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When I first started cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot, I assumed I should cook it just like rice. I even used the rice setting the first time, but as it turns out, I was using too much water and cooking the quinoa for way too long. The results were soggy and unappealing.

That’s why I’m sharing this Instant Pot quinoa recipe with you today, so you can avoid the mistakes I made as a newbie. While writing The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, I cooked quinoa over 100 times and learned that you can use less water and a much shorter cook time for perfectly fluffy results.

Now that I know how easy it is, this is my go-to method for cooking quinoa. The process is almost 100% hands-off! So, even though it’s not significantly faster than the stovetop method, it does feel easier.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Wow!!! Best, easiest quinoa I’ve made in the Instapot. It’s perfect!!”

– Heather

quinoa in bowls by the Instant Pot

Why You’ll Love Cooking Quinoa in the Instant Pot

It won’t stick to your pot. Unlike cooking quinoa on the stove, you don’t have to worry about this gluten-free seed sticking to the bottom of the pot as it cooks. This is a huge perk if you get distracted in the kitchen!

It’s perfect for distracted cooks. The Instant Pot will automatically turn off and keep your quinoa warm when the cooking cycle is complete, so this method is practically fool-proof… even if you forget about it.

It’s easy to meal prep. Cook a big batch over the weekend, and add it to bowls, salads, and stir-fries all week. It has more fiber than rice, helping you feel fuller longer.

instant pot quinoa lifted up on a spoon.

How to Cook Quinoa in the Instant Pot

Step 1:

Start by pouring the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse it under running water until you see no more bubbles forming on top. This quick step makes a big difference flavor-wise, and should only take 60 to 90 seconds.

If you find quinoa bitter-tasting, it might be because you didn’t rinse it long enough.

Why it Works: Quinoa contains saponins, which can give the outer coating a bitter flavor. Briefly rinsing the quinoa washes that off before cooking.

quinoa rinsed and added to instant pot.

Step 2:

Transfer the rinsed quinoa to the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot, and cover it with equal parts water. If you use 1 cup of quinoa, cover it with 1 cup of water.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the silicone sealing ring is in place. It should have some wiggle room. (Watch my Instant Pot Tutorial if you want to learn how to use your Instant Pot.)

Tip: Use cold water in your Instant Pot unless a recipe tells you otherwise. Using warm or hot water will slightly change the cooking time and might affect the final result.

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quinoa cooking for 1 minute in instant pot.

Step 3:

Move the steam release valve to Sealing to ensure the pot pressurizes, then use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 1 minute. It will take roughly 5 to 7 minutes to pressurize so that the Instant Pot will say “ON” until then.

You’ll know the pot is pressurized when the lid’s floating valve pops up. (See the photo below.)

floating valve pressurized and not.

Serving Tips

When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. In other words, don’t do anything else until 15 minutes have passed. This will let the quinoa finish absorbing the water, without burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the natural release is done (the screen will read L0:15), move the steam release valve to the Venting position. You’ll know it’s safe to open the lid when the floating valve has dropped.

Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Now it’s ready to serve!

Note: The floating valve may drop during the 15-minute natural release if you only cook 1 cup of quinoa. If you cook more quinoa, it might not drop during that time, so that’s when you’ll need to manually move the steam release valve.

natural release screen and quinoa fluffed with fork.

How to Use Cooked Quinoa

This fluffy quinoa makes the perfect side dish, similar to rice. You can use it as a base for stir-fries or add it to salads for extra texture and protein.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use quinoa:

You can store leftover quinoa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months, if you’d like to freeze individual serving portions to thaw later.

Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe FAQs

How much cooked quinoa do you get from 1 cup of dry quinoa?

Quinoa triples in size when you cook it, so if you cook 1 cup of dry quinoa, you should wind up with close to 3 cups when it’s cooked.

Will pressure cooking remove the lectins in quinoa?

According to this Harvard article, lectins are water-soluble, so cooking with water, such as boiling, steaming, and pressure cooking, may inactivate them.

Will this work with other quinoa varieties?

Yes, you can cook white, red, black, or tri-color quinoa with this method. Remember that darker quinoa varieties tend to have a chewier texture than white quinoa.

Do I need to change the cooking time when doubling the recipe?

No, you can double this recipe without changing the cook time. The only thing that will change is that it will take longer for the Instant Pot to pressurize and de-pressurize due to the larger quantity in the pot. (So the overall time will naturally be longer.)

quinoa in the Instant Pot with spoon.

Instant Pot Quinoa (in One Minute!)

4.52 from 39 votes
If you love hands-off cooking, this Instant Pot Quinoa recipe is a game-changer. After a quick rinse (which removes the bitter flavor), all you have to do is press a button and walk away. Even if you get distracted in the kitchen, like I do, the Instant Pot will keep the quinoa warm and fluffy until you're ready to serve. It's perfect for busy people who want to eat better!
prep2 mins cook1 min Pressurize Time:20 mins total23 mins
Servings:3 servings
PrintRate

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well under running water until you see no bubbles forming on top, about 60 seconds. This quick step will remove any bitterness and help the quinoa cook more evenly.
  • Transfer the quinoa to the Instant Pot and cover with 1 cup of fresh water. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to "Sealing." Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button on your machine to cook at high pressure for 1 minute. It will take roughly 5 to 8 minutes for the pot to pressurize, so the screen will read "ON" until then.
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. This will allow the quinoa to finish absorbing the water, without burning to the bottom of the pot.
  • When the screen reads L0:15, move the steam release valve to Venting to make sure there is no more pressure left in the pot. You'll know it's safe to open the lid when the floating valve has dropped. (Usually this happens during the natural release with this recipe.) Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. It's ready to use right away.
  • Leftover quinoa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 1 cup of cooked quinoa. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Need to make more quinoa? You can double or triple this recipe without changing the cooking time. The only thing that will change is that the pot will take longer to pressurize, so the overall time will be slightly longer because of that. When cooking grains, do not fill your pot more than half-way full, since they will expand as they cook.
Rice Setting Option: You can cook quinoa using the “rice” button on your Instant Pot, too. It cooks for 12 minutes at low pressure, so in that case, you won’t need as long of a natural release. (Just 5 minutes should do.)

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 4g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg
Author: Megan Gilmore
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot quinoa
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If you try this Instant Pot Quinoa recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it works for you.

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. As a Certified Nutritionist Consultant (CNC), I love to make healthier food using simple ingredients. I test these recipes multiple times in my kitchen to make sure they will turn out perfectly for you.

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Comments

  3. With this technique my quinoa comes out perfect every time. I’ve also let it sit way more than 15 minutes and it’s still perfect. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. This did not work out for me. I followed directions to a T. The quinoa was dry and undercooked. So I added another half cup water. It’s usually going to burn the bottom of the pot to resume cooking under pressure with so little liquid so I just sautéed it with the lid on low for 5 min and that cooked it the rest of the way. Ill be going back to a previous recipe ive used in the past which uses a 1 cup quinoa to 1.5 cup water ratio cooked on high for 3 min & 15 min natural release. I love all your other recipes tho! xoxoxo

    Reply

  7. I use your recipe every time I make quinoa, which is at least three times a week. It always comes out perfectly. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  9. This is an amazing…and it looks soo yummy & sound so delicious…i will trying to make it …Thanks for sharing….
    Love it!

    Reply