Can You Freeze Quinoa? How to Freeze Quinoa for Later Use?
So, if you are thinking of jumping into a fitness routine, Quinoa should be on your priority list. Quinoa has amazing gut benefits and serves as an excellent protein source. And freezing quinoa is the best way to save a great deal of time. But how to freeze quinoa for later use? Don’t you worry! We will share with you some easy ways to freeze quinoa so that you can stay on spot for your diet.
Quinoa is a food item that is also regarded as a whole grain by many nutritionists. Many believe that it acts as a great appetizer and is included in a variety of nutritious dishes. If you are resistant to gluten items then quinoa can be a lifesaver for you!
Even if you aren’t on a fitness journey, you can still incorporate quinoa into your diet routine. It’s because this tiny grainy food helps regulate conditions like bad cholesterol and diabetes. Thus, if you wish to start minimalistic eating or practice healthy eating habits then make quinoa your best buddy! Read on to know how to freeze quinoa.
How to Freeze Quinoa for Later Use?
Quinoa is one of those food items that increase your metabolism rate and help you in losing those extra pounds. So, if you have extra quinoa then here are the two ways! Either freeze the uncooked version or prepare a nice quinoa meal and freeze it.
Tips to Freeze Uncooked Quinoa
The easiest task you can ever accomplish is freezing uncooked quinoa! If you have recently purchased quinoa and the package is sealed, then you can also freeze uncooked quinoa to extend its shelf life. Well, how to freeze quinoa? Here are some tips to freeze uncooked quinoa. Yes, you can directly pop your quinoa packet into the freezer.
Or, you can remove the quinoa from the packet and transfer it to small ziplock bags or containers as per your preference and freeze them. Make sure the containers of bags are completely dry with zero traces of moisture.
Also, add labels to these bags for late reference. Uncooked quinoa will stay in the freezer for eight months to a year. When you feel the need to use it you can scoop out the required amount in another container and thaw it overnight in the freezer.
If you are in a hurry, then add the required amount of quinoa to a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle it with a few water drops. Pop it into the oven for 30 seconds and you will get a perfectly thawed version ready to eat.
Steps to Freeze Quinoa Meal or Cooked Quinoa | Freezing Cooked Quinoa
Freezing plain uncooked quinoa is okay, but, the good news is freezing cooked quinoa meals is a great deal! There are dozens of recipes you can try with quinoa (we have mentioned our favorites at the end.) and freeze them.
First, cook a fresh meal and let the quinoa cool till it reaches room temperature. Then, transfer it to small airtight containers or ziplock bags according to your preference. Add labels to them and freeze. You can freeze these meals for six months straight. However, once you open their seal, you must use them within 4 days.
Defrost Frozen Quinoa | How to defrost quinoa?
Knowing how to freeze cooked quinoa is a task and having a check on how to defrost quinoa is an important task as well! Here is how you defrost quinoa.
Well, quinoa freezes well and thaws quickly, making it simple to use in soups, salads, or just as a side dish for any of your dinner dishes. And can you freeze quinoa salad – it needs a little more attention!
How to reheat frozen quinoa? It’s quite simple! When you need your frozen quinoa meal, you can defrost frozen quinoa in the fridge overnight and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Ways to Freeze Quinoa Salad | Can you freeze quinoa salad?
Now that you know if you can freeze uncooked and cooked quinoa, what about a quinoa salad? Unfortunately, you can’t freeze quinoa salad directly. Salad is prepared from uncooked veggies and freezing them with cooked quinoa is a bad idea. Instead, you can freeze cooked quinoa by following the tips given above.
You can chop and freeze your greens separately or use them fresh in the morning. Thaw cooked quinoa overnight in the fridge and top it with your veggies in the morning. Now, you can use this salad for three days effectively.
However, storing pre-prepared quinoa salad is a bad idea and we wouldn’t recommend doing so.
Can you Freeze Quinoa Soup?
Quinoa soup is a great meal option for breakfast or an evening snack. It is infused with several essential veggies, broth, and most importantly quinoa. It has an amazing mouthwatering taste because of the different herbs that go with it. But can you freeze quinoa soup and reheat it? Let’s find out!
However, you cannot freeze quinoa soup. Unfortunately, if you do so you will be left with bland veggies and quinoa in a watery liquid on thawing. The flavors get destroyed and the texture of the soup won’t remain like the original one. Thus, preparing fresh quinoa soup is the best idea but do not freeze quinoa soup.
Should you Freeze Quinoa Casserole?
Again, casserole recipes are best when you eat them fresh. Therefore, similar to quinoa soup we don’t recommend freezing quinoa casserole. However, you can freeze cooked quinoa and use it in your recipe after thawing. But, in the case of quinoa casserole, it’s better if you prepare a fresh recipe.
Frozen Quinoa Recipes | Easy Quinoa Recipes That Freeze Perfectly
Now that you know you can’t freeze quinoa casseroles and soups, what are the recipes that you can freeze? No matter what recipe for cooking quinoa you pick, start by washing the quinoa thoroughly before going ahead. Well, we have got three stunning recipes to soothe your tastebuds.
1. Chili Quinoa for Spicy Lovers: You spicy eaters out there, here’s a sizzling recipe for you. In a cooker, add a dash of oil, chopped onions, bell peppers, minced ginger, chopped garlic, smoked paprika, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, spices, and quinoa. Mix all the ingredients together using a spatula and close the lid of the cooker. Cook this meal on a medium flame for 45 minutes and cool in a large container for freezing later.
2. Potatoes and Quinoa for Evening Cravings: There’s nothing better than a potato snack in the evening to soothe your appetite. Start by adding two tsp of oil to a pan and add other ingredients simultaneously. Add canned tomatoes, chopped onions, and bell peppers to the pan. Then throw in some minced ginger and garlic along with spices and salt as per your taste. Lastly, add black beans and vegetable broth to this mix and give a nice stir. Cook for 5 minutes and add quinoa to it. Cook for 4 hours and adjust the consistency later.
3. Kale and Quinoa for Meals: Take a large pot and add two tsp of oil to it. Now start adding the veggies of your choice and saute them on high flame for a minute. After the addition of vegetables, you can add canned tomatoes, celery, and quinoa to this mix. Give everything a brisk mix and add kale and lemon juice to the pot. Lastly, add vegetable broth and cook for 5 minutes.
Tips for Freezing Quinoa
Freezing quinoa is easy, right? Well, follow these steps to make the process easier!
- If possible, do not freeze uncooked quinoa. It is because uncooked quinoa in sealed packaging will stay unharmed for a year anyway. Thus, why waste your freezer space unnecessarily?
- Create meals from quinoa and scoop them into suitable meal-sized containers. You can save a great deal of time on meal preparation.
- If you are directly shifting cooked quinoa meal in the fridge without the proper method of freezing, then it will stay fresh for three days.
- Do not refreeze cooked quinoa meal or else it may lose its flavor and get contaminated with microbes.
- There are multiple varieties of quinoa available in the market. You can add them together in a bag and freeze them for later use. Thus, you can try meal combinations every time.
Now, you are perfectly aware of ways to freeze both cooked and uncooked quinoa. Pick a method that suits you the best and use it in your daily routine. However, we recommend you try and freeze quinoa meals for three months to save your time on cooking.