Can you reheat quinoa? - The best way

Quinoa is a very healthy grain to add to your eating plan and can add a lot of variety to your dinner as an alternative to rice or other grain dishes.

However, it takes a little longer to cook than rice, so to save time, you may be tempted to cook the quinoa in batches to use throughout the week.

Once cooked, can quinoa be reheated?  Yes, quinoa is one of the easiest grains to refrigerate or freeze and reheat at will. The fastest way to reheat quinoa is by using the microwave, but the oven and stove are just as useful in their own ways.

Quinoa is a staple in my house, and over the years I’ve discovered some helpful tips and techniques for reheating quinoa so it always tastes freshly cooked.

The Complete Guide to Reheating Quinoa

In this article, we’ll talk about the best ways to store and reheat quinoa for delicious, nutritious grains in a matter of minutes.

How to store cooked quinoa

The first step to perfectly reheating quinoa is making sure you store it properly. It’s not difficult, but you do want to make sure you let the quinoa cool completely before packing it tightly in a resealable Tupperware container or even a Ziploc bag.

If you remove all the air from the container, the quinoa will stay fresh longer in the fridge, so be diligent with this step.

How long does cooked quinoa last in the fridge?  If you’ve followed the instructions above to properly store quinoa, it should stay fresh and tasty in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If there are additional ingredients mixed in with the quinoa, you should keep it for only as long as the most quickly consumed ingredient lasts.

For example, if you mixed eggs or meat with the grains, you should reheat it and eat it within 2-3 days maximum.

You can tell if your quinoa has gone bad mainly by the texture, that it will lose its moisture and become tough. If left too long or improperly stored, mold can grow, which you will see visibly.

Can you eat cold quinoa?

Before you decide how you are going to reheat the quinoa, stop and ask yourself if it needs to be reheated.

Can you eat cold quinoa? Yes, one of the best things about quinoa is its wonderful cold flavor. You can mix some fresh vegetables and dressing into pre-cooked and refrigerated quinoa for a hearty salad, use it as a filling inside a wrap, or even add a little milk, nuts, and raisins for an alternative to cereal in the morning. 

Of course, not everyone likes to eat cold quinoa, especially during the winter months when most of us crave a hot meal in our bellies.

Simple steps to reheat quinoa

If you’re hell-bent on reheating quinoa, here are some tried-and-true tips to help you get perfectly moist grains, every time.

Using the microwave to heat the quinoa

Reheating quinoa in the microwave is quick and easy, but there’s a secret to always being successful: use the largest dish that will fit in your microwave, and break up the quinoa as much as possible before heating it.

If you microwave it in one big chunk, it will heat unevenly, leaving the center cold and the outer edges dry.

To make sure the quinoa stays moist, make a small opening in the center of the dish and add a tablespoon or two of water to the center. This will help add some steam to the heating, cooling your previously cooked beans.

Heat in short 30-45 second bursts, stirring the quinoa in between to evenly distribute heat and moisture. If you have a microwaveable lid, this will also help keep some of the steam inside the beans.

If you don’t have a lid, you can place a sheet or two of moistened kitchen paper over the quinoa to further protect the moisture.

You should also make sure you don’t heat the beans in a plastic container, which can leach harmful chemicals into your food, even if it says it’s BPA-free. Always use a glass or ceramic dish in the microwave.

Reheat the quinoa on the stove

When you heat the quinoa in a pan on the stove you have two options:

1. Fry it in a pan
   1. If you fry the previously cooked quinoa in oil, the outer edges will be slightly crispy, giving a fried rice feel to your meal.
   2. You just have to heat a little oil in a deep frying pan and add the quinoa.
   3. Stir continuously and heat just enough to get hot.
   4. If you cook it too long, it will start to dry out. It shouldn’t take more than 5-7 minutes.

2. steamed version

   1. If you want the quinoa to look like it was just boiled, add water to the pan with the quinoa.
   2. Heat over low heat, tightly covered so that the beans rehydrate with the steam.
   3. Stir frequently and feel free to add more water if the quinoa seems to be getting dry or sticky. More water will fix both of these problems.

Reheat the quinoa in the oven

If you prefer to use the oven to reheat the quinoa, you will need a casserole dish with a good lid to prevent the grains from drying out when reheated.

If you don’t have a pan with a tight-fitting lid, you can also use aluminum foil to line a cookie sheet or other ovenproof dish.

Add a little bit of water to the quinoa before putting it in the oven, usually about 4 tablespoons for each cup of quinoa cooked to prevent it from drying out. Beans soak up liquid hungrily, so don’t worry about adding a little extra, it’s better dry and crunchy.

Heat at 350F for 10-15 minutes, checking occasionally and stirring if necessary.

Alternative Methods for Reheating Quinoa

If you want to get creative, here are other utensils you can use to reheat quinoa, depending on how stocked your kitchen cabinets are:

• Toaster
• steamer
• crock pot
• instant pot
• Add it to a freshly cooked soup

Can quinoa be frozen? - How to freeze quinoa

Yes, quinoa freezes very well and it’s very easy. The most important part of freezing quinoa is making sure it cools completely before packaging and placing it in the freezer.

You can put the cooked and cooled quinoa in a freezer-safe Tupperware container or Ziploc bag.

It is important to pack the quinoa well to reduce the amount of air surrounding each grain . The less air, the fewer ice crystals will form on the quinoa and the more protected it will be from freezer burn.

Defrost frozen quinoa

The best way to thaw frozen quinoa is to take it out of the freezer the night before using it and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.  You can also leave it on the counter or in the sink at room temperature and it will defrost a little faster.

If you’re in a hurry, you can fill a bowl or sink with warm (not hot!) water and place the carefully sealed quinoa in the water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the quinoa is thawed.

It’s not a good idea to try to thaw the quinoa in the microwave, as it will be uneven, and you’ll probably end up with a weird combination of dry and sticky quinoa.

Let it thaw completely, then reheat it using one of the methods above.

Related questions

Can you cook quinoa in a rice cooker?

Yes, quinoa cooks very well in a rice cooker . You will need 2 cups of water for every cup of dry (rinsed) quinoa.

Cooking time will vary slightly depending on your model, but shouldn’t take more than 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

For an added kick and a burst of delicious flavor, try swapping the water for the coconut milk. If you’re not sold on the richness, try 1 cup of water and 1 cup of coconut milk .

Can you eat quinoa raw?

Raw quinoa grains aren’t very tempting, but as long as they’re carefully rinsed, there’s actually no harm in eating them raw.

When it comes to flavor and texture, most people will enjoy the grains much more if they are sprouted or cooked, and you can also make flour by grinding raw quinoa into a fine powder.

Is it necessary to rinse quinoa before cooking it?

Yes, you should always rinse quinoa before cooking unless the package explicitly states that it is pre-rinsed. Even then, it doesn’t hurt to get in the habit of rinsing it anyway.

Quinoa has a natural coating of pesticides called saponins.  It’s not overly dangerous to eat, but it tastes bitter and may cause mild irritation if you have a sensitive stomach.

Does quinoa cause bloating and/or gas?

In fact, quinoa is often used as an alternative to foods known to cause gas and bloating, because it’s so much easier to digest than wheat or beans.

Quinoa is a delicious, light, and nutritious flour that has many advantages over using wheat flour, including fewer digestive issues.

It’s also high in protein , making it a good substitute for lentils and kidney beans , which are common sources of protein in plant-based diets but can cause gas.