How to Cook Tri Color Quinoa

How to cook tri color quinoa on stovetop or pressure cooker quinoa to fluffy is here. A high protein side dish that is naturally gluten free

How to Cook Tri Color Quinoa

Ok so if you have had this at a restaurant you may have been blown away at how much better it was vs. Ninja Foodi wild rice. I agree. It is the closest thing I could compare this too though if I had to explain it to someone totally unfamiliar. With a somewhat tough exterior you can get it to fork tender with some time but it will always have a bit of “bite” to it.

What I mean by that is the difference between a darker grain and let’s say Instant Pot white rice texture wise is because of the hull being in tact. The same goes for white quinoa and this mixed variety which has that, red quinoa and black all together. Quite pretty if you ask me really.

Tri Colored Quinoa

How to cook plain tri color quinoa on the stove over medium high heat goes like this; bring 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt to a boil, then add 1 cup of grains. Bring to a boil again and then reduce to medium heat and put the lid on to cook for 12 minutes until water is absorbed.

Then turn heat off, leave lid on for additional 15 minutes to become tender. Fluff and serve. The standing time is a must, you can’t skip it. Resting and steaming in a sealed pot allows the grain to open up essentially revealing the softer interior you can then enjoy. Without that it would still be rather crunchy and not enjoyable to eat.

There are directions below in the recipe card for plain and fluffy as is or with a bunch of flavor, more of a Mexican quinoa of sorts.

Ingredients

• 2/3 c quinoa tri color used, measured dry
• 1 c broth is better than water
• 1/2 tsp salt and pepper are basic seasonings
• 1 tbsp olive oil is best for texture

Variations

You can add the other following ingredients as add ins to add a bunch of flavor or you can just follow the basics with seasonings to make it tender.

• 1 bell pepper diced we like
• Corn that is canned and drained
• 2 tomatoes diced
• Red onion diced
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/5 tsp cumin

If you want it simple with just salt and pepper you’d follow these same instructions as far as the timing and heat but leave out the other ingredients. You just need a quinoa to water ratio of 1 cup of dried quinoa to 2 of water, or double the liquids. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t dry out or bubble over. As soon as it’s absorbed, add the lid to seal and let it sit to fluff, then enjoy.

Tri Color Quinoa Recipe

• Rinse grains in a fine mesh strainer to with cold water.
• In a pan on your stovetop fry chopped red onion and bell pepper in your hot olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir and lower to low heat.
• Add corn, tomatoes and pre rinsed quinoa to the pan.
• Pour in the broth, and also add salt and spices.
• Stir and cook covered over low heat for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir halfway thru and keep an eye on it near the end.
• Turn heat off as soon as water is absorbed.
• Leave lid on for 5 minutes beyond that until perfectly fluffy quinoa that is fork tender.
• Fluff with a fork and serve with avocado, fresh parsley on top with a fresh squeeze of lime over each serving.

Instant Pot Tri Color Quinoa

You can make pressure cooker tricolor quinoa plain too. Works the same way in your Ninja Foodi too using the pressure cook function. For that method you instead just need 2 minutes of cook time, for real. Don’t lift the lid though, you still need that extra 15 minutes of natural release time to get the texture just right.

Mixed Quinoa Nutrition

Tri-color quinoa is very high in protein, and contains all nine essential amino acids. One cup of cooked quinoa contains approximately 8 grams of protein. A small bowl is also a good source of dietary fiber, which can help to regulate digestion, control blood sugars, and lower cholesterol. 1 cup cooked = approximately 5 grams of fiber.

Not only is it a good source of several important vitamins and minerals, it also contains antioxidants like and is naturally gluten-free,

How to Cook Tri Color Quinoa in Rice Cooker

This is possible if it is your method of choice as well. Needing the same cook time as white rice you would use that button and add once again the ratio of 1 cup dry to 2 cups liquid of your choice. Keep in mind that broth will give your quinoa taste a bit more salt and flavor than just water. Once the time is up leave the lid on for an additional 5 minutes, then lift, fluff and serve.

How to Cook Black Quinoa

If you wanted to try the darkest of the 3 you would just adjust the cook time to closer to 20 minutes, red quinoa alone is 15 and white by itself is at 12. The lighter the color the less time needed to get tender basically.

How to Save Leftover Cooked Quinoa

I will say that this saves much better than rice does. You don’t really need to refrigerate it necessarily and if you don’t it won’t dry out as much. If I make it in a rice cooker I will leave what is left with the lid on and reheat the next day. Beyond an extra 24 hours later it is hard to revive it, so eat it within that timeframe.

When you reheat leftovers spoon 1-2 tbsp of broth over the top, toss to moisten and microwave for 1 minute. Halfway thru stir so it heats all the way thru and enjoy with a meal. OR you can make it sweet as we did with our breakfast quinoa recipe with some honey and fresh fruits.

Jump to recipe and come up with your own add ins that you love. Add diced jalapenos if you want to make it spicy. Want to keep it a simple side dish but love garlic? Add 1 tbsp of minced with the water so it permeates each bite and enjoy that way with chicken. So many possibilities.