Quinoa
Quinoa is a seed cooked and served as a grain-like side dish, salad ingredient, porridge, or flour.
About Quinoa
Quinoa is the edible seed of several cultivated quinoa varieties, used like a grain even though it is not a cereal grain. It is commonly simmered as a side dish, salad ingredient, stuffing, or porridge. The seeds are naturally coated with bitter-tasting saponins, so rinsing is customary before cooking.
Cooked quinoa is light and fluffy with a slightly springy bite and a mild, earthy flavour. Each seed may show a small, delicate ring or tail as it cooks. White or cream quinoa is generally mild and tender, while red and black varieties often retain a firmer texture and more pronounced flavour.
Quinoa is sold as dry seed and also as flakes, puffed seeds, and flour. Whole seeds are boiled or steamed; flakes cook quickly and suit porridge, puffed seeds add crunch, and flour is used in baking. The seeds may be cream, red, black, or sold as a mixed-colour blend.
- Ingredient type
- whole food
FOLLOW IT TO THE PLATE
Where will you meet it?
Explore the dishes that use this ingredient and their country and cuisine connections.
Explore linked dishesON A MENU OR LABEL
Find local names and written forms to help recognise this ingredient.
See local namesWhere quinoa appears
2 linked foodsFind foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.
Showing 1–2 of 2
Soups
Breakfasts
Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.
Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.
Local names for quinoa
Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.
quinoa
quinoa
quinua
quinoa
Quinoa
quinoa
quinoa
quinoa
quinoa
komosa ryżowa
quinoa
quinoa
kvinoja
киноа
kinoa
kvinoja
киноа
kinoa
кіноа
kinoa
киноа
kinoa
quinoa
quinoa
bolivinė balanda
quinoa
quinoa
quinoa
kvinoa
kinoa
kinoa
κινόα
kinoá
كينوا
kīnwā
کینوا
kīnūā
קינואה
kino'a
क्विनोआ
kvinōā
কুইনোয়া
kuinoya
கினோவா
kinōvā
క్వినోవా
kvinōvā
ക്വിനോവ
kvinōva
キヌア
kinua
퀴노아
kwinoa
藜麦
lí mài
quinoa
quinoa
quinoa
kinoá
Romanised form
kinua
Romanised form
black quinoa
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
COOKED QUINOA
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
oganic white quinoa
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
ORGANIC COOKED QUINOA
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN QUINOA
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN QUINOA FLOUR
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa flakes
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa grain
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
quinoa seed
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
quinoa seed (dried, cooked)
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
quinoa seed (dried)
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
quinoa seeds
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, black, uncooked
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, bouilli/cuit à l'eau, sans sel ajouté
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, cooked
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, cooked in water, no added salt
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, cru
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, fat added
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, no added fat
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, NS as to fat
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, raw
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, red, uncooked
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, Steamed and then dried
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, uncooked
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
Quinoa, white, uncooked
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
red and white quinoa
Search alias · Not a confirmed translation
kinōvā
Romanised form
kīnwā
Romanised form
kinoa
Romanised form
kwinoa
Romanised form
kuinoya
Romanised form
lí mài
Romanised form
kvinōā
Romanised form
kvinōva
Romanised form
kinoa
Romanised form
kinoa
Romanised form
kino'a
Romanised form
kīnūā
Romanised form
kinoa
Romanised form
kvinōvā
Romanised form
Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.
Name not available yet.
A name in English has not been added for quinoa. Choose another language to see its available names.
Quinoa nutrition & diet
Quinoa nutritional value
Quinoa, uncooked
Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.
- Calories
- 368kcal
- Protein
- 14.1g
- Carbs
- 64.2g
- Fat
- 6.1g
Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.
Portions & preparation
Identify whether the reference is rinsed and cooked whole quinoa, dry grain, flakes, puffed quinoa, or flour. The edible portion and preparation differ substantially between these forms. Added oil, broth, salt, dairy, vegetables, or sweeteners belong to the finished recipe and should not be attributed to plain quinoa.
Compare the right form: Match references to dry or cooked whole quinoa, flakes, puffed grain, or flour, with rinsing and recipe additions specified.
Diet considerations
Quinoa is a plant-derived seed used in grain-like preparations. Plain quinoa fits plant-based patterns, while broth, butter, dairy, eggs, or meat additions change compatibility. Flour, porridge, and baked products create portion-dependent carbohydrate patterns; coatings, sweeteners, and mixed salads should be classified by the complete recipe.
AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.
Dietary compatibility
- VeganTypically compatible
- VegetarianTypically compatible
- PescatarianTypically compatible
- KetoDepends on the version
- PaleoTypically incompatible
- Low-carbDepends on the version
- HalalNot established
- KosherNot established
What these diet assessments mean
- Vegan · Typically compatible
- The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
- Vegetarian · Typically compatible
- The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
- Pescatarian · Typically compatible
- The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
- Keto · Depends on the version
- Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
- Paleo · Typically incompatible
- This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
- Low-carb · Depends on the version
- Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
- Halal · Not established
- Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
- Kosher · Not established
- Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.
For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.
AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.
Sources & review
Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Quinoa, uncooked ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.
Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.
The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.
Last recorded verification: .