Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa (all types!)

It’s so easy to make perfectly cooked quinoa in an instant pot! This hands-off method of preparing quinoa means that we eat it much more often.

Why Make Quinoa in an Instant Pot?

You don’t have to stand by the stovetop to cook your quinoa. Now you can set it and forget it using your instant pot. I make quinoa regularly now because it’s so simple to make. It’s a great way to meal prep too!

I know this is a basic recipe but I’ve come to realize that basic recipes are necessary for some of us. I always have way too much on my mind (#toddlermom), which means that I can’t always remember how to make really basic stuff when I need to make really basic stuff (like when I have a toddler demanding food asap).

That’s why I keep a list of super basic recipes in my iphone notes app. I realized recently (when I couldn’t find my list) that I should probably share even the most basic of recipes on my blog – so that I can always find them (lol) and also because there’s a chance that they might help some of you too.

I already have a few other really basic recipes on my blog: perfect basmati rice, brown basmati rice, and chicken breasts for meal prep. Now I’m adding perfect instant pot quinoa to the list.

I used to buy quinoa from Costco but now I usually buy smaller packs from Trader Joe’s. I like that TJ’s carries a variety of quinoa: red, white and tricolor (fyi this isn’t sponsored… but um I wouldn’t mind if it was, you know, in case any of you have TJ contacts… just saying).

This is how I feel about these three types of quinoa:

• Red quinoa: chewy, nutty flavor, looks pretty in salads.
• White quinoa: light flavor, fluffy, a nice change from rice, an everyday quinoa.
• Tricolor quinoa: earthy flavor thanks to the black quinoa, love the colors, like the flavor and color in salads, fun to serve to company, a little different.

So yes, I like to switch up my quinoa game every now and then. I like to be extra with my quinoa – one color just won’t do (I’m trying out the word extra for the first time. I’m obviously not extra because I’m using the word to describe my feelings about quinoa. Totally still a cool mom over here though 💁🏽‍♀️).

Enjoy the quinoa! And let me know how you feel about super basic recipes!

More Basic Recipes:

Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa

Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa

5 from 2 reviews

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 cup quinoa
• ▢ 1 cup water or broth
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter or oil optional
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 bay leaf optional

Instructions

 

• Rinse the quinoa really well (this helps remove the bitter coating – saponins).
• Add the quinoa and remaining ingredients to the pot and give it a stir.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and set the time for 5 minutes at high pressure.
• Naturally release pressure for 5 minutes if you’re using white quinoa OR 10 minutes if you’re using tricolor or red quinoa, then release any remaining pressure.
• Fluff with a fork and serve.

Notes

• I find that the colored quinoa needs a bit more steam time which is why I suggest waiting 10 minutes before releasing pressure if you’re using red or tricolor quinoa.

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