This nutty-tasting, nutrient-packed whole grain is easy to cook. Here’s how to enjoy it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Bored with brown rice? Over oatmeal? Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) just may become your new favorite whole-grain superfood to eat any time of day.

“Quinoa is a terrific food,” says Jill Weisenberger, R.D.N. She’s the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition. “It has a nice texture, and it’s very versatile,” she says. And because it’s gluten-free, “it’s a good option for someone with celiac disease or who is sensitive to gluten.”

Quinoa is a great grain option for vegetarians too. Unlike most other plant foods, “quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it has all 9 essential amino acids,” says Gigi Rubin, a New York City-based registered dietitian. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and your body needs them for various functions.

Quinoa is also an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that’s important for:

• Blood sugar management
• Heart health and blood pressure regulation
• Nerve function

So, are you ready to get cooking? Rubin and Weisenberger offer these suggestions for adding quinoa to breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Have a dietary question to ask a doctor? You can talk to them from the comfort of your own home. Learn about Teladoc Health’s HealthiestYou telehealth membership.  

Quinoa for breakfast

Bolster “the most important meal of the day” with quinoa. Here are a few creative ideas:

Sub quinoa for oatmeal. You’ll up the fiber content of your breakfast, plus you’ll get a plant-based complete protein, says Rubin. Try cooking quinoa in milk for a creamier porridge. Or cook it in a combination of orange juice and water spiked with cinnamon for a sweeter flavor, Weisenberger suggests.

Make a savory breakfast with quinoa. “Sauté some veggies such as scallions, mushrooms or whatever you like,” Weisenberger says. “Add cooked quinoa and put a fried egg on top.” From the veggies, you get a dose of antioxidants and fiber.

Bake some breakfast bars made with quinoa. These make a great on-the-go breakfast. “They’ll provide more protein than bars made with oats alone,” says Rubin. She recommends adding nuts and seeds for a boost of healthy fats and protein and dark chocolate chips and cinnamon for a sweet treat.

Quinoa for lunch

Add quinoa to lunch to keep you full and energized throughout the day. Try 1 of these tips:

Make a super salad. Adding grains to a salad can take it from side dish to main course. The protein and fiber in quinoa will keep you full until dinner (add nuts for even more staying power).

Weisenberger says that quinoa also gives an interesting texture and chewiness to a salad. Try this combo:

• Leafy greens
• Whole-grain quinoa
• Your favorite chopped vegetables
• Oily vinaigrette

Wrap it up. For a more portable lunch, wrap up quinoa in a whole-wheat tortilla with leafy greens and other veggies. Make it even more filling, suggests Rubin, by adding in an animal-based protein such as:

• Chicken
• Deli meat
• Eggs
• Tuna

Want to avoid waiting rooms? Learn more about virtual visit options.   

Quinoa for dinner

Add quinoa to your grain rotation with dinner. Or sneak it into entrees. Here are some suggestions:

Beef up meatballs. “Add some quinoa in place of breadcrumbs to help bind the meatballs,” Rubin says. And keep saturated fat in check by using the following as your meat source:

• Ground chicken
• Ground turkey
• Lean ground beef

If you’re watching your carbs, “serve the meatballs over veggie noodles or roasted vegetables in a hearty tomato sauce,” says Rubin. With quinoa added, this pasta dinner contains extra fiber, protein and vitamins from the veggies.

Make quinoa veggie burgers. For Meatless Mondays, Weisenberger has a similar trick for veggie burgers. “Instead of breadcrumbs, I put cooked quinoa into my burgers along with chickpeas or black beans,” she says. The quinoa keeps the burgers nice and moist, and you get an extra shot of protein too.

Swap in quinoa for rice. If you need a quick side dish, make a pilaf with quinoa instead of rice. (A pilaf is a rice-based dish native to the Middle East and India.) Weisenberger runs through how to make it:

• Cook the quinoa with canned tomatoes and their juice instead of water.
• Add some lime juice, fresh basil and chopped onion for a boost of flavor and color.

Whatever you opt to serve as a main course, this lively side adds fiber, protein and vitamins.

How to cook quinoa

Another great advantage of quinoa is that it cooks faster than most other grains. Here’s how to cook it:

1. Before you start, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinsing removes its slightly bitter taste.
2. For a nuttier flavor, you can toast quinoa first. Spread it in a thin layer in a skillet and cook, while stirring, over low heat until its color deepens. (This step is optional.)
3. Add quinoa and water to a saucepan (you’ll need 2 cups of water for each 1 cup of quinoa). Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit covered for another 15 minutes.

For more flavor, you can use broth instead of water (look for low-sodium broth if you’re watching your salt intake). Or sauté the quinoa with olive oil, chopped onions and spices before adding the liquid.

Make a big batch so that you’ll have leftover quinoa to add to any dish at the last minute.

Quinoa has a mild flavor, so it goes well with lots of different dishes and cuisines. Weisenberger encourages you to get creative and try it with a wide variety of foods.

“There are thousands of phytochemicals [plant nutrients]. And you get a different variety in various foods,” she says. Eating lots of different foods means you’ll get lots of different nutrients every day. And add in a little quinoa wherever you can.

Talk to a doctor about changes you can make to your diet — without leaving your home. Explore virtual visit options today, or call a licensed insurance agent at 1-844-211-7730 for more information.

For informational purposes only. This information is compiled by UnitedHealthcare, and/or one of its affiliates, and does not diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment. Services and medical technologies referenced herein may not be covered under your plan. Please consult directly with your primary care physician if you need medical advice.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic. “Amino Acids.” Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22243-amino-acids Accessed December 18, 2024.

Colorado State University. “Quinoa Confused? Read Our How-To Guide!” January 2024. Retrieved from https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/krnc/monthly-blog/quinoa-confused-read-our-how-to-guide/

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Magnesium.” March 2023. Retrieved from https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/magnesium/

Compliance code:
51853-X-1224