How to cook quinoa in an Instant Pot until fluffy and tender in around 20 minutes, no soaking required! This perfect pressure cooker quinoa is also great for meal prep and freezer friendly!

Perfect Fluffy Fool-Proof Instant Pot Quinoa
An Instant Pot will not only have fluffy cooked quinoa on your table in around 20 minutes, but you’ll have perfect quinoa every single time with this simple, fool-proof method. So you never have to deal with a mushy, stodgy, or burned mess again!
Using my Instant Pot to cook grains has become my go-to for quick and perfect results. Luckily, cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot is just as simple as grains like Instant pot basmati, jasmine rice, or even Mexican rice!
I’ll be honest, I have struggled with stovetop quinoa in the past. The results have been inconsistent, and I found myself hovering over the pan a lot. Luckily, this method is beyond simple. Just rinse, transfer to your pressure cooker, set, and forget. Then, come back to perfect quinoa, ready to enjoy with all sorts of meals like stew, chili, tacos, burritos, quinoa salads, and more!
Keep reading for the perfect water to quinoa ratio, top tips, FAQs, and serving recommendations for enjoying this quinoa Instant Pot recipe!
What Is Quinoa?
Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, is an ancient pseudo-grain (it’s technically a seed!) that’s naturally gluten-free, low GI, and cholesterol-free. In addition, it’s packed with antioxidants, plant-based protein (as one of the best plant-based sources of a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids), and tons of nutritional goodness.
Studies have even shown that this seed contains anti-cancer properties and anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and even anti-depressant effects.
The Ingredients

- Quinoa: You can use white quinoa or tri-color quinoa for this Instant Pot quinoa recipe. I haven’t tried it with red or black types of quinoa alone, though, so they may need an extra minute of cooking time.
- Water: For more flavor, use vegetable broth.
- Salt: (optional) To season the water. I’d recommend around ¼ teaspoon per cup of quinoa.
You could also use some oil. Spraying a small amount of oil (I use olive oil) in the Instant Pot reduces foaming (particularly important if you’re making a big batch).
How to Add Flavor To Pressure Cooker Quinoa?
There are several ways to add flavor to this Instant Pot quinoa recipe.
- Vegan butter: Mix in some of your favorite vegan butter when fluffing up the quinoa for extra richness.
- Garlic: Add sliced or minced garlic, sauteed for a minute, or added raw to the quinoa before pressure cooking. The latter will be more robust.
- Herbs: Experiment with dried herbs. I.e., dill, oregano, parsley, saffron, bay leaves, herbs de Provence, etc.
- Spices: Like turmeric and/or cumin, added with the liquid when cooking the quinoa.
- Lemon juice: Add a small amount before serving the Instant Pot quinoa for brightness and depth.
You can also easily add some frozen and thawed peas or corn to the pressure cooker (or other quick-cooking veggies).
What Is The Perfect Quinoa to Water Ratio?
While this will vary based on the cooking method, when making pressure cooker quinoa, I recommend using a 2:3 ratio of quinoa to water (i.e., one cup of quinoa to 1 ½ cups of water), unlike the 1:2 ratio used for the stovetop method.
Why? Because the sealed nature of a pressure cooker means less evaporation, so less water is needed overall for the same results.
This ratio results in fluffy, al dente cooked quinoa that are individual grains rather than a stodgy mess.
How to Cook Quinoa In An Instant Pot?
Follow this practically fool-proof method for perfect quinoa in just four simple steps.
Want to save this recipe?
- 1) First, rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, rubbing the grains in-between your fingers until the water runs almost clear.

- 2) Transfer the rinsed quinoa to the Instant Pot with the water (or vegetable broth) and seal the lid.


- 3) Cook on MANUAL high pressure for five minutes, then carefully move the valve into the venting position to do a manual quick release.
Don’t leave it to manually release, or the quinoa will overcook. If you prefer not to open the valve immediately when using a pressure cooker, then I recommend cooking the quinoa on HIGH pressure for ONE minute only, then allowing it to naturally release for 15 minutes before venting to quick-release the remaining pressure.
- 4) Open the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork, then enjoy!

