Nut milks are my favorite plant milks, but this homemade quinoa milk has an amazing taste and also has less amount of fat. It's similar to oat milk, although you can make it with raw oats and in this case you need to cook the quinoa first.
The only two necessary ingredients here are these: water and quinoa. I've also added ground cinnamon and dates because this way the milk tastes better, but it's optional and you can add other ingredients like cocoa powder or any sweetener you want. I usually use dates to make plant milks because is not as expensive as other sweeteners and it's really healthy.
This quinoa milk is a great cow's milk alternative and kids love it, especially with cocoa powder, but avoid store bought cocoa drinks, they are full of sugar an another unhealthy ingredients. Carob powder is a better choice, but if you can't find it use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Some people make this milk using raw quinoa, but quinoa has a coating of saponins, so you need to wash it very well before using it and it's better to cook it instead of using it raw.
To make the quinoa milk I've used a plant milk maker called Chufamix, it's super easy to use and so useful. Anyways, you don't need it to make this recipe, you can use a blender and a strainer to remove the pulp, but if your blender is very powerful, you don’t need to strain the milk. To strain it, you can use a strainer, a napkin or a cheesecloth, you choose.
Quinoa is an excellent source of protein and contains the eight essential amino acids, so it’s a perfect food for vegans and vegetarians. It’s gluten-free, has a low glycemic index, it’s also high in fiber, it regulates cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and it’s rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium and vitamins B and E. Awesome!
If you prefer a thicker, tastier homemade quinoa milk you can add more quinoa, if you prefer a quinoa milk lower in calories you can add less. Make your own plant milks at home, it's super easy and they taste much better.
Homemade Quinoa Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 cups water
- 4 dates
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
- Blend the quinoa with the water until well blended and almost smooth.
- Strain the blended quinoa mixture using a cheesecloth or a strainer.
- Pour the quinoa milk in a blender and blend with the dates and cinnamon.
- Store the quinoa milk in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
Notes
- Nutrition information has been calculated before straining the milk.
Pierra says
Did you use the quinoa milk to make latte or can it be frothed? Thanks
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Feel free to use quinoa milk to make latte 🙂
Tealinh Home says
I just receive my Pot Ace yesterday.
And today I try the first batch of Quinoa milk.
I add a little ground cinammon 1 tsp and 1 tsp honey.
And I choose Nut/Oat Milk program.
But seemly there is something wrong.
Result is :
Appearance is so good
But smelt is strange and taste bitter. Why?
Need advice please.
PS: I used pre-washed quinoa Kirkland without pre-cooking
Iosune says
Hi Tealinh! I'm so sorry, but I've never used a Pot Ace. Just try to follow the recipe to a T. Have a nice day!
Harper says
Did you mean to take 1 cup Uncooked quinoa, cook it according to package directions; then blend all the cooked quinoa with 3 cups water?
Iosune says
Hi Harper! Just blend 1 cup of cooked quinoa and blend it with all the remaining ingredients 🙂
Tammy Travis says
Have you tried making yogurt with this? I know soy doesnt usually require thickeners since its higher protein than almond, But i prefer not to use soy.
Kate says
I have tried making yogurt with quinoa milk and it didn't thicken.
Iosune says
Hi Kate! Soy milk is the best for making yogurt, but coconut milk is also great 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Tammy! No, I haven't, sorry!
Dean Panicker says
Hey Iosune, this idea is massive , I’m going to try this right away. Very well explained and thank you so much for sharing..
Iosune says
Hi Dean! You're so welcome 🙂 Hope you like it!
Cynthia G. says
I got somewhere and didn’t have milk, but had quinoa. I looked up quinoa milk and found this recipe. It worked great! Thank you. You saved me. I must confess, I added a smidge of nutmeg with the cinnamon; it was a nice addition, but I love the taste of nutmeg. I have a ginger spice blend I may try next time. Thanks again. Your recipe is a definite keeper!
Iosune says
Hi Cynthia! Sounds greast 🙂 SO glad you liked it!
sanny says
hey iosune! wanted to know after straining this, is it the same nutritional values meaning how many calories carbs, fat and protein its left after straining! it sucks that every where i look for recipes no one really puts the info that way i know how many calories my child is getting since i don't want to give her any store bought cows milk or nut milk, id been trying to perfect hemp milk since it has all the nutrients and i started mixing the hemp with quinoa. like does the quinoa milk when blending keeps all the nutrients in the liquid? in the back of my quinoa milk it says 1/2 cup dried 7 grams of protein, 35 carbs 4 in fiber and 160 calories. what you think?
Iosune says
Hi Sanny! It's really difficult to know the nutritional information of this recipe because you discard the pulp. I think it's not important, as long as you're eating healthy food until you're satisfied, the calories are not important 🙂
Mir says
Silly question, is the 1 cup of quinoa already cooked, or raw? Meaning, how much cooked quinoa do you add to the water? Thanks. My allergic kid will be so happy with this alternative.
Iosune says
Hi Mir! As you can see in the ingredient list, it's cooked quinoa 🙂
Tammy Travis says
I am a little confused still. are you measuring the 1 cup quinoa BEFORE you cook it? Because I know it swells up.
Iosune says
Hi Tammy! It's 1 cup of cooked quinoa, so I measure it once it's cooked 🙂
Ellen Wang says
Hi iosune says, Quinoa will expand 4 times after it was cooked! So for everyone who asked, just do the math! Hope this helps!
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind help 🙂 Have a nice day!
Kate C. says
I have previously made homemade soy milk, rice milk, and oat milk. I tried your quinoa milk recipe without the dates a while ago and didn't particularly care for the taste. Tonight I decided to try it again, this time with dates, and it is much better. I really like the fact that quinoa has complete protein. I may enrich this a bit with calcium next time I make it so that it is an even better substitute for cow's milk.
Iosune says
Hi Kate! Thanks a lot for your comment. Quinoa is a great source of protein 😀
Cristina says
Hey! great recipe! Can’t wait to try it. Any idea on what to do with the pulp? I hate to throw it away
Iosune says
Hi Cristina! Thanks a lot 🙂 You could add it to your soups or smoothies. Have a nice day!
T says
Is there much pulp? If so, what can I do with the pulp?
Iosune says
Hi T! Not so much if you use a powerful blender 🙂
Janne Ploquin says
I use the pulp left over for smoothies. Just put it in a container in the fridge and put a few spoonfuls in my husbands whey shakes in the morning.
Iosune says
Hi Janne! I also use the pulp to make smoothies as well, they're delicious! 🙂
Louise says
Do you think this would hold up as an alternative to cows' milk in cooked recipes? I'm looking for a healthy, cheaper milk substitute to cook with.
Iosune says
Hi Louise! I think any plant milk can be used instead of cows milk. I love almond, coconut, soy and oat milk, but this is also a great alternative. Take a look at this post: http://simpleveganblog.com/9-easy-plant-milk-recipes/ Have a nice day!