Stovetop Rice-Quinoa Mix

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I eat white rice very often. I don't mind brown or wild rice in specific dishes, but the blank canvas and absorbency that white rice provides is hard to beat. Quinoa is an easy way to add some fiber and protein to white rice without compromising the taste or texture. I like plain quinoa, but you might not. Either way, it doesn't soak up sauce the same way that rice does. This helps with that!

I don't own a rice cooker. I cook rice in an ancient steel pot that has been passed down for generations and extremely well-seasoned..... but a normal pot will work fine too. Unfortunately that also means this is mostly vibes-based.

Ingredients

  • Rice (I use Jasmine)
  • Equal amount of white quinoa
  • Any kind of neutral-ish oil (I use olive oil)
  • Stock of your choice
  • Water

Directions

  1. Measure out equal portions of rice and quinoa. 1 cup of each should make about 4 servings. Now wash it!!!
  2. Lightly grease the pot with oil.
  3. Add the rice and quinoa to the pot.
  4. Add the liquids. I do about half water and half stock. You want the grains to be completely submerged with about another inch on top. (More water means lower probability of you burning the rice)
  5. Mix everything together, then put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil.
  6. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and let it sit until liquid is no longer visible from the top.
  7. At this point, you can test a bite from the top layer. It should be almost done. If it's not, add a little more liquid and re-cover. Once it's cooked enough, uncover and let the rice cook on low heat until it dries out completely.

Notes

If you're on the fence about the quinoa, you can increase the rice ratio instead of making it 1:1.

I prefer white quinoa because it blends in with white rice better texture- and taste-wise. Other colors will also work, but I would advise quinoa haters to try white first.

The stock is mostly there for flavor. I use chicken stock because it also adds some protein.

It is imperative that you leave the rice alone until the very end. Disturbing it while it's cooking will probably cause it to get mushy. You also can't be in a rush, or the rice will end up sticking because it didn't dry out enough. It's very hard to overcook rice this way if you uncover it for the last part of cooking, so keep the heat on low and let it sit for a while.