How to Make Flavorful Quinoa

Bowl of cooked quinoa with a smaller bowl of raw quinoa and a dried plant.

5 from 3 votes

Quinoa is a fantastic food to include in your diet, but many people find it lacking in flavor, or worse, having a bitter taste. The next time you make quinoa, try this simple recipe that incorporates some of our best tips for making quinoa taste good.

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Steaming Time5

Total Time21

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: South American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 160kcal

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa dry, any color
1 cup water
3/4 cup vegetable broth low sodium, or broth of choice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp spice blend optional (include a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, or your other favorite spices totaling 1/2 tsp combined)

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly with cold water through a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
Place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and add the water, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove the quinoa from heat, sprinkle in the spice blend, and fluff with a fork. Replace the cover and allow to steam for 5 more minutes. Fluff again with a fork and serve.

Notes

If you decide to try toasting your quinoa before boiling, let the quinoa thoroughly drain after rinsing so there's no liquid dripping from it (adding water to hot oil is a bad idea). Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in your saucepan and add the thoroughly drained quinoa. Stir the quinoa over medium heat until it begins to toast. You'll know it's ready when it begins to brown and smell nutty (and it might even start to pop a little). Add your water, broth, and salt at this point and continue with the recipe above.

Nutrition