How to Eat Quinoa

Quinoa is a versatile, nutrient-rich pseudograin.

Quinoa is a versatile, nutrient-rich pseudograin.

Although quinoa is botanically related to chard, spinach, beets and other plants in the goosefoot family, its common use as a grain marks it as a member of another group of plants known as pseudocereals. Like amaranth and buckwheat, quinoa is not a true grain, but rather the nutrient-dense seed of its parent plant. Whole-grain quinoa has a mild, nutty flavor, and while the seed itself becomes soft and creamy when cooked, its external germ remains slightly crunchy.


With about 220 calories per plain cooked cup, quinoa porridge makes a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast that’s rich in B vitamins, iron, vitamin E and magnesium. Boil quinoa as you would oats, using twice as much water or milk as quinoa, until it’s tender and the outer germ begins to spiral away from the seed. For an appetizing, satiating breakfast, mix slivered almonds, raisins, chopped apple, ground cinnamon and a pinch of brown sugar into a hot bowl of quinoa and top it with a dollop of plain yogurt. Other ingredient options include chopped dates or prunes, dried cranberries, fresh berries, sliced banana, diced peaches, ground flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, nutmeg, honey and maple syrup.

Side Dishes

Use quinoa as the basis for a light, whole-grain salad. Toss cooled quinoa with finely diced cucumber and tomato, minced parsley, olive oil and a bit of lemon juice for a refreshing warm-weather side dish. Alternatively, combine it with a mixture of black beans, corn kernels, thinly sliced green onion, diced tomato and avocado. Mix warm quinoa with toasted pine nuts, thinly sliced red onion, halved orange segments, crumbled feta and a bit of lime juice. Stuff portabella mushroom caps, tomatoes or red bell peppers with a mixture of quinoa and lightly sautéed spinach and garlic. Bake the stuffed vegetables until they’re tender, top them with shaved Parmesan and serve them with a bowl of soup.

Main Meals

Serve quinoa instead of rice in traditional stir-fry dishes. Top a bed of quinoa with a stir-fried mixture of minced ginger and garlic, sliced onion, diced chicken, broccoli florets, chopped cashews, sesame oil and a bit of honey. Mix quinoa cooked in chicken, beef or vegetable stock into a warm roasted vegetable salad to enhance the dish’s texture, flavor and protein content. Stuff chicken breasts with a mixture of cooked quinoa, finely diced bell peppers, chopped black olives and goat cheese. Bake and serve the quinoa-stuffed chicken over a bed of baby spinach seasoned with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Make soups and stews that call for orzo or other small pastas more nutritious by using quinoa instead.


Cooking 1/4 cup of quinoa in 1/2 cup of water, broth or milk yields about 3/4 cup of cooked quinoa. For a lighter, fluffier texture, allow fully cooked quinoa to sit in a covered saucepan away from direct heat for another 5 to 7 minutes, then fluff it with a fork before serving. Quinoa flakes, which are made by steaming, rolling and flaking whole-grain quinoa, are commonly available in health food stores. Quicker-cooking than traditional quinoa, quinoa flakes can be used to make hot breakfast cereal or boost the nutritional quality of baked goods.

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