Instant Pot Quinoa

This Instant Pot quinoa is fluffy, easy, and better than rice! It’s filled with all sorts of health benefits so cook this up and add it to just about any recipe. You will be thanking yourself later!

If you love quinoa as much as I do, then you must try a few of my favorite recipes to use with it! It’s so filling and delicious in this quinoa fruit salad, this buddha bowl, or this fantastic quinoa fried ‘r ice’.

Cooked quinoa in an instant pot with a wooden spoon scooping some out.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced (keen-wah) is s the seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant. It’s technically not a grain, but because it’s often used as a replacement for rice (especially for all of my gluten-free friends!) It’s often mistaken for grain. Quinoa has so much texture, and it has a high amount of fiber and protein. You can use it as a substitute for rice in just about any recipe, and it will make it healthier but still have a similar fluffiness to it as rice does.

This instant pot quinoa recipe is perfect because your quinoa turns out just right. It’s not sticky or soggy, and it’s flavor and taste is subtle but delicious! Plus, everypne loves fluffy quinoa! Cooking it in the pressure cooker means that it’s hands-off and when you come back to the finished product, you will have the perfect texture and consistency to put this quinoa in any recipe!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Quinoa

Instant pot recipes don’t get much easier than this. You only need two ingredients to make this quinoa! So what are you waiting for? Grab them, and let’s get cooking! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Quinoa: Start with your favorite brand of uncooked quinoa. **The color of quinoa seeds can come in white, red, and black. Tri-color quinoa is a combination of all three. I use white quinoa most often. White and tricolor quinoa also take the shortest amount of time to cook. If you choose to cook red or black quinoa, it may take more time, so be sure to follow the directions on the packaging. **
Chicken Broth: I like to use chicken broth because it gives a little added flavor to the quinoa when you are cooking. You can use vegetable broth or water too!

How Do You Cook Quinoa in the Instant Pot?

This is a great recipe to start with if you have not used your Instant Pot a lot! This is easy and will turn out just right every time!

Spray: Spray the inside of the instant pot with non-stick cooking spray.
Rinse the Quinoa: Measure 2 cups uncooked quinoa, and rinse through a fine-mesh strainer. Rinsing the quinoa is very important. It removes the coating that causes bitterness and will make your quinoa light and fluffy.
Add to Pressure Cooker: Place rinsed quinoa in the bottom of the pot.
Pour: Pour the chicken broth or water over the rinsed quinoa in the pot and stir together.
Seal: Place the lid on the instant pot and make sure the dial is on “seal”
Turn On: Turn on the instant pot and select manual or high pressure for 2 minutes.
Cook: The instant pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure. Then the 2 minutes of cooking will begin.
Natural Release: Allow the instant pot to naturally release for about 5-10 minutes.
Fluff: Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Enjoy!

3 pictures whoing how to rinse quinoa and add it to the instant pot with some chicken broth.

Health Benefits of Quinoa

This Instant Pot quinoa is not only delicious and easy, but there are a lot of things about it that are beneficial to your health!

Gluten-Free
Low in Calories
Heart Healthy (lowers cholesterol)
Anti-Inflammatory
Minerals/Vitamins
Packed with Protein

A bowl of quinoa with a silver spoon in the bowl with it.

How to Store Leftovers

Instant pot quinoa is great to make ahead to use for meal prep and recipes all week long! Here is how you can store it to do that.

In the Refrigerator: Let the quinoa cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-6 days.

In the Freezer: To freeze, allow the quinoa to cool completely and then place it in an airtight container. It will last for up to 2 months. To reheat quinoa, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before microwaving it.