Quinoa can have a bitter surface coating called saponin. Rinsing removes remaining coating before cooking, although many packets are already pre-rinsed. The small grains need a finer sieve than the colander you would use for pasta.
Step by step
Check the packet first
Measure the quinoa dry. Read whether it has been pre-rinsed and follow the manufacturer’s preparation instructions. Do not assume all quinoa needs an extended soak.
Choose a fine enough sieve
Put a few dry grains into the sieve to check that they cannot fall through, then add the rest. Work in batches if the sieve is too small for the quantity.
Rinse and move the grains
Hold under cool running water and stir the quinoa gently with clean fingers or a spoon so the water reaches the whole batch. Continue according to the packet’s instructions.
Drain and transfer
Let water drip away, then tip into the cooking pan. A spoon helps collect grains stuck to the mesh. Add the measured cooking liquid and follow the recipe rather than judging liquid by the quinoa’s wet weight.
Grains escaping or sticking
A pasta colander often has holes that are too large. Use a fine sieve or a clean, food-safe fine cloth lining and avoid tipping grains into the sink. Thorough draining keeps the amount of extra rinse water small, but it does not turn rinsed quinoa back into a dry measurement.
