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This Brown Rice and Quinoa Recipe is a homemade version of the popular side dish that you can find at Costco. I love making this in large batches and keep in the freezer, and is so much cheaper than the store bought version.
Along with this recipe, my Instant Pot Coconut Rice, easy Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes, and these Rosemary Garlic Smashed Potatoes are delicious side dishes for any meal.
Why I Love This Copycat Seeds of Change Recipe
One of our favorite convenience foods is the Seeds of Change quinoa and brown rice with garlic. As with all prepackaged foods, it has a decent amount of sodium in it. Once I realized how easy it is to make this copycat recipe at home, I had to share it with you all.
Enjoy!
– Becca
Ingredients in Brown Rice & Quinoa Blend
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Brown rice: I use short grain brown rice in this recipe.
- Quinoa: Quinoa is packed with nutrients like protein, zinc, fiber, folate, and antioxidants.
How to make this Copycat Quinoa and Brown Rice
This recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish.
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Step 1: Start by gathering your ingredients.
Rinse your quinoa and brown rice, and then spray the inside of your pot with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Add the rice, quinoa, garlic, 2 cups of water, olive oil, and (optional) salt to the pot.
Close and lock the lid to your Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing.
Pressure cook for 18 minutes on high pressure.
Step 3: When the cook time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. After the natural release, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
Serve warm or let cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips
- It’s easy to spice this dish up a bit! We’ll sometimes add red pepper flakes, roasted garlic, or lemon juice or lemon zest to give this side dish a fun flavor twist.
- I have had rice and quinoa boil over too many times, so the Instant Pot is my preferred cooking method. Even more than a rice cooker!
Quinoa and Brown Rice FAQs
Both quinoa and brown rice are gluten free, but make sure that the product ensures that it was grown in a field that had not previously grown products with gluten in them.
It is. Like I mentioned above, the Seeds of Change brand (and the new Costco brand recently seen on shelves) is pretty healthy for a prepackaged product. But it’s also expensive and simply because it’s store bought, it contains added sodium and preservatives.
Nutrition comparison for sodium and calories: Per 1/2 cup serving, this recipe has 104 calories (120 calories for Seeds of Change product), and 5 mg sodium (200 mg sodium in Seeds of Change).
One batch (ten 1/2 cup servings) of this recipe costs about $2.10. One bag (four 1/2 cup servings) of the store bought blend costs $2.79.
Quinoa is both a protein and a carb, and is unique in that is is a complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids. It does contain more carbs than protein by weight, as carbs are its primary macronutrient.
Healthy Eating Plans
21 Day Fix Containers
1/2 cup of this quinoa and brown rice counts as 1 yellow container.
Weight Watchers Points
1/2 cup of this dish is 4 2025 Plan Points
If you tried this Brown Rice and Quinoa Recipe or any other recipe on my site please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
Brown Rice and Quinoa Recipe
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Equipment
- instant pot
- Strainer
- Sealing Rings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa dry
- 1 cup brown rice dry, I used short grain
- 3 tbsp garlic minced
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rinse your quinoa and brown rice. Spray inside of pot with olive oil to prevent sticking. 1 cup dry quinoa, 1 cup brown rice
- Add rice, quinoa, garlic, water, olive oil, and (optional) salt to the pot. 3 tbsp garlic, 1.5 tsp olive oil, 2 cups water
- Set the pressure cooker for 18 minutes on high pressure.
- Allow dish to naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the steam.
Stovetop Instructions
- Bring your broth or water to a boil, then add quinoa and brown rice, and the garlic and olive oil. 1 cup dry quinoa, 1 cup brown rice, 3 tbsp garlic, 1.5 tsp olive oil
- Simmer on low for 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye for the liquid to absorb into the rice and quinoa.
- Test the rice and quinoa to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly. If so, remove from heat and serve as a side dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Make This Recipe?
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Can’t wait to try this! Question about freezing: does it change the flavor a lot when freezing? What’s the max amount of time you would keep in freezer? Heating from frozen ok or would you thaw first?
Thanks for your efforts keeping us all healthy on a budget :)
Hey Jamie! I don’t think it changes the flavor when I freeze this. I’d keep it in the freezer for 2-3 months, and I often heat from frozen.
You’re so welcome – thank you for visiting! :)
Will long grain brown rice work for this recipe?
Yes!
Great recipe! What is the stovetop cooking times with “long grain” brown rice? Is the ratio still 2 cups water to 1 cup rice?
So, if I used one cup of rice and one cup quinoa do I add 4 cups water?
Thank you
Hi Bob! The stovetop cook time is the same whether you use short or long grain brown rice. The ratio in the recipe is 1 cup rice, 1 cup quinoa, and 2 cups water. Peek at the very bottom of the post at the printable recipe if you didn’t see it! ;)
18 minutes in Instant Pot burned bottom and quinoa was soggy. Usually Quinoa is 1 min, etc. Perhaps this was too much time and too much liquid?
Hi Phil, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you! I make this often and I use the 18 minutes because the quinoa can handle the extra time, but any less time and the rice wouldn’t be cooked all the way. The brown rice and quinoa both absorb about a cup of water. Did you use dry brown rice?
If I half the recipe do I half the time?
I wouldn’t!
The copycat brown rice quinoa recipe on my phone does not have a printable version. I don’t know how to do the sto e top method. Can you help?
Hi Patti,
I’ve updated the printable recipe to include stove top directions. Let us know if you still have any questions :)
Yum! Such a great recipe! My family loves it!
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
This easy blend is my go-to grain side dish for during the week!
My 2-year old and my husband loved this blend, so it is a KEEPER!!!! Perfect to pair with my healthy recipe collection in the new year.
I’ve been wanting to experiment forever with making something that would match Costco’s. It was awesome, and oh so easy!!! I went overboard on garlic . . . next time I’ll try just 3 T, and I did 1 c water and 1 c chicken broth that I needed to get rid of, and I figured the salt in that would be more than enough, so I didn’t add any. I love the Costco brand, but even on sale it’s more than I’d prefer . . . I love this recipe more because of how easy it was to make. Not tear 1 inch and 90 second easy, but close. (I forgot to rate last time, go ahead and delete that response)
I have tried this blend from the store, super excited to try your recipe. I was wondering if the quinoa can be another variety instead of red? I have a colour blend of quinoa on hand.
I think they all cook the same–I’d use what you have!
What if I don’t have an pressure cooker? I have a rice cooker and the ninja foodi grill version.
There are stove top directions in the post that are great if you don’t have a pressure cooker :)