Sous Vide Quinoa
Looking for a delicious and easy way to cook quinoa? Try Sous Vide Quinoa! This method using an immersion circulator is simple and produces perfectly cooked quinoa every time. Quinoa is a great addition to salads or as a side dish with your favorite protein.
Can you cook quinoa sous vide? Yes! Just like sous vide rice, cooking quinoa is easy to make following simple steps.
Quinoa is a grain that originates from South America and was first cultivated by the Inca civilization in Peru. It is a pseudocereal, meaning that it is not technically a cereal grain because it does not come from grasses like wheat or rice. Quinoa is considered a superfood because it is high in protein and fiber and low in fat. It is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also gluten-free and can be cooked in a variety of ways.
Normally, quinoa is cooked just like rice in a pot with water or broth. But cooking quinoa in sous vide is an even easier way to get perfectly cooked quinoa without having to watch it boil on the stove. Sous vide quinoa comes out fluffy and light, and it’s easy to make a big batch all at once.
The benefit of cooking quinoa with sous vide over a pot with water is that you can cook it at a lower temperature and it will not get overcooked. With sous vide, the quinoa is cooked slowly and evenly, which prevents any of the nutrients from being lost.
Ready to learn how to make sous vide quinoa? Let’s do it!
💧Ingredients & Tools
- Quinoa – You can use any variety of quinoa you enjoy including white, red, or black quinoa.
- Water – Use good quality water to mix with your quinoa as it will fully absorb into the grain. You’ll also need water to fill up the water bath for the immersion circulator.
- Salt & Pepper – This is used to simply season the quinoa, but you can use any seasonings you like depending on what dish you’re making.
- Immersion Circulator – This is a machine that heats and circulates water to a set temperature, allowing you to cook food sous vide. You can use any type of immersion circulator for this recipe though I love my Anova Immersion Circulator.
- Skillet – Though optional, toasting your quinoa in a skillet helps bring out its naturally nutty flavor which greatly improves the taste.
👩🏻🍳Check Out: 5 BEST SOUS VIDE ACCESSORIES FOR A PERFECT COOKING EXPERIENCE
🥣 How To Make Sous Vide Quinoa
1️⃣ Prepare your water bath: Add the immersion circulator to a large pot of water. Insert the sous vide and bring the temperature up to 180F.
2️⃣ Toast Quinoa: (OPTIONAL) To toast quinoa, simply add it to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for five minutes stirring frequently until the quinoa is evenly toasted and a fragrant nutty flavor is released. Once the quinoa is toasted, remove it from the heat and set it aside until completely cooled.
3️⃣ Combine Quinoa & Water: Add the quinoa, salt and pepper, and water to a quart-sized bag or container. Vacuum seal the bag or use the water displacement method.
4️⃣ Cook Quinoa in Sous Vide: Place the sealed bag/container into your immersion circulator and cook at 180F for one hour. All the water will be absorbed once cooked.
5️⃣ Remove and fluff: Let the quinoa cool for 10 minutes, then open the bag carefully. Add the cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Serve while hot.
🍶Sous Vide Quinoa In A Jar
If you’d like to make a quinoa salad, you can sous vide the quinoa in a jar. Add the water and quinoa into an appropriate-sized mason jar and add to the heated water bath. Cook for 2-3 hours until all the water is fully absorbed.
👩🏻🍳 Chef’s Tips
- When toasting the quinoa, make sure it is completely cooled before adding it to a bag to cook. Quinoa that is too hot will melt the plastic on the bag.
- The best quinoa to water ratio is 1 cup of dry quinoa to 1 1/2 cups of water. You can experiment with the water ratio depending on how fluffy you like your quinoa.
- Remove quinoa from the water bath, let it cool a bit as the steam inside is very hot.
- If you’re making a big batch to store for later in the fridge place it in an ice bath after cooking for 10 minutes before storing it in the fridge.
🧊 Storage & Freezing
Storing: Cooked sous vide quinoa will last in the fridge for up to five days. Store it in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag with as much air removed as possible.
Freezing: To freeze quinoa, place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, let the quinoa thaw overnight in the fridge and then heat in the microwave or on the stove.
❔FAQ
Yes, sous vide quinoa can be made in jars. Simply add the quinoa and water into an appropriate-sized mason jar and add to the heated water bath. Cook for two to three hours or until all of the water is fully absorbed.
Yes, sous vide quinoa can be frozen right in the bag or container it was cooked in. Make sure it is fully cooled, then place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.
Weck jars are not recommended for sous vide cooking as the temperature range is not wide enough. They will work for some recipes, but quinoa is one that does better with a wider temperature range.
More Easy Sous Vide Recipes
Sous Vide Quinoa
Equipment
- Large Pot for water bath
- Skillet optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa white, red, or black
- 1 ½ cup Water
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Add the immersion circulator to a large pot of water. Insert the sous vide and bring the temperature up to 180F.
- (OPTIONAL) To toast quinoa, simply add it to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for about five minutes stirring frequently until the quinoa is evenly toasted and a fragrant nutty flavor is released. Once the quinoa is toasted, remove it from the heat and set it aside until completely cooled.
- Add the quinoa, salt and pepper, and water to a quart-sized bag or container. Vacuum seal the bag or use the water displacement method.
- Place the sealed bag/container into your immersion circulator and cook at 180F for one hour or until all of the water is absorbed.
- Let the quinoa cool for 10 minutes, then open the bag carefully. Add the cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Serve while hot.
Sous Vide Quinoa In A Glass Jar
- Add the water and quinoa into an appropriate-sized mason jar and add to the heated water bath. Cook for 2-3 hours or until all the water is fully absorbed.
