Best Rice Cooker Setting for Quinoa (What Button to Press on Most Models)

The best rice cooker setting for quinoa is usually “White Rice” or “Normal.”
These settings heat steadily, cook quinoa evenly, and automatically switch to warm when the liquid is absorbed, which is exactly what quinoa needs to turn out fluffy instead of mushy.

If you’re starting from the beginning, read the main guide first:
Can You Make Quinoa in a Rice Cooker?

Quick Answer: Which Button Should You Press?

For most rice cookers, use one of these:

  • White Rice
  • Normal
  • Regular Cook
  • Cook

Avoid these settings for quinoa (most of the time):

  • Quick Cook / Fast Cook (can cook unevenly)
  • Brown Rice (often too long for quinoa)
  • Porridge / Congee (too much moisture + too soft)

Why “White Rice” Works Best for Quinoa

Quinoa cooks faster than most grains, and it needs:

  • steady heat
  • enough time to absorb water
  • a clean shutoff point when the liquid is gone

The “White Rice” setting is designed for exactly that.

As long as you use the correct ratio, quinoa usually comes out fluffy and perfect.

For ratio help, see:
Quinoa Water Ratio for a Rice Cooker

Best Settings by Rice Cooker Type

Different rice cookers offer different buttons. Here’s what to use based on what you have.

1) Basic One-Touch Rice Cookers (Cook/Warm Only)

Use: Cook

That’s it. These cookers keep heating until they detect less water and then switch to warm.

Tip: Let quinoa rest for 5 minutes after it finishes, then fluff.

If you want a full cooking-time guide, read:
How Long to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker

2) Rice Cookers with White Rice / Brown Rice Buttons

Use: White Rice

Avoid “Brown Rice” unless you’re mixing quinoa with brown rice and adjusting water and time.

3) Multi-Cookers with Multi-Grain / Quinoa Modes

If your cooker has:

  • Multi-Grain
  • Grain
  • Quinoa
  • Whole Grains

These can work very well, but they sometimes run slightly longer.

Best recommendation:

  • Use Quinoa mode if available
  • Otherwise use White Rice for the most consistent result

Best Settings for Popular Brands

Aroma Rice Cooker

Most Aroma models do best with:

  • White Rice or Normal

Brand-specific instructions here:
How to Cook Quinoa in an Aroma Rice Cooker

Zojirushi

Many Zojirushi models do great with:

  • White Rice for standard quinoa
  • Multi-Grain if you prefer slightly softer quinoa

Because Zojirushi often seals moisture well, quinoa can come out a bit softer, reduce water slightly if needed.

Cuckoo / Tiger / Panasonic

Most of these work best with:

  • White Rice / Regular
  • Multi-Grain can work for larger batches

What Happens If You Choose the Wrong Setting?

If you use Quick Cook

  • quinoa may be partly undercooked
  • texture can be uneven
  • center might be crunchy

If you use Brown Rice

  • quinoa can overcook
  • texture becomes soft or mushy
  • grains may break

If you use Porridge/Congee

  • quinoa becomes very soft
  • too wet for salads, bowls, or meal prep

A Simple “Always Works” Method

If you want one method that works on almost every rice cooker:

  1. Rinse quinoa
  2. Use the standard ratio
  3. Press White Rice
  4. Let rest 5 minutes
  5. Fluff and serve

What If Quinoa Is Still Crunchy After Cooking?

This usually happens when:

  • not enough water was used
  • the lid was opened mid-cook
  • quick cook mode was used

Fix:

  • add ¼ cup water
  • close lid
  • run Cook / White Rice again for 5 minutes

Final Takeaway

For most rice cookers, the best setting for quinoa is:

White Rice / Normal

It’s simple, reliable, and makes quinoa fluffy with minimal effort. If your cooker has a quinoa or multi-grain mode, you can test it later, but “White Rice” is usually the safest choice for consistent results.