How to Freeze Quinoa {And Fantastic Quinoa Recipes}

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This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Stock up your freezer with this versatile grain so you can have it on hand for quick salad, soups & side dishes.
This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Quinoa. It’s everywhere – in salads, in stews, even in meatballs. But did you know that you can freeze quinoa? The next time you whip up a pot of the healthy grain, use this tutorial on how to freeze quinoa, go a little overboard and make a triple, or even a quadruple, batch. Defrost it in the microwave and use it however you please. Easy as pie…well, or quinoa.

How to freeze quinoa:

Cook the quinoa:

And since you’re freezing, be sure to cook extra! In a medium to large saucepan (depending on how much quinoa you’re cooking), combine one part quinoa with two parts water.

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.

Let it cool:

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet (or two) and spread the cooked grain out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.

Measure and bag it:

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Measure the quinoa into the desired amounts and scoop into resealable plastic bags. I typically use the sandwich-sized Ziploc bags, which hold 2 cups of cooked quinoa.

Let out the air:

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Squeeze all of the air out of the bags and seal them. Place the small Ziploc bags into larger freezer-proof Ziploc bags.

To defrost:

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Keep this versatile grain on hand in the freezer for quick salad, soups & side dishes.

Take one or more bags out of the freezer and allow the quinoa to defrost at room temperature. Alternatively, dump the quinoa into a bowl (you may have to cut the Ziploc bag open with scissors to get the quinoa out) and cook it in the microwave for one minute. You’re ready to go!

My favorite quinoa recipes:

How to: Freeze Quinoa {And Quinoa Recipe Link-Up} #quinoa #healthy

Baked Turkey, Quinoa & Zucchini Meatballs in Lettuce Wraps
Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Kalamata Olives & Mint
Vegetarian Stew with Quinoa, Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk

How to: Freeze Quinoa {And Quinoa Recipe Link-Up} #quinoa #healthy

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa
Salad Cups with Quinoa, Shrimp, Avocado & Lemon Dressing
Black Quinoa Salad with Orange & Cumin Dressing

How to: Freeze (& Cook) Quinoa

This tutorial on How to Freeze Quinoa will change your cooking life! Stock up your freezer with this versatile grain so you can have it on hand for quick salad, soups & side dishes.
Print Pin Rate
Course: How To
Keyword: Freeze Quinoa
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 cups cooked quinoa
Calories: 626kcal
Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa or more
  • 2 cups water or more
  • *The ratio of water to quinoa is 2 to 1.

Special Equipment

  • Baking sheets
  • Small Ziploc bags
  • Large freezer Ziploc bags

Instructions

  • In a medium to large saucepan (depending on how much quinoa you’re cooking), combine one part quinoa with two parts water.
  • Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
  • Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet (or two) and spread the cooked grain out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.
  • Measure the quinoa into the desired amounts and scoop into resealable plastic bags. I typically use the sandwich-sized Ziploc bags, which hold 2 cups of cooked quinoa.
  • Squeeze all of the air out of the bags and seal them. Place the small Ziploc bags into larger freezer-proof Ziploc bags.
  • To defrost, take one or more bags out of the freezer and allow the quinoa to defrost at room temperature. Alternatively, dump the quinoa into a bowl (you may have to cut the Ziploc bag open with scissors to get the quinoa out) and cook it in the microwave for one minute.

Notes

WW (Old Points) 2 / WW (Points+) 3

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 27mg | Fiber: 12g
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Comments

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Mar 4, 2013 at 9:43 am

      Cassie, I wish I had known about this years ago. Now there will be no stopping me!

      Reply

  4. Elizabeth says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 7:24 am

    Thank you so much for this! I just bought quinoa for the first time and I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. Great ideas, and now I know I can just cook the entire bag and freeze it.

    Reply

  6. Deborah says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 7:58 am

    I don’t cook with quinoa nearly enough. But I did just post a recipe last Friday – perfect timing!! And I can imagine I’d eat a lot more if it was already prepared – love this!

    Reply

  8. Rachel Cooks says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 8:26 am

    I always,make a whole box/bag of quinoa when I cook it and freeze the rest. Love this trick. Will link up some recipes later when I’m on my computer 🙂

    Reply

  9. RK says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 9:23 am

    I like to add it to scrambled eggs with spinach & other veggies….so have been freezing quinoa to decrease prep time. It is so handy to have it pre-prepared in the freezer!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Mar 4, 2013 at 9:46 am

      What a great idea to add it to scrambled eggs. I’ll have to try that next time.

      Reply

  16. kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 11:38 am

    Great idea, Dara!
    I’ve shared this link with my friend Jenny who is the Queen of Quinoa. I still think they look like unfurled prophylactics when cooked and I’ll choose a different grain to try out the recipes.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  18. Donna says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    Wow. SUCH a great idea – it is a bit of a pain to make – so this will encourage me to eat more quinoa. Brilliant photos/graphics, too!

