Wondering how much quinoa you need to cook per person? Find how much it increases in size, the correct water ratio, the best types of quinoa to use, and how much you need to cook per every quest no matter if we’re talking about cooking or raw quinoa.
Before we will start talking about the quinoa serving size per person, let’s find what types of quinoa are on the market and which of them should you choose.
Best Types of Quinoa
White Quinoa
White quinoa is the most often type of quinoa that you will find in the stores.
You may find it also under the name ivory quinoa or just quinoa.
It is the most popular for a reason. White quinoa is the most versatile of all types of quinoa.
The white quinoa has the most delicate and fine taste, it is a bit fluffier than other types of quinoa and has the lightest texture.
Red Quinoa
Red quinoa is another type of quinoa that is usually used for salads as it keeps its shape better after cooking. So, if you need to keep the texture of this distinct grain then opt for the red quinoa.
Black Quinoa
The black quinoa has a stronger nutty flavor and it also needs more time to cook it.
Besides the strongest flavor, black quinoa also has the highest amounts of fibers and the lowest amount of fat.
How Much Does Quinoa Increase in Size?
Usually, the dried quinoa increases about 3 times in size after soaking. So, for every 1 cup of dry quinoa, you will get 3 cups of cooked quinoa.
How Much Quinoa to Serve Per Person?
It all depends on your intentions of how you plan to serve the quinoa. If you plan to serve it as a side dish, then you will need to use ⅓ cup of dried (uncooked) quinoa or ¾ – 1 cup of cooked quinoa per person.
In other words, for one serving of quinoa, you will need 2 oz / 60 grams of dried quinoa.
Furthermore, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, which is one serving for 1 person, has 222 calories.
How Much Dry Quinoa Is Needed for 2 Cups of Cooked Quinoa?
If we will go from the basic formula of 1 to 3, then for the 2 cups of cooked quinoa, you need to use 2/3 cup of dry quinoa.
Perfect Quinoa to Liquids Ratio
If you want to cook perfect quinoa then I will recommend opting for a ratio of 1:2.
That means for every cup of quinoa, you need to use two cups of vegetable or chicken stock.
If you don’t have the stock under your hands, you can replace it with water.
So, for every serving of dried quinoa (2 oz / 60 grams), you need to add 4 fl oz / 122 ml of stock or water.
Bonus. How to Cook a Perfect Quinoa.
- Measure the right amount of quinoa you need to cook. Keep in mind that you need 1/3 cup of dried quinoa per person.
- Rinse the quinoa.
- Pour water over the quinoa and let it boil on high heat.
- Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
Is Quinoa Better Than Rice?
Quinoa is much richer in fibers, proteins, and nutrients. For example, a cup of quinoa has a double amount of proteins.
Also, quinoa has fewer calories and carbohydrates than regular white rice.
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