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Quinoa is a versatile superfood that we all could use in our diet. Eating quinoa seeds are a great way to increase protein and fiber intake with the power of a tiny grain. Quinoa is full of helpful nutrients like folate, magnesium, zinc, and iron.

I love swapping out quinoa in any rice dish because quinoa is a whole grain and gives me a healthy boost that helps me feel full even longer. Quinoa is a complete protein and includes all nine essential amino acids that are perfect in a healthy and balanced diet. I make this crispy quinoa often and have so many delicious ways to incorporate this into my daily intake. 

images and text of How to Make Crispy Quinoa for pinterest

The first time I made crispy quinoa, I was nervous that I wouldn’t find uses for it, but easily found out that I love sprinkling it over salads, buddha bowls, oatmeal, breakfast cereal, and even homemade chocolates. The quinoa provides a slightly nutty flavor and the perfect crunchy texture to level up any and all of my healthy snacks. 

The next time I use our simple method to make crispy quinoa, I’m going to play around with adding different seasonings and spices that will make this healthy crunch even more versatile.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we work hard to empower all of our readers. We want you to feel confident and successful in the kitchen. With that being said, we take the time to write our recipes with detailed instructions, helpful tips and tricks, nutritional information, and healthy eating plan points. 

If you are ready to cook and not in need of all of this helpful information, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you can find our easy to print recipe for How to Make Crispy Quinoa

Ingredients in Crispy Quinoa

  • Quinoa: Swoon! I’m obsessed with this healthy whole grain that is a superfood AND a complete protein! Quinoa is the perfect addition to meals, and any healthy snack in my opinion. (Quinoa crispies, puffed quinoa, quinoa crisps, crispy quinoa cakes, quinoa pops – so many options!) We prefer to use the white quinoa, but any quinoa mixture will work perfectly. 
white bowl of quinoa

How to Make Crispy Quinoa on the Stovetop

  1. Rinse quinoa in cold water in a mesh colander or bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to a hot dry pan on low-medium heat (not cooked quinoa, but it will be wet from rinsing). If you add too much quinoa, it won’t toast, it’ll just cook. 
  3. Use a wooden spoon or whisk to stir the quinoa as it’s toasting. (Don’t use a metal utensil – it’ll scratch your pan because you’ll be doing a lot of whisking).
  4. The quinoa will be fairly wet, then it’ll start to dry out and eventually it’ll pop. If the temp is too high, it’ll start popping fast and make a mess. If you keep the temp to low-medium/medium, it’ll give you a bit of warning. :) 
  5. Once the quinoa starts to turns a golden brown color (if using white quinoa) and gets crunchy, remove from heat and allow the quinoa to cool completely. 
collage of images showing How to Make Crispy Quinoa

How to Make Crispy Quinoa in the Oven

  1. Preheat the oven to 375º.  
  2. Rinse quinoa in a large bowl or mesh colander with cold water.
  3. Add 1 cup of quinoa to a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Spread out quinoa into a single layer. This is an easy way to ensure that the quinoa will crisp evenly. 
  4. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Stir the quinoa every 5-10 minutes to promote even cooking.
  5. Once you notice that it slightly turns color and gets crunchy, remove from oven and allow the quinoa to cool completely. 

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure your crunchy quinoa is correctly cooked, as eating raw quinoa can cause digestive discomfort. 
  • We first tested cooking crispy quinoa on medium-high heat and found that the quinoa cooked too quickly and started popping. Be sure to keep your pan on low-medium heat. 
  • If you have any leftover quinoa, store in an airtight container but try to use up all of the quinoa as quickly as possible. The crispy quinoa gets soggy when being stored in a container. 
  • We opt to not use any tablespoons of olive oil when making our crispy quinoa, we found it unnecessary to do so in the crisping process. If you do want to use olive oil for an extra crunch booster, be sure to only use one tablespoon of olive oil. Adding too much will make your quinoa soggy.
  • Crispy quinoa can be served alongside roasted veggies – the extra crunch and nutty flavor will be the perfect extra protein boost for your roasted veggie side. 
bowl of crispy quinoa on a wooden plate

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Crispy Quinoa

Each 1/2 cup serving is 1 yellow container.

Weight Watchers Points

A half cup serving is 3 2023 Plan Points

2B Mindset

This is a delicious addition to your breakfast or lunch plate!

More healthy and delicious snack recipes

bowl of crispy quinoa on a wooden plate
4.67 from 15 ratings
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How to Make Crispy Quinoa

Created by: Becca Ludlum
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Approximate Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Servings 6 people
Making crispy quinoa is easy and I love sprinkling it over salads, buddha bowls, oatmeal, breakfast cereal, and homemade chocolates.

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup dry quinoa

Instructions

How to Make Crispy Quinoa on the Stovetop

  • Rinse quinoa in cold water. 1 cup dry quinoa
  • Add 1 cup of quinoa to a hot dry pan on low-medium heat (not cooked quinoa, but it will be wet from rinsing). If you add too much quinoa, it won't toast, it'll just cook. 
  • Use a wooden spoon or whisk to stir the quinoa as it's toasting. (don't use a metal utensil – it'll scratch your pan because you'll be doing a lot of whisking)
  • The quinoa will be fairly wet, then it'll start to dry out and eventually it'll pop. If the temp is too high, it'll start popping fast and make a mess. If you keep the temp to low-medium/medium, it'll give you a bit of warning.
  • Once you notice that it slightly turns color and gets crunchy, remove from heat and allow the quinoa to cool completely. 

How to Make Crispy Quinoa in the Oven

  • Preheat the oven to 375º.  
  • Rinse quinoa in a large bowl or mesh colander with cold water.
  • Add 1 cup of quinoa to a baking sheet. Spread out quinoa into a single layer. This is an easy way to ensure that the quinoa will crisp evenly. 
  • Cook for 20-30 minutes. Stir the quinoa every 5-10 minutes to promote even cooking.
  • Once you notice that it slightly turns color and gets crunchy, remove from oven and allow the quinoa to cool completely. 

Notes

Recipe Tips:
  • Be sure to fully cook crispy quinoa, eating raw quinoa can cause digestive discomfort. 
Healthy Eating Plans
21 Day Fix Crispy Quinoa
Each 1/2 cup serving is 1 yellow container.
Weight Watchers Points
3 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0g | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Make This Recipe?

Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Clean and crispy and yummy!
    It’s kind of giving me Grape Nuts vibes 😋
    I have so many food allergies- really excited to find this recipe!

4.67 from 15 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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