How Long Can You Store Cooked Quinoa In The Fridge

We love quinoa for its nutty, earthy flavor and fluffy, slightly crunchy, somewhat chewy texture.

Of course, we also love quinoa because it's quick and easy to cook, and once it's cooked, quinoa is so versatile. You can turn quinoa into side dishes and salads, soups, pilafs, stews, grain bowls, or even cakes. We'll show you how to cook quinoa, and share top-rated quinoa recipes to try. But first...

What Is Quinoa?

Quinoa Stuffing

Quinoa is a seed, actually, not a grain, but you cook it like a grain. And "grain" is typically how folks refer to it. Quinoa (say KEEN-wah) is kind of like buckwheat and sort of like amaranth, which it's related to. Quinoa is also closely related to spinach, chard, beets, and, uh, the tumbleweed.

If you want to know more about this popular seed, keep scrolling to learn about different kinds of quinoa, its nutritional profile, and everything else you ever wanted to know about quinoa.

How to Cook Quinoa

102703505-quinoa-bowl-with-beets-photo-by-meredith

Quinoa doubles down on its wonder-food status by being both quick cooking and versatile. You cook quinoa by boiling it like rice, only it's more forgiving. Honestly, it's tough to mess up quinoa, but it's a good idea to read through these quick tips before you get started.

Whether you're looking to cook quinoa on the stove, in a rice cooker or Instant Pot, you'll need to prep the seeds before you do anything else. Here are a fast facts to know before you get started:

How to prepare quinoa seeds for cooking? Before cooking quinoa, give it a thorough rinse in a mesh strainer. You do this to wash off a bitter, soapy-flavored coating that naturally forms on quinoa. It's called saponin, and it's easy to rinse away. Incidentally, the saponin helps quinoa thrive at high altitudes — the coating protects it against the strong rays of the sun and the bitter flavor keeps the birds away.
How to toast quinoa before cooking? This step is optional. To deepen the nutty flavor, rinse and drain the quinoa, then toast it in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove from the pan to halt the cooking, then cook the quinoa using your stovetop, rice cooker, pressure cooker, or microwave.
How much water for a cup of quinoa? Cook 1 cup dry quinoa in 2 cups water.
How much does one cup dry quinoa make? One cup dry quinoa makes 3 cups cooked quinoa.

How to Cook Quinoa on the Stove

To cook 1 cup of rinsed and drained quinoa, add 2 cups of water or broth and ¼ teaspoon of salt (optional).
Bring it to boil, and turn down the heat to gently simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the quinoa sit off the heat, covered, for about 5 minutes to let all the seeds open. Fluff with a fork before serving.

How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker

To cook 1 cup of rinsed and drained quinoa, add 2 cups of water or broth and ¼ teaspoon of salt (optional).
Turn on the rice cooker to the white rice setting.
Let it rest for a few minutes after it's done cooking, then fluff with a fork.

How to Cook Quinoa in a Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

To cook 1 cup of rinsed and drained quinoa, add 1.5 cups of water or broth and ¼ teaspoon of salt (optional).
Seal the lid and press the RICE button, or manually set it to cook for 12 minutes on low pressure, or follow manufacturer's instructions.
Release the pressure following manufacturer's instructions. Fluff with a fork before serving.

How to Cook Quinoa in a Microwave

To cook 1 cup of rinsed and drained quinoa, add 2 cups of water or broth and ¼ teaspoon of salt (optional) to a microwave-save bowl and cover loosely.
Microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes. Stir and microwave again on HIGH for 2 minutes. Keep it covered and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to finish absorbing all the water, then fluff before serving.

How to Puff or Pop Quinoa

While it won't puff up dramatically like popcorn, you can snack on puffed or popped quinoa, or add it to recipes. Puffing quinoa is a multi-step process, so make it worth your while and do a couple of cups at a time.

Rinse and drain quinoa, then spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven on your lowest setting, stirring every few minutes to break up wet clumps, until the quinoa is completely dry. This could take 30 to 60 minutes.
You can puff the quinoa with or without oil, but either way, you'll want to use a deep pot. Heat the pot over medium heat. If you're using oil, pour in about a tablespoon.
Just like you would when you make popcorn, sprinkle in a few quinoa seeds to see if the oil is hot enough so they pop in a few seconds. When the oil is hot enough, pour in enough quinoa to make a single layer on the bottom.
Shake the pot while the quinoa pops to keep seeds from burning and sticking to the bottom. You can do this with a lid, or without one IF your pot is deep enough; quinoa might not pop up big but it does jump out at you. Pop until the seeds are brown and toasty. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl immediately to prevent the seeds from burning.

Time-Saving Tip: Make a big batch of quinoa on the weekend, and you'll have a terrific base for a week's worth of tantalizing meals. This is an often overlooked benefit of cooking with quinoa: Unlike some seeds/grains that get sticky and mushy after cooking and refrigerating, quinoa stays its plump, fluffy self with the same slightly chewy texture, even after time in the fridge.

Quinoa Health Benefits

Nutritionally, this little seed is a big deal. Quinoa is a healthy, highly nutritious whole grain, a wonder food -- or superfood if you prefer. So okay, what, specifically, is the nutritional value of quinoa. Quinoa earns such high praise because it's a complete protein, (or whole protein, which means quinoa includes all nine essential amino acids). It boasts more protein than brown rice, barley, millet, or potatoes. But quality protein isn't quinoa's only claim to nutritional fame; it's also a good source of fiber, as well as B vitamins, vitamin E, and potassium; it's a rich source of iron, phosphorous, magnesium, and zinc; and it brings some calcium, too. Quinoa can also brag about what it does not have. Quinoa is gluten-free. It stands in deliciously for pasta and white rice.

Plus, according to a recent study, eating quinoa every day could significantly lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory illness.

How To Store Quinoa

Dry quinoa has a nice long shelf life. Store uncooked quinoa in an air-tight container in your pantry. It stays fresh for months. You can also refrigerate dry quinoa or freeze it; and it will stay fresh even longer. Store cooked quinoa in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a month.

How to Buy Quinoa

Rainbow of Quinoa

Quinoa Rainbow | Photo by Meredith

There are many, many varieties of quinoa, and lots of colors. But what you'll typically find in the markets are white, red, and occasionally black varieties.

White Quinoa

White quinoa cooks up fluffy and has a nice neutral essence and mild, nutty flavor. It's often the easiest quinoa to find.

Red Quinoa

You'll get an earthy flavor from red quinoa and chewier texture. Red quinoa will also add a little burst of color to dishes.

Black Quinoa

This type can have a crunchier texture than white. As with red quinoa, black quinoa is maybe a little bolder, earthier than white. And it may take a few minutes longer to cook.

Quinoa Recipes

One Skillet Mexican Quinoa

Credit: My Hot Southern Mess

Now that you're a quinoa expert, it's time to get cooking! Browse some our favorite quinoa ideas:

15 Quinoa Breakfast Recipes to Start Your Day
11 Protein-Rich Meals for Quinoa Lovers
10 Quinoa Burger Recipes That Make For Satisfying Dinners