Ingredient Weight Converter · grain
Quinoa (Uncooked): cups to grams
1 cup of quinoa (uncooked) weighs 170 grams. Use the converter below for any other amount, or check the quick-reference table.
By Andrew Flores, Editor and publisher, Nathan Management. Last reviewed .
Density source: USDA FoodData Central, cross-checked against the King Arthur Baking weight chart. How these figures are derived and corrected is documented in our editorial standards.
Quinoa (Uncooked) baseline: 1 cup = 170 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 43 g | 1.50 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 57 g | 2.00 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 85 g | 3.00 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 113 g | 4.00 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 128 g | 4.50 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 170 g | 6.00 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 255 g | 8.99 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 340 g | 11.99 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 510 g | 17.99 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 680 g | 23.99 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 170 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 11 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 3.5 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 1.8 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 0.89 g |
Quinoa (Uncooked) at a glance
- Water ratio
- 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, 15 minutes covered, 5 minutes rest
- Yield
- 1 cup uncooked makes about 3 cups cooked
- Protein
- a complete protein — it carries all nine essential amino acids, which is unusual for a plant seed
What a cup of quinoa (uncooked) actually weighs
The published 170 g assumes one specific way of filling the cup. Here is what the same cup weighs under the other common handling methods and product forms, and how far off the recipe you end up.
| How it was measured | Grams per cup | vs. published | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| White quinoa, uncooked | 170 g | published figure | The published figure and the mildest of the three colors. |
| Red or black quinoa, uncooked | ~175 g | +3% | Slightly denser seeds that hold their shape better and take a couple of extra minutes to cook. |
A tilde (~) marks a working estimate rather than a published figure — it varies with brand, grind, or how hard the cup was packed.
Why measuring quinoa (uncooked) by cup goes wrong
Quinoa is technically a seed (a pseudo-cereal), not a grain. One cup uncooked weighs about 170 grams; cooked, it roughly triples in volume. Quinoa is naturally coated in saponins, bitter soap-like compounds that protect the seed from birds and insects. Most packaged quinoa is pre-rinsed, and most is not rinsed thoroughly enough.
Practical tips for working with quinoa (uncooked)
Always rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water for 30 seconds before cooking, even when the package says 'pre-rinsed.' The water should run clear. Then toast the rinsed quinoa in a dry pot for 2–3 minutes before adding liquid — the toasting brings out a nutty flavor that boiled quinoa lacks. Standard ratio: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, 15 minutes simmer covered, then 5 minutes off the heat.
Note from this ingredient's record: Rinse before cooking to wash off the natural saponin coating — unrinsed quinoa tastes soapy.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
Quinoa for rice as a side
Ratio: 1:1 by volume, 2 cups water, 15 minutes
Trade-off: Faster than rice and higher in protein, with a distinct grassy edge. It will not work where you need sticky rice.
Quinoa flakes for rolled oats
Ratio: 1:1 in porridge only
Trade-off: They cook in 90 seconds and turn to mush in a cookie.
When quinoa (uncooked) ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked quinoa tastes soapy or bitter | Saponin coating that survived a token rinse. | Rinse in a fine-mesh strainer, rubbing the seeds with your hand, until the water runs clear — usually 30–60 seconds. |
| Quinoa came out wet and porridge-like | Too much water, or it was not rested off the heat. | Use exactly 2:1, rest covered 5 minutes off the heat, then fluff with a fork so the steam escapes. |
Storing quinoa (uncooked)
Sealed at room temperature about a year uncooked; cooked quinoa keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes well in portions.
Other ingredients
Browse every ingredient on the site, or jump to a related one: