It's happened to many of us, myself included. You're looking for a quick weeknight meal, so you roast some veggies and put a pot of quinoa on the stove. The result? A mushy, soggy, uninspired dinner.
Last week on the Bon Appetit blog, they discussed the best way to cook quinoa and why it can often get soggy. No surprise: it's user error, and there are a few quick tips to make sure it never happens again.
1) Cook Smart: First things first: don't overcook your quinoa! Bon Appetit recommends this simple method: Combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
2) Drain: Quinoa holds lots of water so you must, must, must strain it (use a fine mesh strainer) after it's cooked.
3) Let it Stand: Once you strain it, return the quinoa to the pot you cooked it in and let it sit, off the heat, for 15 minutes before serving. This will allow it to dry out just a touch and will result in light, fluffy quinoa every time!
A Few of Our Favorite Quinoa Recipes:
• Sweet and Crunchy Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Quinoa Salad with Spring Radishes and Greens
Related: How to Cook Quinoa
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Also try your rice cooker. It turns out stellar quinoa without the fuss of draining.
Ah - straining - that explains a lot. Thanks for the great tips!
I never knew that
I've never strained my quinoa and never had it be soggy -- either cook it a little less but leave it standing for 10 mins, or just let it sit for the 10 mins. I think the "let it stand" part is the key.
I cook it like pasta as recommended in this recipe and it is awesome every time. The standing is the key.
http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2010/03/29/curried-quinoa-salad-mango/
I too, have never strained quinoa and never have a problem. Use slightly less than twice the amount of water than you do quinoa, then just keep cooking simmering it on low until the water is mostly all absorbed. It works. No straining necessary. Just don't use too much water, and use a little patience. And yes, let it stand a bit after taking it out of the pot.
It's similar to cooking rice. I agree with DAGNY21: Use a little less water, and there's no need to strain it.
JUDIAU is right - rice cooker works best. Great consistency of execution.