A little reason to celebrate

National Quinoa Day

Food · January 16

A day for quinoa, the small, quick-cooking seed from the Andes that people eat like a grain in bowls, salads and breakfast porridge.

National Quinoa Day falls on Saturday, January 16, 2027. That is 81 days away.

Quinoa looks like a grain, cooks like a grain and sits on the plate like a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant related to spinach and beets. It comes from the Andes mountains of South America, where people have grown it for a very long time.

Cooked, it is light and slightly nutty, with a gentle pop when you bite down. Each seed uncurls a tiny white tail as it simmers, which is the germ separating from the seed. It comes in white, red and black varieties. The red and black kinds hold their shape a little better and taste a bit earthier.

Most people meet quinoa in a bowl or a salad. It takes on dressings well, so it shows up cold with cucumber, herbs and lemon, or warm under roasted vegetables and a fried egg. Some cooks simmer it in milk with cinnamon for breakfast. Others toast it dry in a pan first, which deepens the nutty flavor.

One step changes a lot. Quinoa seeds carry a natural coating called saponin that can taste bitter or soapy. Many packages are prerinsed, but a quick rinse in a fine strainer before cooking does no harm and often helps. A common ratio is about two parts water to one part quinoa, simmered covered until the water is gone, then left to rest a few minutes and fluffed with a fork.

Ways to celebrate

Try toasting quinoa in a dry pan before simmering it.
Make a cold quinoa salad with whatever vegetables and herbs you have.
Cook red or black quinoa if you usually buy white.
Try quinoa simmered in milk with cinnamon for breakfast.
Share a favorite quinoa bowl combination with a friend.

Dates

Year	Date
2026	Friday, January 16
2027	Saturday, January 16
2028	Sunday, January 16
2029	Tuesday, January 16
2030	Wednesday, January 16

All national days on January 16

Also on January 16

Categories: Food days