How to Cook Whole Grains

Some people claim quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is one of the world’s most perfect foods, due to its high nutritional content. It’s high in protein, calcium, Vitamin B, and iron. It’s also gluten-free. And—fun fact—apparently the Incas thought it was sacred, because eating it regularly appeared to provide a long, healthy life.

Is quinoa a whole grain? Quinoa is technically a seed, not a grain (a pseudocereal, to be precise!). However, it's generally considered a whole grain because of its similar properties.

Quinoa Recipes
Master Recipe: How to Cook Quinoa -or- Instant Pot Quinoa
Loaded Quinoa Tacos
Quinoa Vegan Chili
Artichoke & Quinoa Enchiladas
Quinoa Fried Rice
10 Easy Quinoa Recipes

Farro is a whole grain that’s chewy once cooked, kind of like barley. It’s considered an ancient grain, and it’s recently become quite popular. You can buy farro whole, semi-pearled, or pearled; pearled farro takes the least amount of time to cook and is likely what you’ll find at the store.

Is farro gluten free? Because farro is made from wheat, it is not gluten free. Make sure to stay away from farro if you have a strict gluten free diet (substitute quinoa or rice instead).

Farro Recipes
Master Recipe: How to Cook Farro -or- Instant Pot Farro
Farro with Mushrooms
Farro Salad with Tart Cherries
Cozy Farro & Brussels Sprouts Soup
Farro & Roasted Vegetable Salad
Mushroom Barley Soup (sub farro & cook until tender)

Technically a seed, millet is an excellent gluten-free substitute for couscous or even pasta. Millet is fairly high in protein, and it’s a good source of various vitamins and minerals. Millet comes in many different varieties, but your local grocery store most likely sells yellow proso millet. It has a slightly nutty flavor and makes for an easy side dish.

Millet Recipes
Master Recipe: How to Cook Millet
Roasted Brocolli Casserole with Millet
Easy Stuffed Peppers with Millet

We're all familiar with rice: did you know that it's a whole grain? There are many types of rice, including white, brown, red and even black rice! Our method for how to cook rice is faster than the standard and turns out perfectly every time.

Why eat red, brown or black rice instead of white? Brown rice has an impressive amount of vitamins, minerals and beneficial compounds because it is less processed than white rice. White rice has its hull, bran and germ removed. Brown rice has only the hull removed, so it retains the nutrients that white rice lacks such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also has more fiber than white rice.

Rice Recipes
How to Cook Brown Rice -or- Instant Pot Brown Rice
How to Cook White Rice -or- Instant Pot White Rice
How to Cook Basmati Rice
How to Cook Jasmine Rice -or- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
Coconut Rice
Chickpea Soup with Rice
Spinach Rice with Feta
Vegetarian Red Beans & Rice

Did you know that wild rice is not actually rice? (Mind blown, right?) It’s actually the seed from a native grass that grows in lakes and streams in the Northern US and Canada. But since it looks a lot like rice, wild rice is treated as rice in most cuisines!

How does it stack up against brown rice? Wild rice has less calories than brown rice, about 66% less! It also has slightly more protein than brown rice.

Wild Rice Recipes
Perfect Wild Rice
Wild Rice Casserole
Best Wild Rice Soup
Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup

Bulgur wheat is a whole grain that originates in Middle Eastern cuisine. Ever had tabbouleh? It’s made of bulgur wheat. Bulgur is made of the cracked parboiled groats of several different wheat species. It comes in different grind sizes, which changes the cooking time significantly. We like fine-grind and medium-grind bulgur wheat, which is the quickest cooking. Generally we avoid coarse-ground or extra-coarse bulgur, since it takes longer to cook.

Is bulgur gluten free? Bulgur wheat is made of wheat, so it’s not gluten-free. If you eat a gluten-free diet, substitute quinoa. 

Bulgur Recipes
How to Cook Bulgur -or- Instant Pot Bulgur Wheat
Bulgur Wheat & Fried Eggs
Mediterranean Bulgur Salad

Good news: oats are a whole grain too! According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, oats are high in fiber, can reduce the risk of heart disease, and can be helpful for weight control. Oatmeal is part of our everyday breakfasts over here.

What's the difference between rolled oats and steel cut oats? They're made out of the same whole grain oatmeal. Steel cut oats have more of the grain kept intact and look more like pieces of rice! Nutritionally, steel cut and rolled oats have the same benefits: lots of fiber and plant-based protein to start your day. But an additional health benefit of steel cut oats is that since they are processed the most minimally, they may be digested more slowly and have a lower glycemic index.

Oatmeal Recipes
Master Recipe: How to Cook Toasted Oatmeal
Best Oatmeal Recipe -or- Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal
DIY Instant Oatmeal
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Carrot Cake Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats
Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Move over quinoa, there’s a new grain in town. Freekah is an ancient grain that hails from the Middle East. Similar to bulgur wheat, it comes from the durum wheat plant, harvested when the wheat is green. It’s been part of Mediterranean and Northern African cuisine for centuries, and is starting to become more popular here in the US. It’s popping up in restaurants and cookbooks as the whole grain du jour.

Freekah has a nutty, almost smoky flavor and a chewy texture. The biggest plus? It takes only about 20 minutes to cook. It’s terrific in nourish bowls and soups, but it’s also a great side dish.

Freekah Recipes
Master Recipe: Freekah
Freekah Vegetable Soup Recipe
Roasted Fall Vegetable Grain Bowl

What is polenta? It's a cornmeal porridge that's a bit like grits, served with savory toppings. Here’s a simple, creamy cornmeal polenta recipe that requires few ingredients and very little effort. Cornmeal, water, and a little butter make for a polenta that’s thick and slightly sweet in flavor. All you have to do is boil water, then whisk in the cornmeal, stirring frequently to avoid lumps. Then cook the cornmeal polenta for about 20 minutes.

Polenta Recipes
Master Recipe: Perfectly Creamy Polenta
Creamy Vegan Polenta Recipe
Vegetarian Polenta with Greens
Roasted Tomato Shrimp and Polenta
Vegetarian Tamale Pies

Is popcorn a whole grain? Absolutely! Making stovetop popcorn is surprisingly easy, and it’s done in less than 15 minutes. Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable or coconut oil in a tall pot. Add a few kernels to the oil; you’ll know the oil is hot enough to cook the rest of the popcorn once those few kernels pop. Add in the rest of the kernels and the salt. Give the pot a little shake to evenly distribute the oil, and then wait for the magic to happen!

Popcorn Recipes
Master Recipe: How to Cook Popcorn on the Stove
Herb Popcorn
Chocolate Chip Popcorn Cookies