Tired Of Bland Grains? Try These Two Flavorful Instant Pot Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa is one of those foods that can be wonderful or just, well, fine. Cooking and flavoring it right is key to making this ancient grain live up to its tasty potential.
It's also worth noting, although we refer to it as an ancient grain, quinoa is actually a seed: Naturally gluten-free, it's part of a group known as "pseudo-cereal grains" along with amaranth and buckwheat. It was first cultivated over 3,000 years ago by Incan communities in South America and continues to be a satiating staple to this day.
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Now, to pack your quinoa with pizzazz, look no further than these quick and easy Instant Pot recipes. Both begin with cooking the grains in stock, which helps make them super flavorful and adds bonus nutrients. Pair them with a lean protein and some veggies for a nutrient-packed dinner, or batch-cook some on Sunday as a ready-to-go base for grain bowls and salads all week.
Lemon-Parmesan Quinoa
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa, rinsed with cold water
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Zest of 1 lemon
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Method
- Place the quinoa and stock into the Instant Pot insert. Seal the lid and move the valve to the sealing position.
- Cook on manual, high pressure for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally until the red pin drops. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and then combine the quinoa with the salt, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, and lemon zest. This dish can be served cold or at room temperature.
Tabbouleh Quinoa
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa, rinsed with cold water
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup cucumber, diced
- ¾ cup tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp. mint, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
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Method
- Place the quinoa and stock into the Instant Pot insert. Seal the lid and move the valve to the sealing position.
- Cook on manual, high pressure for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally until the red pin drops. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, and then combine the quinoa with the rest of the ingredients. This dish can be served cold or at room temperature.
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Eliza Sullivan is an SEO Editor at mindbodygreen, where she writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She received a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in english literature with honors from Boston University, and she has previously written for Boston Magazine, TheTaste.ie, and SUITCASE magazine.