# Does Quinoa Have Protein?

URL: https://kibora.app/protein-in/quinoa/
Language: en
Page type: food protein reference
Last Updated: 2026-09-23
Description: Yes. Cooked quinoa has about 4.4 g of protein per 100 g and about 8 g per cooked cup. See common servings and protein context.
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## Does Quinoa Have Protein?

Yes. One cup of cooked quinoa, around 185 g, contains approximately 8.1 g of protein.

Per 100 g, cooked quinoa contains approximately 4.4 g of protein.

## Protein in quinoa by serving size

These values use cooked quinoa. Dry quinoa is much more protein-dense per 100 g because cooking adds water.

| Serving | Protein | Calories |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 g cooked quinoa | 4.4 g | 120 kcal |
| 1/2 cup cooked, ~93 g | 4.1 g | 112 kcal |
| 1 cup cooked, ~185 g | 8.1 g | 222 kcal |
| 250 g cooked | 11.0 g | 300 kcal |

## Is quinoa a good source of protein?

Quinoa provides more protein than many cooked grains, but it is still not as protein-dense as tofu, legumes, meat, fish or dairy.

A cooked cup provides about 8 g of protein.

Quinoa contains all essential amino acids, which makes it nutritionally useful even though normal servings do not provide very large absolute protein amounts.

### Source of protein

15% of calories from protein

## How much cooked quinoa provides 20–30 g of protein?

Those are large portions, so quinoa often works best as part of a meal with another protein source.

### ~20 g protein

455 g

~546 kcal

### ~25 g protein

568 g

~682 kcal

### ~30 g protein

682 g

~818 kcal

## See how your meals add up.

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## Nutrition data and methodology

USDA FoodData Central reference values for cooked quinoa are approximately 4.4 g protein and 120 kcal per 100 g.

A cooked cup weighs about 185 g and provides roughly 8.1 g of protein. Dry and cooked values should not be compared directly per 100 g.

### Sources

[USDA FoodData Central](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/)

## Compare protein in similar foods

### Oatmeal

about 5.9 g protein per cooked cup

[See protein by serving.](https://kibora.app/protein-in/oatmeal/)

### Rice

2.7 g protein per 100 g cooked white rice

[See protein by serving.](https://kibora.app/protein-in/rice/)

### Beans

about 8–9 g protein per 100 g cooked kidney beans

[See protein by serving.](https://kibora.app/protein-in/beans/)

### Tofu

13.3 g protein per 100 g tofu

[See protein by serving.](https://kibora.app/protein-in/tofu/)

## Common questions about protein in quinoa

### Does quinoa have protein?

Yes. Cooked quinoa contains about 4.4 g of protein per 100 g.

### How much protein is in one cup of quinoa?

About 8.1 g in a cooked cup weighing roughly 185 g.

### Is quinoa high in protein?

It is relatively protein-rich for a cooked grain, but it is not a concentrated protein food.

### Is quinoa a complete protein?

Yes. Quinoa contains all essential amino acids.

### Does dry quinoa have more protein per 100 g?

Yes, because cooked quinoa contains much more water.

## How much protein should you eat per day?

Knowing that a cooked cup of quinoa has about 8 g of protein is useful. Knowing how that fits into your daily protein and macro targets is more useful.