Quinoa is one of my favorite ingredients to add to dishes. There are many popular dishes that use quinoa, but when you make it at home it can easily turn out bland or even bitter. However, here are some very simple steps to make sure your quinoa turns out perfectly every time!
This amazing grain is extremely versatile, you can add it to soups, salads, stews, veggie burgers, and sautés. Quinoa is truly an amazing grain to add to so many dishes! My personal favorite is adding it to vegetable soups to make them more filling and hearty. Lately, though, i’ve started adding it to my bean burritos with a bit of salsa, and let me tell you-it is delicious!
The first time I tried making quinoa at home I was surprised it turned out bland and flat-tasting, since the quinoa I had tried before was delicious. Since that first time I have discovered the key to making fantastic tasting quinoa requires only a few simple things.
First, rinsing the quinoa will help take away any bitterness it might have. Next, using vegetable broth instead of water to boil it. This is not essential, but as quinoa is excellent at soaking up flavors, it will ensure your dish is never bland. Finally, letting it steam for 10 minutes at the end will give you tender, fluffy quinoa that has opened up into small spirals, but has not over cooked and become mushy.
Making quinoa at home is not complicated, and it actually cooks fairly quickly! All you need is a good recipe and solid cooking methods to get you started. After that, the possibilities are endless.
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- First, rinse the quinoa in water using a fine mesh sieve. This will help wash off any bitter taste the quinoa might have.
- Add the rinsed quinoa, 2 cups vegetable broth or water, and the sea salt to a pot and set the heat to medium high. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes.
- When most of the water has been cooked off, turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it sit for another 10 minutes. This will steam the quinoa and make it tender and fluffy.
- When the 10 minutes are up, take a fork and fluff the quinoa.
- Now you're all set to enjoy the quinoa you just made!
