Peruvian Quinoa Soup (Sopas de Quinoa)

Peruvian Quinoa Soup Recipe | Quinoa, veggies and a little spice make this soup PERFECT comfort food. Real food naturally. www.LiveBest.info

Peruvian Soup is filled with quinoa, vegetables and a little spice. This humble soup is nourishing and good!

 I hiked the Inca Trail. I explored Macchu Pichu. I toured Lima, but I had to go to the remote Taquile island on Lake Titicaca to eat this delicious soup.

Julia Child said you don’t have to cook a masterpiece, just use good ingredients.

Peruvian Quinoa Soup is just that.

The Peruvians have been using good ingredients for centuries.

Peruvian Quinoa Soup bowl

Peruvian Quinoa soup is filled with vegetables

The ingredients

  • onion, celery, carrots, potato, green beans, zucchini are listed in the recipe, but you can omit some and add others, such as sweet potato, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers
  • garlic, jalapeno, lime juice
  • dried ground cumin, dried leaf oregano
  • aji amarillo paste or yellow curry powder
  • chicken or vegetable
  • quinoa

Peruvian Soup recipe

No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing, Julia Child

Soup is a great place to start becoming a great cook because it’s pretty forgiving. Keep an eye on the vegetables so they get soft but don’t overcook and become mushy. You can vary the recipe and substitute your favorite vegetables but cut them into similar sizes so they cook evenly.

I joke that if I were Queen, I would require my subjects to take Family and Consumer Sciences (Home Economics) so they would know basic cooking skills. I can think of no better way to be Master of Your Universe than being able to feed yourself nutritiously, economically and safely.

  1. Soften the chopped onion, celery and carrots for a few minutes.
  2. Add garlic and jalapeño, cook a few more minutes.
  3. Stir in spices, then quinoa and broth, potatoes and green beans, cook 15 minutes or so.
  4. Add quick cooking zucchini, simmer until down, about 5 minutes.

 

spoonful of Peruvian Quinoa Soup

Peruvian quinoa soup

Spicy, aromatic, and rich with vegetables and quinoa, this fiber-rich, humble soup is a LiveBest favorite. A unique ingredient, aji amarillo, is a yellow pepper used in Peruvian cooking for flavor and mild heat. Find it in larger grocery stores or buy it online. To keep you from running all over, I’ve substituted yellow madras curry powder in this recipe.

What is Quinoa

Quinoa (KEEN-wah) is a good ingredient.

Considered an ancient grain, the Incas called it “the mother grain.” It continues to be a staple in Peruvian’s diets. It’s popularity has recently soared because for a grain, it is a good protein source. It cooks quickly, and the tiny seeds unfurl as they absorb liquid. It’s favor is bland but it’s versatility contributes to its popularity.

Find quinoa near the rice and other grains at the grocery store. I like that it cooks in about 10 minutes and provides fiber and protein. It’s technically a seed, which makes it gluten free. When quinoa seeds uncurl, it’s finished cooking. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork to keep it from compacting.

Do you have to rinse quinoa?

Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin.This actually protects the plant from predators, but it can lead to a bitter taste. It’s easily removed by rinsing and draining. Some brands require rinsing before cooking, others have prerinsed the grains, so read the label to see if you need to take that step.

Pour the grains in a fine strainer. Set the strainer in a bowl of water so grains can float as you stir it. Lift the strainer out of the bowl and run cool tap water over. Let the quinoa drain for a few minutes before cooking.

How to use quinoa

Quinoa can be added to salads, served as a side dish (like cous cous), baked into muffins, even blended into smoothies. As I visited Peru, I discovered a few other ways quinoa to use it. Black quinoa-laced pancakes were so good that I ordered them twice. I haven’t replicated that recipe…yet, but I consider this soup a best-in-class souvenir!

Because quinoa is so versatile, I cook it to help with meal prep. I use it in:

Quinoa Nutrition

With 8 grams of plant-based protein, 5 grams of fiber per cup, quinoa is a grain to add to your diet. Because of the health benefits, I like to cook extra to use through out the week. It keeps for a week in the fridge.

High Five Fiber Challenge

I created a free, 5-day challenge you can join by clicking this link. You’ll get tips and tools, resources and recipes to create your own roadmap to meet your fiber goals toward high fiber meals. Don’t ya? Won’t ya? Seriously, it’s only 5 days 😉 Find it right here.

What’s a favorite meal from one of your travels?

P.S. Hungry for more get healthy tips and recipes? Sign up for my newsletter here.

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bowl of soup with spoon

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Peruvian Quinoa Soup

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Peruvian Quinoa Soup. Quinoa, veggies and a little spice make this humble soup PERFECT comfort food. Real food naturally.

  • Author: Judy Barbe
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: stove
  • Cuisine: Peruvian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small jalapeno, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon aji amarillo paste or yellow curry powder
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 1 cup green beans, fresh, frozen or canned, drained
  • 4 cups low-sodium broth, chicken or vegetable
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoons pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in soup pot. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook 15 minutes until softened, but not browned.
  2. Add garlic and jalapeno, cook 1 minute.
  3. Stir in cumin, oregano and curry, cook 1 minute.
  4. Add potato, green beans, water, broth and quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.
  5. Cook 15-20 minutes until vegetables are just cooked through and quinoa uncurls. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes.
  6. Just before serving, stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes

Aji Amarillo is a yellow pepper used in Peruvian cooking for flavor and mild heat. Find it in larger grocery stores buy it online.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1.5 cups
  • Calories: 230

Peruvian Quinoa Soup Recipe | Quinoa, veggies and a little spice make this soup PERFECT comfort food. Real food naturally. www.LiveBest.info,/div>

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