• Banana – 1 pc.
• Sugar – 1-2 tbsp.
• Margarine – 15 gr.
• Cinnamon – 1 pinch.
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Measure out all the ingredients for the porridge according to the recipe. Rinse the quinoa well with running water.

Step 2. Pour milk into a saucepan for cooking porridge and bring to a boil over low heat.

Step 3. Pour the washed quinoa into boiling milk, bring to a boil again and cook the porridge over low heat for 20 minutes, slightly covering the pan with a lid.

Step 4. While the porridge is cooking, peel the banana and cut into slices of any shape. Melt margarine in a frying pan, add lemon juice and sugar and stir.

Step 5. Then fry the banana slices on both sides in margarine and over low heat. Sprinkle banana with cinnamon.

Step 6. Remove the prepared sweet quinoa porridge from the stove, keep covered for 10 minutes, stir, transfer to a plate, put fried bananas on top and serve immediately for breakfast. Bon appetit!

Quinoa with nuts for breakfast

Quinoa with nuts for breakfast will be a healthier and more satisfying dish, especially for PP lovers. Any nuts can be taken and added to the cooked quinoa. This dish is almost always complemented with fresh fruits, berries or dried fruits. In this recipe, we prepare breakfast quinoa with walnuts, hazelnuts and a small amount of dried apricots with prunes and raisins. We do not add milk.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

Servings: 2.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 85 gr.
• Walnuts – 2 pcs.
• Hazelnuts – 6 pcs.
• Pitted prunes – 2 pcs.
• Dried apricots – 2 pcs.
• White raisins – 1 tbsp.
• Cinnamon - to taste.
• Honey - to taste.
• Olive oil - to taste.

Cooking process:

Step 1. Before cooking, rinse the quinoa thoroughly with cold running water.

Step 2. Pour quinoa into a saucepan for cooking porridge, add boiling water in a 1:2 ratio, stir, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes over low heat under a covered lid.

Step 3. Then turn off the heat and leave the quinoa to steep for 10 minutes. During this time, the quinoa will completely absorb all the liquid and it will turn out crumbly.

Step 4. Finely chop the nuts with a knife. Wash dried fruits, dry with a napkin and cut into small pieces.

Step 5. Place the cooked quinoa on serving plates. Drizzle with liquid honey and olive oil and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Step 6. Place chopped dried fruits and chopped nuts on top of the quinoa. Serve the cooked quinoa with nuts immediately and hot for breakfast. Bon appetit!

Quinoa with chicken and vegetables

Quinoa with chicken and vegetables is prepared as a simple, satisfying and low-calorie dish. You can boil the quinoa, cook the chicken and serve it all together, but in this recipe we cook it a little differently, like pilaf. Fry the chicken meat with a set of vegetables (onions, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers), add quinoa to them and simmer in one bowl.

Cooking time: 1 hour.

Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Servings: 4.

Ingredients:

• White quinoa – 100 gr.
• Chicken fillet – 200 gr.
• Onion – 100 gr.
• Carrots – 100 gr.
• Tomatoes – 160 gr.
• Bell pepper – 180 gr.
• Vegetable oil – 30 ml.
• Italian herbs – 1 tsp.
• Salt - to taste.
• Pepper mixture – 3 pinches.
• Boiling water – 200 ml.
• Greens - to taste.

Cooking process:

Step 1.Prepare all the ingredients for the dish immediately, according to the proportions of the recipe. Peel and rinse the vegetables.

Step 2. Rinse the quinoa well under running water, and if you doubt the presence of bitterness, soak it in cold water for 2 hours in advance.

Step 3. Wash the chicken fillet or any part of the chicken, dry with a napkin, cut into small pieces and fry in heated vegetable oil until its color changes to white. To fry, immediately take a deep frying pan, because the main dish will be cooked in it.

Step 4. Cut the onion into thin quarter rings. Grind the carrots on a coarse grater. Transfer these vegetables to the fried fillet and simmer over low heat for 5-8 minutes.

Step 5. Cut the peppers and tomatoes into small cubes and remove the liquid pulp and seeds from the tomatoes. Place the chopped vegetables into a frying pan and simmer over low heat for another 5-8 minutes.

Step 6. Then evenly spread the washed quinoa on top of the vegetables and fillets, pour 200 ml of boiling water, add salt and seasonings, stir and cook everything under a closed lid over low heat for 20 minutes from the start of boiling.

Step 7. After this time, mix everything carefully, take a sample and adjust the taste.

Step 8. Divide the cooked quinoa with chicken and vegetables into portioned plates, add chopped fresh herbs and serve hot. Bon appetit!