This is the easiest way to make perfectly delicious quinoa, a grain that contains all 9 essential amino acids, iron, vitamins B and E, calcium, and antioxidants. It also has high levels of magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus, which help with the absorption of calcium. This technique works well with other grains, too.
Preheat oven to 250°F
Place quinoa in a pot or bowl and rinse several times, swishing the water with your hands and then pouring through a fine mesh strainer, to clean and remove the naturally occurring saponins which can make quinoa taste bitter or soapy. I usually repeat this “swish and strain” three times.
Place washed quinoa in medium-size oven safe sauce pan or pot. Add water and salt.
Bring to a boil on stove top uncovered. Allow to boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Cover and place in oven for 30 minutes.
Quinoa is done when all the water is absorbed. Remove from oven and test quinoa with chopsticks. It should just be starting to stick to the bottom. Fluff with chopsticks or a fork. Cover and allow to rest for minutes before serving.
Note: You can make brown, black, or red rice the same way in the oven. Rice is 1 cup dry rice to 1 3/4 cups water. If you soak rice first (4 hours or more) then reduce the water to 1 1/2 cups. Bake at 250 for 1 hour.