• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
MOON and spoon and yum
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Videos
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan

    How to Cook Red Quinoa in the Instant Pot

    Published: Feb 6, 2019 · Modified: Apr 13, 2022 by Kristen Wood - This post may contain affiliate links.

    Skip to Recipe Pin Recipe
    a pinterest pin image for cooking red quinoa in the instant pot

    Simple, easy, healthy and delicious Instant Pot Red Quinoa. Learn how to make this extra nutritious and nutty variety of quinoa in your pressure cooker + tips and tricks for the fluffiest results, health benefits and the best recipes for making use of your perfect Instant Pot Red Quinoa!

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa
    Jump to:
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Quinoa is one the quickest, easiest, and healthiest things you can make in your Instant Pot. But, if you’ve ever tried to make the red variety of quinoa in your pressure cooker using the same method as white quinoa, you may have discovered that it doesn’t exactly come out the same way!

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    Red quinoa inherently has a bit more of a bite than white quinoa regardless of cooking method (think of brown rice vs white), but if you throw your red quinoa into the pressure cooker for just one minute, you will be sorely disappointed. Hence, this recipe!

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    But first, let’s learn more about red quinoa . . .

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    What are the Benefits of Eating Red Quinoa?

    • Red quinoa has a high fiber content (even higher than the white variety of quinoa).
    • It is a complete protein (it contains all nine essential amino acids).
    • Red quinoa is rich in zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, copper and B vitamins.
    • It has anti-inflammatory properties.
    • It promotes healthy gut bacteria.

     

    This naturally gluten-free super seed is beneficial for a variety of chronic illnesses and helps provide optimum health!

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    In just a few simple steps, you can have perfectly delicious and fluffy red quinoa straight from the Instant Pot!

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    How to Make Red Quinoa in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:

    Instant Pot Red Quinoa uses a 1:1.5 ratio. So for 1 cup of red quinoa, use 1 1/2 cups water.

    1. Rinse and drain quinoa.
    2. Place rinsed quinoa in Instant Pot with water and salt. Stir.
    3. Place the lid on. Make sure the vent is sealed.
    4. Cook on manual High Pressure for 14 minutes.
    5. Wait 10 minutes then release pressure.
    6. Optionally, drizzle with oil and fluff with a fork before serving.

     

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa
     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    This Instant Pot Quinoa is

    • Super healthy, flavorful and easy to make.
    • Naturally gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, soy-free and dairy-free.
    • A great choice for meal prepping. It stores and freezes well!
    • Filled with a wonderfully chewy & nutty texture and flavor.
     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa
     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    Top Tips

    • Be certain to rinse your quinoa before placing it into the Instant Pot. Sometimes quinoa contains a bitter outer coating called saponin that can cause digestive irritation if not fully rinsed off.
    • You can double or triple the recipe, just keep the ratio the same. So for 2 cups of quinoa use 3 cups of water. For 3 cups of quinoa use 4 1/2 cups of water. The time will remain the same.
    • You can keep quinoa stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to one week. You can also store in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 10 months. Just be certain to let the red quinoa cool completely before storing.
    • It isn’t necessary, but I find drizzling the just cooked quinoa with a little olive oil and then fluffing with fork helps separate the grains and lends itself to a fluffier result.
    • I find pre-salted quinoa to be the most versatile for using in dishes, but you can certainly omit the salt for a low-sodium version (quinoa itself is naturally low in sodium).
    • You can add any variety of spices you would like before cooking this pressure cooker red quinoa.
     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa
     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    More Quinoa Recipes You Might Enjoy:

    Quinoa Flatbread Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    White Cheddar Quinoa Bites With Hot & Spicy Buffalo Sriracha Sauce (Gluten-Free)

    Sweet And Spicy Quinoa Peanut Stir Fry (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Crispy, Cheesy, Mixed Green Quinoa Cakes (Gluten-Free)

    Quinoa Cocoa Molasses Crunch Granola (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Quinoa Bowl (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Roasted Green Chile, Potato, & Quinoa Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Quinoa & Steel Cut Oat Granola Bars (Gluten-Free, Vegan Option)

    Sweet & Spicy Green Power Tofu Quinoa Bowl (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Spicy Southwestern Corn, Potato, Quinoa, And Red Lentil Chowder (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    Spicy Chickpea Quinoa Crackers (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

    I hope you enjoyed this Instant Pot Red Quinoa how-to post! xo.

     How to make perfectly fluffy, healthy and delicious Red Quinoa in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! + Tips and tricks for the best results, health benefits of this super seed, easy quinoa recipes and more! #instantpotquinoa #instantpotquinoarecipes #pressurecookerquinoa #redquinoa #instantpotredquinoa

    📖 Recipe

    a top view of a big white bowl filled with cooked red quinoa

    How to Cook Red Quinoa in the Instant Pot

    Simple, easy, healthy and delicious Instant Pot Red Quinoa. Learn how to make this extra nutritious and nutty variety of quinoa in your pressure cooker + tips and tricks for the fluffiest results, health benefits and the best recipes for making use of your perfect Instant Pot Red Quinoa!


