This fail-proof recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa delivers perfectly fluffy, tender, quinoa with ease.

Looking for more easy Instant Pot Recipes? You will save time and money with my recipes for Instant Pot Dried Beans, Instant Pot Brown Rice, Instant Pot Yogurt, and Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs.

Cooked quinoa in a bowl in front of the Instant Pot.

When it comes to eating a healthy, well-rounded diet, l love incorporating quinoa into my diet as much as possible, as this pseudo-grain is rich in protein, fiber, nutrients, and vitamins.

Whether using quinoa in a Greek Quinoa Salad, Spinach Quinoa Salad, or in place of rice for serving alongside Hunan Chicken or Shrimp Stir-Fry, it is one of the healthiest "grains" to include in your diet.

And the best way to prepare it is using this recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa.

why you will love Instant Pot Quinoa

No Soaking Required
Fluffy & Tender
Hands-Off Recipe
Naturally Gluten-Free

Notes On Ingredients

Quinoa: The method for cooking quinoa using the Instant Pot will work with any color/variety of quinoa you have on hand. It typically can be found as white quinoa, red quinoa, or tri-color.
Liquid: To cook the quinoa, you can use water, broth, or stock. If using quinoa for meal prep and a variety of dishes, I recommend keeping it simple and using water. To add a bit of flavor, use store-bought or homemade vegetable broth, homemade chicken stock, or Instant Pot chicken stock.
Seasonings: You can add in whatever seasonings you like when preparing quinoa. I typically opt to just use a pinch of salt, so that I can use the quinoa as desired in a variety of recipes, but feel free to add in taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, or dill seasoning for additional flavor.

Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Quinoa

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tip #1: Rinse Quinoa. It is crucial to rinse your quinoa before cooking it, regardless of the cooking method used. Rinsing removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make the quinoa taste bitter. Even if your quinoa states it is pre-rinsed, I would highly recommend placing the quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer and rinsing under cold, running water for at least 2 minutes, or until the water runs clear.

Quinoa in mesh strainer with water running over it.

Tip #2: Use a 1:1 Ratio. Cooking quinoa in the pressure cooker requires a 1:1 ratio. Meaning, you use the same ratio of quinoa to liquid. So for 1 cup of quinoa, you would use 1 cup of liquid, for 2 cups of quinoa, use 2 cups of liquid, and so forth.

Tip #3: Let Pressure Release Naturally. Just like when pressure cooking Instant Pot Jasmine Rice and Instant Pot Beans, you need to allow the pressure to release naturally on its own when making Instant Pot Quinoa, as this will ensure your quinoa is perfectly cooked and remains fluffy.

Tip #4: Use a Fork to Fluff. This will help keep the quinoa fluffy and light, verses mushy and dense.

Perfectly cooked white quinoa inside inner pot of instant pot.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Quinoa, is a lot like rice, in that can and should, be dressed up or served alongside other dishes to help enhance the flavor of the cooked quinoa. Below are a few of my favorite suggestions for serving Instant Pot Quinoa.

Use quinoa as a base for serving Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry, Instant Pot Orange Chicken, or Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken in place of steamed rice.
Instant Pot Quinoa shines in quinoa salads, like Greek Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Spinach Salad, or Mexican Quinoa Salad.
Use the cooked quinoa to quickly prepare delicious Quinoa Burgers.
Serve the quinoa warm with a drizzle of nut butter, honey, and sliced bananas for a wholesome breakfast packed with nutrients and protein.

Serve with Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry or Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken in place of steamed rice.
Instant Pot Quinoa shines in quinoa salads, like Greek Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Spinach Salad, or Mexican Quinoa Salad.
Use the cooked quinoa to quickly prepare delicious Quinoa Burgers.
Serve the quinoa warm with a drizzle of nut butter, honey, and sliced bananas for a wholesome breakfast packed with nutrients and protein.

Bowl of fluffy Instant Pot Quinoa next to pressure cooker.

Storing Cooked Quinoa

I highly suggest doubling or tripling this recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa, as it freezes great and can be used for healthy meal prep or quick lunches throughout the week.

Refrigerate: Prepare the recipe as directed, allow the quinoa to cool slightly, and then transfer the quinoa to an airtight container or bowl and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
Freeze: Prepare Instant Pot Quinoa as directed per the recipe card. Once the quinoa has cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then use as desired.

More Essential Instant Pot Recipes

If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.

Instant Pot Quinoa

Learn to make fluffy, perfectly cooked quinoa using your Instant Pot with this fool-proof recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa.

4.92 from 35 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1

Time to come to pressure/release pressure: 18

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup quinoa rinsed
▢ 1 cup water or broth
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt omit if using broth

Instructions

Measure out the quinoa and place it into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold, running water for 2 minutes, or until the water runs clear. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Place the rinsed quinoa, liquid of your choice, and salt into the inner pan of the pressure cooker.
Seal the pressure cooker, being sure that the vent knob is turned to seal. Cook on HIGH pressure for 1 minute, by hitting manual or pressure cook and using the +/- buttons to adjust to 1 minute.
After the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally on its own.
Once the pressure has been released, open up the Instant Pot, and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Serve as desired.

Notes

Modifications for an 8-Quart Model: To prepare quinoa in an 8 or 10-quart model, it is best to DOUBLE the recipe and prepare 2 cups of dry quinoa with 2 cups of liquid. Cook as directed. This will prevent a burn notice from happening and allow for even cooking.

Adjusting Amount: Use a 1:1 ratio of quinoa to liquid.

Quinoa: This cooking method works with any variety of quinoa.

Storage: Allow the quinoa to cool slightly and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store the quinoa in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the quinoa for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

Nutrition

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