    Reply

  20. Cindy @ Kicking it In says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    Dara, I just got some new quinoa and will do this tomorrow with my brown rice! I am SO excited try these amazing recipes – what a resource! I admit to being a little under-creative with what to do with quinoa but no more. Thanks!

    Reply

  21. Joanne says

    Mar 4, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    Great idea Dara. Thought I would pass a tip on to you.
    To Freeze items in ziplock bags. Put items in ziploc bag, press all the air out
    And squeeze all the contents in the bag to make
    The bag flat, dry each bag . Label with sharpie whats in the bag aling with the date. Lay each bag on a cookie sheet, you can stack them
    If you need to. And then freeze. When the bags are frozen
    You are able to stack them in your freezer. This is also good
    For quick thawing.

    Reply

  24. Lisa Petr says

    Mar 5, 2013 at 8:29 am

    Quinoa Pesto and Goat Cheese Patties
    This is kind of a clean out your fridge type recipe – measures are very approximate. Add more or less to your taste and omit or add as you see fit.
    Ingredients:
    1 cup quinoa cooked – or whatever is left over
    1 egg or The Vegg egg yolk substitute or 1 tbsp flax and 3 tbsp water
    1 – 2 tbsp pesto any kind, I love basil and also sundried tomato
    1 – 2 tbsp goat cheese or feta cheese crumbled
    Any mixed cooked veg you have on hand chopped, roasted red peppers from a jar are good too.
    Cherry tomatoes quarted
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Directions:
    Mix it all together in a bowl until it holds together.
    Make golf ball sized patties and flatten. Fry in a pan with a bit of oil until cripy and brown on both sides. Serve warm with a salad or cool and freeze for another lunch. Thaw on counter for a couple of hours or microwave to use.
    Options: add curry spice, rasins, chopped olives, green chilies, garlic, herbs etc to make it to your own taste. I also sometimes use italian salad dressing in blace of the pesto.

    Reply

  25. Kelsey says

    Mar 5, 2013 at 9:21 am

    I just read that quinoa is freezable in one of my food mags this month. Thanks for the reminder. This will make healthy weekday meals so much easier!

    Reply

  31. Aggie says

    Mar 7, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    What an awesome useful post Dara. I did not know I could freeze quinoa. I would use it so much more if all I had to do was pull it out if the freezer. Love the collection of recipes too! YUM

    Reply

  32. kelley says

    Mar 11, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    What a fantastic idea! I’ve never thought of freezing quinoa but it should would be a time savor on those busy nights. Love the poster board with quinoa on it- how did you get it to stay so nice?:)

    Reply

  33. Audrey says

    Jun 12, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    BETTER WAY TO FREEZE almost anything is to add one step: Instead of “squeezing all the air out” on your counter, which is physically and scientifically impossible, squeeze MORE air out by closing the ziploc almost all the way, leaving a small opening vent. Immerse the bag slowly into a large bowl filled with water until most of the air has escaped the ziploc. Ensure the ziploc is squeezed from one end to the other while the bag is under the water (I get all the way to the zipper). When you lift the bag out of the water you will see what I mean: You will have much less freezer burn, things will last a little longer in the freezer.

    Reply

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  37. Stacy says

    Aug 19, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    other cooked-quinoa ideas we love:
    -To hot, cooked quinoa, add a LITTLE parmesan cheese (and maybe mozzarella or WQ”{+)
    ) , and home-roasted or steamed vegetables (from the freezer), microwave more if needed for heat.
    -Add (left-over?) chopped & cooked pork, chicken, etc to quinoa

    Reply

  38. Stacy says

    Aug 19, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    This site keeps altering what I’ve typed and will NOT let me correct or retract the entries.
    I’m sorry I can’t CORRECTLY share our favorites with you. 🙁

    Reply

    • Dara says

      Aug 20, 2015 at 6:11 am

      Hi Stacy,
      I’m sorry that you’re having difficulties with commenting. I did receive your previous comment, with quinoa ideas. Thank you for sharing those!

      Reply

  39. Susan says

    Oct 18, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    I found your web site when I cooked quinoa for the first time and underestimated how much it makes. (Picture Ricky and Fred cooking quinoa instead of rice.) I am relieved that cooked quinoa can be frozen and look forward to trying your recipes!

    Reply

  40. Liz Cullinane says

    Nov 3, 2016 at 10:19 am

    You are brilliant and I really look forward to seeing and making your recipes.

    Thanks again. Dara, have you tried to freeze cooked spaghetti squash?

    cheers

    Reply

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