FAQs
Allowing quinoa to soak before cooking can help reduce the amount of the anti-nutrient phytic acid in the seed and also reduce the cooking time.
However, I only think it is worth doing if you’re eating foods high in phytic acid on a constant, regular basis, so I usually don't.
One cup of dried quinoa yields between 3-4 cups of cooked quinoa.
You can enjoy this pressure cooker quinoa as you would rice. i.e., alongside stews, curry, mixed into soups, tossed into salads and grain bowls, in a stir-fry, etc. You can also use cooked quinoa in burger patties and sweeter dishes like breakfast quinoa/quinoa porridge.
Quinoa has a slightly earthy, nutty, savory flavor and a slightly chewy texture, with red and black quinoa being the nuttiest and chewiest.
Top Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t skip the rinsing step: While lots of quinoa is pre-rinsed, this isn’t always the case. Without rinsing it, the grains contain a bitter coating called saponin, which can make the cooked quinoa taste bitter. Just make sure to drain the rinsed quinoa very well, or it will throw off the water to quinoa ratio.
- For more flavorful quinoa: Sauté the quinoa in the instant pot until it’s fragrant and lightly browned (about a minute). Then add the water (or veggie broth) and cook the quinoa as usual.
- Be careful when using quick-release: Steam and scorching water may shoot from the release valve, so be careful.

How To Store Cooked Quinoa?
Fridge: Store any cooled leftover quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Transfer it to the fridge within two hours of cooking it.
Freezer: Allow it to cool and then store in portions in Ziplock/Stasher bags or airtight containers. Freeze for 3-4 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before using/reheating.
Reheat: Use the microwave or the stovetop to gently reheat the quinoa. Add a splash of liquid and cover to steam and soften the grains if needed.
More Vegan Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash [Cubes + Halves]
- Crispy Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
- Easy Vegan Greek Salad
- Vegan Mandarin Chicken Ramen Noodle Salad
- Air Fryer Hash Brown Patties
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Pan-Fried Garlic Tofu Triangles
If you try this easy Instant Pot quinoa recipe (pressure cooker quinoa), I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Instant Pot Quinoa
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 ½ cup of water
Instructions
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, rinse your quinoa until the water runs clear.
- Place the water and quinoa into the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Use the quick release.
- Fluff with a fork.
Notes
- Don’t skip the rinsing step: While lots of quinoa is pre-rinsed, this isn’t always the case. Without rinsing it, the grains contain a bitter coating called saponin, which can make the cooked quinoa taste bitter. Just make sure to drain the rinsed quinoa very well, or it will throw off the water to quinoa ratio.
- For more flavorful quinoa: Sauté the quinoa in the instant pot until it’s fragrant and lightly browned (about a minute). Then add the water (or stock) and cook the quinoa as usual.
- Be careful when using quick-release: Steam and scorching water may shoot from the release valve, so be careful.
Andrea says
This quinoa IP method turns out so good!
Jellie says
Bookmarked this recipe! Making quinoa is so easy this way.
Andrea says
Wohoo! Let us know what you think 🙂
Janaye says
Love quinoa so good and perfect when getting a different grain than rice!
Andrea says
Definitely a great way to mix it up!
Tina says
Love that this recipe does not require any soaking!
Andrea says
Right?! It's that much easier to enjoy quinoa!
Katie says
This instant pot quinoa comes out so fluffy! I am obsessed!
Andrea says
Right?! Love that it's so simple to whip up too!
Jacqui says
thank you so much! This is so helpful
Andrea says
I learned so much too!
Gina H. says
This is the only way that my quinoa come out perfectly. I love your cooking method! 😀
Andrea says
Agreed! Toni's nailed it!
Teodora says
Geat method! Thanks for sharing!
Andrea says
Gotta love a simple staple recipe!
Michelle says
It came out so fluffy!
Andrea says
Yesss! The perfect side!
Freya says
Such a great idea! Quinoa always takes so much longer than you think it should to cook!
Andrea says
Right?! The IP is so so helpful!
Gloria says
Quinoa is such a great ingredient to work with. Perfect for any meal of the day. Budget-friendly too.
Andrea says
So true! It's a great staple for meals - and so healthy!
Juliette says
This Instant pot quinoa gives the fluffiest soft quinoa! Thank you 🌸
Andrea says
Gotta love the fluff!
Nora says
Your recipe sounds great! Can't wait to give it a try! Thank you!
Andrea says
You're going to love how simple it is!
Keri says
I love to batch cook grains like quinoa. This is perfect!
Andrea says
Same! It makes the week that much easier to get through with a prepped staple like this one ready to go!