This Creamy Canned Ingredient Is Your Ticket To Quinoa Like You've Never Had Before

Quinoa is a filling, nutty-tasting food that pairs well with a variety of ingredients. From breakfast bowls of quinoa topped with yogurt and fruit to savory meals made with chicken and roasted veggies, this powerhouse seed is ready for culinary embellishments. But there's no need to just prepare quinoa with water, instead, make things creamier by simmering the small superfood seeds in a can of coconut milk instead.

Since quinoa and coconut milk can be used as part of both sweet and savory dishes, this is a perfect pairing. Though the ingredient might sound unexpected, you're in for a treat. As well as adding creaminess, the flavor of coconut milk plays well with quinoa's subtle nuttiness, offering a tasty option that can be seasoned simply with cinnamon or spruced up with citrus zest and caramelized onions. 

Quinoa meal options are endless. Consider quinoa as a foundation for any flavors that float your palate. Whether you're embarking on a plant-based diet or switching up your go-to rice-and-meat recipes, these seeds tout a long list of welcome nutrients and health-boosting compounds.

Rinse quinoa first before preparing and toast the seeds on a skillet for maximum flavor. While you can completely sub out water for coconut milk to make an extra creamy dish, you can also warm up to the idea of using coconut milk in your recipe by halving water with coconut milk or adding coconut milk slowly to quinoa dishes. Regardless of the ratio of coconut milk in your simmering pot, strive to measure out 1 and 3/4 cups of liquid per 1 cup of quinoa — aka the golden ratio — for fluffy quinoa that can be confidently presented to guests. Cooked quinoa can keep for up to a week in the fridge or a year in the freezer, so you may want to batch-cook the coconut-infused side during your next meal prep day.

Preparing quinoa in coconut milk is a hack that isn't just for tasty curries and breakfast bowls. Recipes like quinoa fried rice and quinoa chocolate chip cookies can take on new life when prepared with coconut milk. Or try this Thai quinoa salad, whose flavors work perfectly with coconut, or our substantial veggie burger recipe which includes quinoa. And quinoa isn't the only grain-style dish that can be enhanced with coconut milk – millet and couscous can also take a decadent turn with the easy ingredient swap.