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Cilantro Lime Quinoa is a simple, easy and totally delicious side dish made using quinoa instead of rice. Only 5 ingredients required! Instructions included for cooking quinoa on your stovetop, in your rice cooker, or your Instant Pot!
We’ve all seen those articles – “12 Kitchen Hacks to Save Time” or “The Only Kitchen Hacks You’ll Ever Need”, etc. And let’s face it: around 50% of those tips you already know, and 40% look like they might actually take more time. But then there’s the other 10% you actually want to try.
For me, making quinoa in a rice cooker was always in that 10%. So I tried it, and it’s awesome. So awesome that I added some cilantro, lime, and turned it into The Easiest Cilantro Lime Quinoa.
The first time I tried making quinoa in the rice cooker, I thought I was truly performing some kind of “kitchen hack”. Turns out, the quinoa we use actually provides instructions for cooking the quinoa in a rice cooker.
I’ve since decided it’s not really a hack, just how anyone with a rice cooker should always cook quinoa. Besides, it’s SO MUCH easier. Hence the name, The Easiest Cilantro Lime Quinoa.
Recipe Overview
Total Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Stovetop/Rice Cooker
Prep: Make-Ahead Friendly
What to serve this quinoa with:
This Lime Cilantro Quinoa makes a simple yet satisfying side dish for lots of meals, including:
- tacos or burritos of any kind
- taco salads with these Air Fryer Flour Tortilla Bowls
- steak or chicken like this Chipotle Lime Chicken Meal Prep
How to store this Cilantro Lime Quinoa:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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The Easiest Cilantro Lime Quinoa
Cilantro Lime Quinoa is a simple, easy and totally delicious side dish made with quinoa instead of rice. Instructions included for cooking quinoa on your stovetop, in your rice cooker, or your Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- coconut oil
- 1 cup dry white quinoa
- low sodium chicken broth (amount differs depending on cooking method)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Lime juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Stovetop
- Rinse your quinoa for a few seconds in a fine mesh strainer, if you desire. Cook quinoa in a medium saucepan according to the package directions, substituting chicken broth for water at a 1:1 ratio.
- When quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and let it cool for a few minutes. Combine the quinoa in a medium bowl with the garlic, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mix well and serve hot. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Rice Cooker
- Rinse your quinoa for a few seconds in a fine mesh strainer, if you desire.
- Use coconut oil to grease the inside of your rice cooker bowl.
- Add quinoa and 2 cups chicken broth to rice cooker, close lid and set to “rice” setting (I use the brown rice setting).
- When quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and let it cool for a few minutes. Combine the quinoa in a medium bowl with the garlic, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mix well and serve hot. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Instant Pot
- Rinse your quinoa for a few seconds in a fine mesh strainer, if you desire.
- Use coconut oil to grease the inside of Instant Pot cooking insert.
- Add quinoa and 1 1/4 cups chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Jiggle the Instant Pot insert to make sure all the quinoa is covered with water.
- Place the lid on, make sure the steam release is Sealed, and set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook for 1 minute. When it’s done pressure cooking, let the steam naturally release for 10 minutes, then hit the quick release valve. The quinoa will continue to cook during this time.
- After the float valve has gone down, remove the lid and fluff your quinoa with a fork. Let the quinoa cool for a couple minutes.
- Combine the quinoa in a medium bowl with the garlic, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Mix well and serve hot. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Basic instructions for cooking quinoa in a rice cooker can be found here. Basic instructions for cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot can be found here.
Recipe inspired by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch – Cilantro Lime Rice. Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup dry
- Calories: 202
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 31.2g
- Protein: 9.1g
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