How to cook quinoa

What is quinoa?

• Quinoa is what’s known as a pseudocereal as it’s the seeds of a leafy plant a bit like spinach, but cooked and eaten like cereal crops such as rice, oats or wheat. Other pseudocereals include chia, buckwheat and amaranth.
• Quinoa comes in red, white and black varieties and all of them cook in the same way. Use quinoa in savoury recipes as you would couscous or in a sweet breakfast porridge. See our collection of quinoa recipes for more inspiration.
• Quinoa is special because it contains all the amino acids allowing it to qualify as a complete protein source. Find out more information on the health benefits of quinoa.