Quinoa Soup – Sopa de Quinua
Posted on | September 2, 2010 | 13 Comments
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The Incas really knew what they were doing when it came to nutrition. Quinoa (or quinua) was a major part of their diet, second only to the potato. They held it sacred, and called it the ‘mother of all grains’.
The truth is that quinoa isn’t actually a grain. Grains come from grass plants like wheat and barley. Quinoa comes from a plant that’s more closely related to beets and spinach. Wherever it comes from, quinoa is a super source of protein, making it a great food for vegetarians. It’s also gluten free, which makes it a great substitute for those who can’t eat wheat or barley products.
And – it makes a delicious soup.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 quarts (liters) of chicken broth or stock
- 1 zucchini cut in bite sized cubes
- 2 medium sized potatoes in cube
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup of diced celery
- 1/2 cup of quinoa
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 minced garlic clove
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a large stew pot, stir fry the vegetables (except the zucchini) in the oil. Add the bay leaf, oregano and garlic. Cook until the onions are softened, but don’t let them start browning.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the quinoa is soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I know saying ‘cook until the quinoa is soft’ is kind of a poor way to say it. Truth is, the quinoa will take 15-30 minutes to cook, but I like to cook it at least a half hour on a low simmer so that all the flavors meld well.
Of course, this dish can easily be made vegetarian by simply using a vegetarian broth instead of chicken. (Personally, I don’t use celery – can’t stand the stuff)
Other quinoa tips:
- Wash the quinoa well, and soak it for at least 4 hours, then dump the water and give it another rinse. This makes the quinoa much more easily digestible.
- If you want to add more quinoa to your diet, you can cook it just like rice on the stove or in your rice cooker.
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Tags: Cook > Garlic > Grains > Onion > Quinoa > Soups and Stews
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13 Responses to “Quinoa Soup – Sopa de Quinua”
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September 4th, 2010 @ 05:30
An Expat in Lima talks about life and food in Peru…
An expat in Lima shares what it’s like to live in South America, plus shares cooking tips and recipes for American and Peruvian food….
September 11th, 2010 @ 11:47
Try this it’s a kind of ajiaco de quinoa. Rinse the Quinoa for long time. Boil it until it would be cooked, dry it and reserve . Cut in small squares a chicken breast, a half of red or white onion and a couple gloves of garlic mashed, olive oil and fried the garlic then put the onion then the pieces of chicken breast after the pieces would be done if you like a little spicy put aji amarillo paste just a half of teaspoon or more or less depends how much you’ll like. Salt and pepper and put the quinoa after a couple minutes drop a half of small cup of chicken broth and a half of a cup of milk. and when it would be almost done put queso fresco cut in squares. It’s very nutritional and deliciuos. Enjoy.
September 14th, 2010 @ 20:26
That sounds delicious! I’ll have to increase the recipe some to feed my guys, but I’ll definitely give that a try. Thanks for stopping by
May 31st, 2011 @ 16:44
Question – really 4 QUARTS of liquid??? Just came back from Peru and ate quinoa soup where ever it was offered and loved it. Will try your recipe soon.
Thanks!
Rita
May 31st, 2011 @ 20:09
I make it in a 5 quart stock pot, that’s how much I add.
But I always look at recipes as a jumping off point – adjust it so it’s the way you like it!
July 20th, 2011 @ 06:39
Quinoa is really nutritious. I use it as a substitute for my rice for 1-2 days in a given week. My problem is I seldom see it on the market in our area. So I really have a limited suppy of Quinoa. Any suggestions?
July 20th, 2011 @ 15:41
I sure do – you can always buy quinoa online – try Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa.
October 10th, 2011 @ 14:56
Yum! I will try victor’s chicken one next! I had about a golf ball size piece of chorizo and diced and added it for extra flavor.
October 10th, 2011 @ 15:08
Great idea! I love making lentil soup with chorizo, don’t know why I never thought of adding it to the quinoa.
November 27th, 2011 @ 19:13
Just got back from Churin and had a wonderful drink called jugo de maca. It was quinoa based and I could taste cinnamon and sugar…but no luck so far finding a recipe. If anyone knows how to make it, I would love to hear from you.
November 28th, 2011 @ 16:41
Check out the apple cinnamon drink here – it doesn’t have maca, but does have quinoa and kiwicha. You could probably substitute or add maca without noticing a difference.
http://mylifeinperu.com/2010/02/22/apple-and-quinoa-drink/
January 30th, 2012 @ 03:41
Hi, do you know where to find kiwicha? (I’m currently in Germany) Never thought to buy it online….is it even available? I love the kids drink that has it in it
It’s so good! haha
January 30th, 2012 @ 13:39
No, sorry, I don’t know where you’d pick it up in Germany. You might try natural food markets or health food stores if you don’t have Latin markets to check.