Thermos Quinoa
Boil water at lunch, eat dinner with no cooking. Quinoa expands in an insulated thermos while you hike or break camp.
- calories
- 320
- weight
- 3 oz
- cal / oz
- 107
- protein
- 12 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 2 min
- water
- 237 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Winter / snow
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Quinoa (prewashed) | 1/2 cup | Bob's Red Mill and similar brands are already washed; unwashed quinoa requires rinsing |
|---|---|---|
| Sea salt | a pinch |
Method
- Pour the quinoa into your insulated thermos food jar.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Pour in exactly 237 ml of boiling water and seal the jar tightly.
- Shake gently a few times to combine.
- Let it sit for 3 to 4 hours. Check after 3 hours; if still crunchy, wait another hour.
- Fluff with a fork. If it's still wet, leave the lid off for a minute or two.
- Eat straight from the thermos or spoon into a bowl.
You boil water at lunch and dinner cooks for free. Thermal mass handles the work while you hike or break camp. At mealtime, there’s nothing but opening a jar and fluffing.
Prewashed quinoa is nonnegotiable—unwashed seeds have bitter saponins that require real rinsing and will wreck a meal. Dried vegetables and broth powder add flavor without weight. The base is plain, but it carries seasoning well.
Packing
Measure 1/2 cup of prewashed quinoa into a quart-size ziplock bag with a pinch of salt. Carry a 10- to 12-ounce thermos food jar with a wide mouth as part of your camp kitchen gear.
Variations
- Make pilaf: add 1 tsp vegetarian broth powder, 1 tbsp dried diced onion, and 1 tbsp dried vegetable blend to the dry quinoa.
- Double the recipe with 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of boiling water in a 24-ounce thermos.
- Stir in canned tuna, jerky, or a handful of cooked beans to the finished quinoa for extra protein.
- Pour the finished quinoa into a thick soup or stew instead of eating it plain.
https://trailcooking.com/2024/05/13/trail-cooking-the-quinoa-thermos-method