A meal preper’s dream: no boiling water, no overflowing pots. Try this foolproof 1 Minute Instant Pot quinoa method and a quick quinoa salad you can assemble in minutes.
This post was sponsored by Tru Roots. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this blog possible.
I follow a ketogenic lifestyle, but not everyone in my household does. I share some non-keto recipes I make for others and simple tweaks to make them keto-friendly when needed.
My Instant Pot is my favorite kitchen tool and a meal prep essential. It shortens cooking time, keeps things from boiling over, and frees me up to do other tasks while meals cook.
The boyfriend doesn’t follow keto and tends to reach for carbs — sugar in his coffee, sandwiches, or quick processed snacks. This week I added quinoa to his lunches to give him a healthy carb option so he might skip some less-healthy choices.
I used TruRoots sprouted quinoa for this meal prep. Erica and I spent the day running errands and gathering ingredients for a week’s worth of recipes, and this was our last stop.
Pictured above is the finished result of the fail-proof Instant Pot quinoa method.
Fail-Proof 1 Minute Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe
- Place 1 tablespoon coconut oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot and set to Sauté.
- Cook until the coconut oil has melted.
- Press Cancel, then add 1.5 cups liquid. Homemade bone broth is my favorite, but stock or water works fine.
- Add 1 cup sprouted quinoa.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealed.
- Select Manual (High Pressure) and set the cook time to 1 minute.
- When the Instant Pot finishes, it will beep. Press Cancel/Keep Warm and allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Once pressure has fully released, carefully open the lid and watch for hot steam.
- Scoop the quinoa into a separate bowl and let it cool before using in salads or storing.
The “1 Minute” refers to the active high-pressure cook time. From start to finish it takes about 18–20 minutes because of time to come to pressure and natural release, but it’s completely hands-off and avoids stove-top messes.
1 Minute Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe + Quinoa Salad
Fail Proof 1 Minute Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe + Quinoa Salad
Lara Clevenger, Registered Dietitian
Ingredients
For the Quinoa
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1.5 cups bone broth or stock or water
- Pinch salt
For the salad
- 16 oz cooked chicken thigh
- 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- ¼ red onion
- 1 jalapeno
- Dressing of choice I like chipotle ranch or cilantro-lime dressing here.
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
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Place 1 tablespoon coconut oil in the Instant Pot and set to Sauté.
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Cook until the oil melts.
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Press Cancel and add 1.5 cups liquid (bone broth, stock, or water).
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Stir in 1 cup quinoa.
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Secure lid and set the valve to Sealed.
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Select Manual (High Pressure) and set to 1 minute.
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When cooking finishes, press Cancel/Keep Warm and allow natural pressure release.
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Carefully open the lid when pressure is fully released.
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Transfer quinoa to a bowl and let it cool before using or storing.
Nutrition
This is how I prepped lunches for my boyfriend this week. For myself I omitted the quinoa and added half an avocado to keep the salad keto-friendly.
Storage notes: let the quinoa cool completely before assembling salads. Place cooled quinoa at the bottom of containers, then add chicken, onions, jalapeno, and top with shredded lettuce. I use glass containers and pack dressing separately in a mason jar for the week.
If you want to try TruRoots quinoa, look for it at your local store — sprouted quinoa cooks quickly and holds up well in salads.
What did you meal prep this week? Let me know in the comments below.
I also made hard-boiled eggs, loaded cauliflower mash, and components for taco salads to round out my week of meals.
If you missed it, I recently posted a vlog about why I follow a ketogenic diet and how I balance meals for others in my household.
If you love your Instant Pot as much as I do, check out more favorite Instant Pot recipes on the blog for more hands-off, time-saving meals.