    4.41 from 62 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Course: Appetizers, Entrées, Instant Pot, Sides
    Cuisine: Pressure Cooking, South American, Vegan
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 14 minutes
    Additional Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 29 minutes
    Servings: 3 cups cooked quinoa
    Author: Kristen Wood

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked red quinoa rinsed & drained
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • olive oil optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place quinoa, water, salt into the inner pot of your Instant Pot.
    • Stir, then put the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the vent is sealed.
    • Cook on manual high-pressure for 14 minutes.
    • Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then open the vent and release the steam.
    • Optionally, drizzle with a touch of olive oil and then fluff the quinoa with a fork before serving.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Looking for Quinoa Recipe Ideas? Check out this post for Instant Pot Quinoa Recipes!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 362mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
    Have you tried this recipe?Please Rate + Comment Below!
    Mention on Instagram!@moon.and.spoon.and.yum

    More Vegan

    • Easy Jamaican Jerk Sauce
    • Pineapple Rice
    • Vegan White Chickpea Chili
    • Rasta Pasta
    • Share

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Connie says

      May 29, 2022 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      My Ultra instant pot gave me a”burn” message. I used 2cups rinsed red quinoa and 3 cups water and set it for Hi 14 minutes. It preheated for a very long time and when I opened it it seemed to be cooked but never went to the count down. I have only used my pot once to cook kale. Guess I did something wrong but the quinoa was not burned and appeared to be cooked! Hopefully I will get better at using the IP Ultra! I pulled the plug and opened it as soon as the pressure went down! My package of red quinoa said to use two cups water per cup of red quinoa but I used 1.5 per cup as recipe stated. I gave a five rating for your recipe but a 1 to myself for not operating my pot correctly!

      Reply
    2. Barbara Payne says

      February 18, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      I was not super familiar with quinoa, especially in IP. I followed this recipe and it was fabuous! Perfectly cooked.

      Now I have a question, What about tricolor quinoa? All the recipes I'm finding say, like, 1 to 2 minutes. Since tricolor contains both red and black quinoa, what time do you recommend? I know I can trust your judgment because this red quinoa recipe was spot on!

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Kristen Wood says

        February 18, 2022 at 1:10 pm

        Hi, Barbara! Wonderful. Thank you for sharing! Tricolor operates a lot like red quinoa and has a bit of a "bite", so I would advise cooking it just as you would red quinoa. I hope this helps! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Catherine says

      October 12, 2021 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      The cooking time seemed long when I first read the recipe, but at an altitude of 8400' it turned out perfect for my taste. I did rinse the quinoa well before cooking.

      Reply
      • Kristen Wood says

        October 12, 2021 at 2:45 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! 🙂

        Reply
    4. kushigalu says

      September 07, 2021 at 11:41 pm

      5 stars
      Love quinoa. Thanks for all the tips and tricks to make in IP. Pinned this post.

      Reply
    5. Tavo says

      September 07, 2021 at 10:49 pm

      5 stars
      Very informative, now my quinoa is always turning perfectly cooked and not soggy! thanks

      Reply
    6. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says

      September 07, 2021 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the tips. I have always struggled with my IP, but I love quinoa. This made it light and fluffy.

      Reply
    7. Beth says

      September 07, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      5 stars
      You are correct. Great recipe and the cooking time was spot on.

      Reply
    8. Nair says

      July 27, 2021 at 2:51 am

      5 stars
      Tried this method, Perfectly cooked red quinoa.

      Reply
      • Kristen Wood says

        July 27, 2021 at 5:51 pm

        I'm so happy to hear! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Danita says

      May 22, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      1 star
      is the 14 min cook time a typo? Every recipe I've seen for quinoa in an instant pot it's 1-3 mins max then a natural release.

      Reply
      • Kristen Wood says

        May 22, 2021 at 6:59 pm

        Not a typo! 1-3 mins works perfectly for white quinoa. Red quinoa takes longer. It is very similar to the differences that you find between white and brown rice, for instance. I tested a large variety of cook times and 14 minutes produced the best red quinoa, in my opinion. May I ask why the 1 star? Did you try it and have a bad experience? Thanks! 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




     

    Primary Sidebar

    kristen wood

    About Kristen Wood

    Hi, I'm Kristen! A mama, food writer, photographer, recipe developer, and cookbook author. I enjoy sharing both wildly creative and ridiculously practical gluten-free vegetarian recipes that are approachable for all. Welcome!

    Learn more about me →

    Follow:

    INSTAGRAM 

    PINTEREST 

    YOUTUBE

    FACEBOOK

    FEATURED IN

    POPULAR RECIPES

    • Best Sautéed Mushrooms
    • The Best Gluten-Free Focaccia (Vegan)
    • Easy Acai Bowl Recipe
    • How to Make Easy Pickled Cabbage

    Footer

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    FEATURED IN

    • About
    • The Fermented Hot Sauce Cookbook

    Schisandra & Bergamot

    • Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners
    • Contact
    • The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

    Privacy Policy | Google Web Stories | Accessibility Statement

    Copyright © 2023 Kristen Wood | MOON and spoon and yum. All Rights Reserved.

    1.1K shares
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Reddit