Measure out 1 cup of quinoa. Place in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse and drain.
Add 1-2 cups of water in your steel pot (depending on the size of your cooker). Place a metal trivet in the pot.
Add the quinoa to an ovenproof bowl that fits in your pressure cooker, with about an inch space all around and place the quinoa bowl on top of the trivet.
Add water (or broth), olive oil (if using) and salt to the bowl and stir.
Close the lid, set to 'sealing'. Cook for 1 minute at HIGH pressure. Let the pressure release naturally (takes about 5-7 minutes). Open the lid after the pin drops. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Instant Pot Main Pot
Measure out 1 cup of quinoa. Place in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse and drain.
Add to the steel pot of your electric pressure cooker. Add water (or broth), olive oil (if using) and salt and give it a stir.
Close the lid, set to 'sealing'. Cook for 1 minute at HIGH pressure. Let the pressure release naturally (takes about 5-7 minutes). Open the lid after pin drops. Gently fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Video
Notes
Rinse the quinoa. This washes away the bitter outer coating and produces a fluffier grain.
Make sure to use a fine-mesh sieve when rinsing since the holes in a colander are simply too big and the seeds will fall right through.
Easily double or triple the recipe. You can double or triple this recipe by multiplying the ingredients. The pressure cooking time stays the same. Just keep in mind that the pot will take longer to pressurize, so the total time will increase.
Natural pressure release. Letting the pot release pressure naturally allows the quinoa to steam cook in gentle heat and results in fluffy quinoa.
Cook time variation: Just like rice, quinoa grains differ in quality. If your quinoa doesn't turn soft and fluffy after cooking, add another minute or two next time (2-3 minutes pressure cook time).
Serving Size: 1 cup of uncooked quinoa yields about 3 cups of cooked quinoa. The average serving size is ½ cup, so this quantity should give you 6 servings. Adjust based on your needs.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates based on quinoa made with water and olive oil. The nutrition will vary based on the liquid you use. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.