You Can Absolutely Use Your Rice Cooker To Make Quinoa. Here's How To Do It

Undeniably delicious and incredibly versatile, quinoa is one of those grains that can effortlessly work its way into a variety of dishes and make them too good to say no to. Whether you decide to transform your leftover quinoa into crispy, flavorful patties or simply mix it together with some roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta for a mouthwatering Mediterranean-style salad, your quinoa dish will be gone before you realize you had a whole group of people you were supposed to share it with.

However, while the most common way to cook quinoa (simmering it in water for about 15 minutes) seems pretty straightforward, not everyone has the time or the patience to stand over a stove and wait for it to fluff up. And let's not even get started on quinoa's tendency to get mushy if it isn't cooked properly, or the messy pot you'll be left with later due to the grain's naturally sticky outer layer. Thankfully, though, there's a more efficient and hands-free way to cook quinoa without having to worry about it turning into a mushy mess. And believe it or not, it involves none other than your rice cooker. 

There are at least 12 foods you can make in a rice cooker, other than rice, and quinoa just might deserve the 13th spot on that list. Moreover, one of the most convenient things about this method is that you can stick to the same water to quinoa ratio you'd use with the traditional stovetop approach — that is, use 1 ¾ cup of water for every 1 cup of quinoa. So, how can you make the best rice cooker quinoa?

Remember that sticky outer layer we previously mentioned? It's made of saponin, a bitter-tasting compound used in detergents and medicine. So, unless you're going for a sticky texture and soapy aftertaste, make sure to give your quinoa a good rinse before adding it to your rice cooker. Another helpful trick to nail the texture the first time is to brush the rice cooker with some olive oil (or any other cooking oil for that matter). The grease will keep the quinoa from sticking to the rice cooker. Once that's settled, simply put the quinoa in the main inner pot along with the water (you can also try using chicken or vegetable broth for some extra flavor) and a pinch of Kosher salt — one of the 10 salts experts recommend having in the kitchen — and close the lid. 

All you need to do then is set the timer for about 30 minutes, press start, and let the rice cooker do all the work as you lie back and watch an episode of your favorite TV show. As they cook, the grains' starches will absorb water through the tiny gaps in their cells, causing them to swell, soften, and turn beautifully fluffy. When the timer goes off, let the quinoa rest for a couple of minutes to finish steaming in order to reach that perfectly light texture. Then just plate it up, take a big, satisfying bite, and say goodbye to cooking quinoa the old-fashioned way for good.