Instant Pot Quinoa

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.

• 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

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