177 g of quinoa is 1 cup. Quinoa is lighter than rice per cup because the seeds are small and round and pack with more air between them. It cooks in 15 minutes, which makes it one of the fastest grains, and it is a complete protein, which is why it is popular with people who eat little or no meat.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Method and source
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Tiny gluten-free seeds cooked like a grain. Salads, bowls, pilaf and breakfast porridge.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the cup, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Cups | Grams of quinoa |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 44.2 g |
| 1/3 cup | 59 g |
| 1/2 cup | 88.5 g |
| 2/3 cup | 118 g |
| 3/4 cup | 132.8 g |
| 1 cup | 177 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 265.5 g |
| 2 cups | 354 g |
| 3 cups | 531 g |
| 4 cups | 708 g |
Quick reference: 100 g of quinoa is about 0.56 cups, and 50 g is about 0.28 cups. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A quinoa salad for a summer lunch
A salad recipe serving four uses 177 g of quinoa, exactly 1 cup uncooked, simmered in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Fluff it with a fork, let it cool, and toss it with chopped vegetables, herbs and a lemon dressing. The quinoa should be tender with a slight bite, not mushy.
Quinoa as a side dish for a weeknight dinner
A side dish for four uses 89 g of quinoa, half a cup, cooked in 1 cup of water. That gives about 1 1/2 cups cooked, which is the right amount for a side dish. Rinse the quinoa well before cooking, because the seeds are coated in saponin, a bitter compound that washes off in water.
A quinoa breakfast porridge
A porridge recipe uses 89 g of quinoa, half a cup, simmered in milk with cinnamon and honey. The quinoa softens into a creamy porridge that is higher in protein than oatmeal. Cook it slowly and stir often, because quinoa porridge catches on the bottom of the pan easily.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Grains, seeds and similar dry goods should be spooned into the cup and levelled, without shaking or tapping the cup to settle them, which packs them down and inflates the weight. If the recipe calls for rinsed rice or oats, measure before rinsing: the water they absorb changes their weight, and a recipe written for dry weight will not work with wet grain. Store grains in airtight containers in a cool, dry place, and check for a stale or rancid smell before using older stock, because whole grains carry oils that go off faster than refined flour.
Scaling is straightforward once you know the cup weight. Doubling a recipe that calls for 177 g of quinoa means measuring 354 g, or 2 cups, and tripling it means 531 g, or 3 cups. Halving is just as easy: half a cup is 88.5 g. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. A cake scaled by half still needs half the flour, half the sugar, half the butter and half the quinoa, not just half of one of them. If you are scaling a recipe by an awkward factor, like two thirds, weigh the quinoa rather than trying to measure two thirds of a cup in a jug, because the jug markings are not precise enough for fractions of a cup.
When should you weigh quinoa instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the quinoa until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for liquids, a jug is fine, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year.
- Rinse quinoa well to remove bitter saponin.
- Use 2 cups of water per cup of quinoa.
- Let it rest for five minutes after cooking, then fluff with a fork.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rinse quinoa before cooking?
Yes, unless the packet says pre-rinsed. Quinoa seeds are coated in saponin, a bitter, soapy compound that protects them from birds. Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve under running water for 30 seconds, rubbing the seeds gently.
How much water does quinoa need?
Two cups of water per cup of quinoa, or a ratio of 2 to 1. Some cooks use 1 3/4 cups for a firmer result. Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
How much cooked quinoa does 1 cup dry make?
About 3 cups cooked, or roughly 550 g. Like rice, quinoa roughly triples in volume when cooked, though the cooked seeds are lighter and fluffier than cooked rice.
Is quinoa a grain?
No, it is a seed, though it is cooked and eaten like a grain. It comes from a plant related to spinach and beets, and it is naturally gluten-free. It is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.
How long does quinoa keep?
About a year in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Cooked quinoa keeps for five days in the fridge, and it freezes well, so it is a good grain to cook in bulk.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake with grains and seeds is measuring them after rinsing, because the water they absorb changes their weight and a recipe written for dry weight will not work with wet grain. The second is shaking or tapping the cup to settle the contents, which packs them down and inflates the weight. The third is confusing cooked and uncooked measurements: a cup of dry rice becomes about three cups cooked, and a recipe that means one will not work with the other. The fourth mistake is storing grains in an open bag in a humid kitchen, where they absorb moisture and can develop mould or pantry moths. Finally, do not assume that all grains weigh the same per cup: oats are 89 g, quinoa is 177 g, and rice is 198 g, and swapping them cup for cup will change a recipe significantly.