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.
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.
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:
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:
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:
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. You're ready to go!
My favorite quinoa recipes:
Baked Turkey, Quinoa & Zucchini Meatballs in Lettuce Wraps
Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Kalamata Olives & Mint
Vegetarian Stew with Quinoa, Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk
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
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa or more
- 2 cups water or more
- *The ratio of water to quinoa is 2 to 1.
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
Nutrition
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.
Priya Yallapantula
wow, this is so very useful. I am so going to use it, It will be handy for time crunches. Thanks and I am going to go over your quinoa recipes too 🙂
Shar|Tickled Red
Great tips darlin'!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
I need to do this -- it makes consuming quinoa so much more easier and faster 🙂
Paula - bell'alimento
Such a great idea Dara!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
This is such a great idea. A perfect way to encourage me to use more quinoa.
Kelsey
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!
Lisa Petr
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.
GBark
Yum! Got to try this right away. Extra quinoa just waiting in the fridge.
Kristy @ Sweet Treats & More
Such a great idea! Love this link up--seeing lots of great quinoa recipes. I linked up as well:)
claudia ellis
ok so I don't have a blog, but I love your recipes 🙂 One of my most loved quinoa recipes is "quinoa and black beans". It is quick, versatile, delicious and most importantly family approved. Can be used as a side dish or all on its own. The recipe comes from here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-and-Black-Beans/
Joanne
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.
MyFrogs
This is how I freeze everything, soups, rice, etc! Then I have a basket in my freezer that they fit in perfectly standing up!
Miranda
Such a good idea! How long does quinoa last in the freezer?