Most legumes, grains, nuts + seeds benefit from to soaking prior to cooking, as it helps to improve digestibility and increase the nutrient value of the food by making it more bio-available.
Quinoa is particularly high in saponins. Saponins are a natural compound that is found in a number of plants, and it literally looks like soap when mixed with water. Unfortunately many people experience digestive distress after consuming foods containing saponins, which is why I always recommend soaking your quinoa to remove the saponins before cooking. It’s super easy.
I personally soak my quinoa the night before I plan on cooking it.
Put the quinoa in a large bowl and completely saturate the quinoa with room temperature water + 2-3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Stir and cover with a tea towel overnight. When I’m ready to cook, I drain and rinse the quinoa. Soaked quinoa takes less time to cook, and it usually takes about 10 minutes on the stove after this process.
