Ideally, grains should be soaked overnight prior to cooking. This will reduce the cooking time and aid in digestion. Combine the grains and full amount of water along with an acid, such as: Kombucha, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, kefir, whey, yogurt, etc. Use 1 tablespoon of the acid per cup of liquid. Start the soaking the night before, so the grains will soak at least 7 to 8 hours. After the soaking time has passed, begin the cooking process.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined virgin coconut oil per cup of grain (optional). Add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of sea salt per cup of grain (optional). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for time listed, or until tender and all water is absorbed if you soaked it. Do not lift lid during cooking time, except very quickly once or twice to make sure it is simmering gently. After time required, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Let stand, covered, for about 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. All done!
Also see All Grain Cooking Chart.
Gluten-Free Grain Cooking Chart
| RICE (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Brown Rice (long grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Brown Rice (short grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 3/4 cups |
| Brown Basmati Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Brown Jasmine Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Black Japonica Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Wehani Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 cups |
| Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/4 hours | 4 cups |
| Manitok Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 50 to 60 minutes | 4 cups |
| GRAIN (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Amaranth | 1 1/2 cups | 25 minutes | 2 cups |
| Buckwheat/Kasha | 1 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Cornmeal (Polenta) | 2 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Millet | 2 cups | 25 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| **Quinoa | 2 cups | 25 to 30 minutes | 4 cups |
| Teff | 3 cups | 15 minutes | 3 cups |
**Rinse first.
Not Just for Dinner
Don’t get me wrong. Grains are a staple ingredient in any dinner’s skillet dish. Or, using a cast iron skillet, they can be warmed up in oil and spiced up with salt, pepper and herbs, for a great “refried” side dish.
But don’t stop there! Cook a big batch so you can enjoy them for breakfast or lunch.
Create a tummy-warming hot breakfast cereal by warming up leftover rice, millet, quinoa or other grain in a pot on the stove with a little of your preferred milk (see Nut Milk) and comforting spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and/or Chinese Five Spice Powder. Then top it with fresh fruit, a natural sweetener such as raw honey or raw agave, and more of your favorite milk.
Combine a cooked and cooled grain with beans, diced vegetables, a good dressing, olives, and cheese, and serve it cold as a cold grain salad (see my Cold Quinoa Salad for an example).
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Thanks so much for this chart. The only thing we ever do is oatmeal and I would love to expand our grains. I have tried quinoa in the crockpot the way I do my oatmeal but it burned.
Unfortunately for the time being we are just having to do granola and rice milk every morning since we have a baby coming soon and I am not well enough to cook in the mornings.
I can’t wait until life settles a little after the baby so I can try some of your wheat free recipes. Thanks for posting so much on your allergy free recipes:)
To clarify, do we use the amount of liquid in the cooking chart for soaking? Do we add any water after soaking for the cooking? I’m thinking for quinoa especially, since I think you’re supposed to rinse them again after soaking, right? Thanks for your help! Love your site so much!!
What a wealth of valuable information you website is. I can’t wait to explore it some more. 🙂
Hello! Im a bit confused on cooking after you soak. I tend to soak my grains and beans for a longer period of time. Im confused on how much water im supposed to add. If i do a cup of brown rice, and soak it in 2 cups of water, do i reuse the soaking water and thats it to cook it? Or drain the rice after soaking, then bring to a boil in the pot with another 2 cups water?
I made black rice last night and it turned out very mushy.
Shelby — You can either cook it right in the soaking water –OR– drain the water and measure what’s left and replace just that amount (not the full soaking amount).