Grains and starches

Quinoa nutrition, before and after the heat.

1 cup of cooked quinoa comes to 222 calories. Protein accounts for 8.1 g of what is there. That is USDA’s figure for “Quinoa, cooked”. Cook it differently and that moves: the spread across the forms below is 120 to 368 calories per 100 g. The panel underneath takes any serving and any amount, and the vitamin and mineral table tracks what you pick.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Figures: USDA FoodData Central, records 168917, 168874. Calculated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

The calorie count for quinoa

1 cup of cooked quinoa is 222 calories. Per 100 g it is 120. USDA publishes the serving weights below, so these are measured portions rather than rounded guesses.

Quinoa and its protein content

The protein count for 1 cup of cooked quinoa is 8.1 g, equal to 16 percent of the Daily Value. Only 15 percent of its calories come from protein, so treat quinoa as something you eat for other reasons and count the protein as a bonus.

Of every 100 calories, 15 come from protein, 14 from fat and 71 from carbohydrate.

How preparation changes quinoa

Per 100 g, raw quinoa carries 207 percent more calories than cooked — 368 against 120. The difference is water absorbed during cooking, which dilutes every gram.

The table holds the weight constant at 185 g, which leaves the preparation as the single variable.

What to know before you cook quinoa

Quinoa is a seed, not a grain, though treated as such. Shop for white, red, or black varieties, or blends. White seeds cook to a fluffier texture. Red and black types keep their shape and offer a firmer bite. Look for clean seeds without debris. Pre-washed brands save preparation effort.

Rinsing is essential to remove the bitter coating called saponin. Simmer the seeds gently in liquid until they expand and become translucent, revealing a tiny coiled germ. The most common error is using too much water, which results in a soggy, heavy mush instead of light, separate seeds.

Cold quinoa absorbs vinaigrette well, making it a reliable base for South American salads with lime and coriander. Warm, it accompanies tagines or roasted Mediterranean vegetables. Its nutty flavour pairs well with toasted seeds, fresh herbs, crumbled cheeses, and sharp dressings.

The complete quinoa breakdown

The figures worth noticing in 1 cup of cooked quinoa are 28 percent of a day’s magnesium, 22 percent of a day’s phosphorus, 19 percent of a day’s folate. The full list follows and tracks your selected portion.

There are 2.8 g of fibre in 100 g, roughly 10 percent of the daily figure.

Quinoa against a daily budget

1 cup of cooked quinoa: 11 percent of 2,000 calories, 16 percent of the protein Daily Value. Those are reference numbers; the TDEE calculator finds yours, and the macro calculator converts them to grams.

Recipes that start with quinoa

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Breakfast · British

Cinnamon Quinoa Porridge

A warm breakfast porridge made with quinoa, milk, and ground cinnamon.

20 min · serves 2

263kcal

10gprotein

6.6gfat

41gcarbs

Ingredients

• 90g dry quinoa 90 g
• 240g whole milk 240 g
• 120g water 120 g
• 2g ground cinnamon 2 g
• 15g honey 15 g
• 1g table salt 1 g

Method

1. Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for 30 seconds.
2. Combine the rinsed quinoa, milk, water, and salt in a saucepan.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Cover and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes until the quinoa absorbs the liquid.
5. Stir in the honey and ground cinnamon before serving.

Built from 6 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Dinner · Mediterranean

One-Pan Quinoa and Vegetable Skillet

A one-pan dinner of quinoa cooked with onions, garlic, zucchini, and vegetable stock.

30 min · serves 2

390kcal

13gprotein

12gfat

59gcarbs

Ingredients

• 150g dry quinoa 150 g
• 14g olive oil 14 g
• 110g onion 110 g
• 6g garlic cloves 6 g
• 200g zucchini 200 g
• 350g vegetable broth 350 g
• 3g table salt 3 g

Method

1. Chop the onion and zucchini into 1-centimetre pieces, and mince the garlic.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
3. Add the quinoa, zucchini, vegetable broth, and salt to the skillet.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low.
5. Simmer for 18 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Per serving, from 7 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Breakfast · British

Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

A warm breakfast porridge made with quinoa, milk, and sugar.

25 min · serves 2

303kcal

12gprotein

7.9gfat

46gcarbs

Ingredients

• Dry quinoa 100 g
• Whole milk 300 g
• Water 100 g
• Granulated sugar 15 g
• Table salt 1 g

Method

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve under cold running water.
2. Combine the rinsed quinoa, milk, water, and salt in a saucepan.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the sugar, and let it stand covered for 5 minutes.

5 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Putting quinoa on a plate

A sample plate, not a prescription: quinoa plus two sides, each line sourced and the sum shown.

Grains and starches: where quinoa sits

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Questions about quinoa

How many calories are in 1 cup of cooked quinoa?

222 calories, according to USDA FoodData Central: the record is “Quinoa, cooked”, FDC 168917. That works out at 120 per 100 g.

Is there much protein in quinoa?

1 cup of cooked quinoa has 8.1 g of protein. By weight that is 4.4 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 16 percent of the Daily Value.

Do the calories in quinoa change with how it is prepared?

The weight stays the same but the number moves. 185 g of quinoa is 222 calories cooked, rising to 681 raw.

Does quinoa fit a calorie deficit?

Weight change comes from the whole week’s intake. 1 cup of cooked quinoa contributes 222 calories and 8.1 g of protein (15 percent of its energy), which means it needs a protein-rich partner on the plate.

How can I tell when quinoa is fully cooked?

Look for the small, thread-like spirals to detach from the seeds. The seeds should also appear translucent rather than opaque. Taste them; they must be tender with a slight, pleasant pop when you bite.

Why does my cooked quinoa taste bitter?

The seeds have a natural coating called saponin that deters pests. If not thoroughly rinsed before cooking, this coating remains and causes a bitter, soapy taste. Always rinse the seeds in a fine sieve.

Sources

• Quinoa, uncooked — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168874
• Quinoa, cooked — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168917
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9