Can You cook quinoa in a microwave

How to cook quinoa in a microwave

The standard way to cook quinoa is to cook in in boiling water.  You can however cook it in a microwave oven quite easily as this following method shows. These instructions are for a 700watt microwave oven. Check the power of your microwave and increase or reduce the times accordingly.

Step one

Measure out one cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. The proportions are more important the the size of the cup.

Step two

Rinse the quinoa under cold water for half a minute to remove any impurities.

Step three

Put the water and the quinoa into a microwaveable dish and cover. The next step is to place it in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes approximately. Take out of the oven and let it stand for 1 minute. Mix up the quinoa in the water with a spoon before putting it back into your microwave oven for a second time for three minutes. When it is finished just put it to one side to rest and finish the cooking process. then you can move on to serve it.

The conditions in a microwave oven are different to cooking on the hob and ther may be some water not absorbed. Simply drain this off.

You can now serve and enjoy your quinoa. The only difference I have observed in cooking quinoa in a microwave as opposed to cooking it the standard way is that is expands very slightly more and is a bit softer to the touch. The results of cooking quinoa this way are just as good as using the standard method.

You will find that quinoa is a great substitute for potatoes and rice and can be served up as a side dish to almost any main meal. Just serve it on the plate instead. Quinoa is better in some situations than others and in particlular it works well with stir fry dishes and salads. This is where it really comes into its own and prooves to be a versatile addition to your kithcen larder,