Coconut Quinoa with Lime Zest (3-Ingredient Side Dish!)

Instant Pot Quinoa: I've recently been experimenting with making this recipe in my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker — and it's even faster! Like just one minute at pressure fast. I alternate between methods depending whether I'm meal prepping or preparing it for dinner alongside a longer cooking dish. Instructions for both methods can be found in the recipe card.

Rice Cooker method:

1. Check the quinoa package to see if your quinoa needs rinsed. If it does, pour 1 cup of quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
2. Place quinoa, canned coconut milk, water, and salt into the rice cooker.
3. Select the quick cook setting on your rice cooker, and then press the start button to start the cooking process. For a standard rice cooker without all of the bells and whistles, one cooking cycle should be enough to do it.
4. The rice cooker will beep after about 30 minutes to indicate that it's done cooking. Let the quinoa set for about 4-5 minutes after it's done cooking, and then fluff it with a fork.
5. Stir in the zest and juice of one small lime, season with additional salt to taste, and it's ready to serve.

Instant Pot Coconut Quinoa: To cook quinoa in your Instant Pot, simply follow the instructions for rinsing the quinoa, and place all of the ingredients in the instant pot liner. Use the manual setting to cook it for one minute at high pressure (really!) and then allow it to natural pressure release for up to 10 minutes. Fluff and stir in the lime zest and juice as indicated above.

Stovetop Coconut Quinoa: To cook quinoa on your stovetop, simply follow the instructions for rinsing and place all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Let the quinoa set for about 4-5 minutes after it's done cooking. Fluff and stir in the lime zest and juice as indicated above.

Notes — Substituting Coconut Milk Beverage or Coconut Water: To substitute coconut milk beverage or coconut water for the canned coconut milk, use 2 cups of either and omit the water in the recipe. Note: I've had a few people remark on Pinterest that they thought their coconut lime quinoa turned out bland. This is why seasoning to taste is SO important, folks! Season with additional salt after cooking, and add more lime juice until you're satisfied with the flavor.