Soup
Peruvian-Inspired Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Cook
- 30 minutes
- Total
- 50 minutes
- Serves
- 6 servings
Bring it to the table
About this recipe.
A vegetable-packed quinoa soup with sweet potato, cabbage and turnip, warmed with cumin and finished with parsley and cider vinegar.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 lg Yellow Onion (diced)
- 1 lg Leek, white and light green part only (washed well and thinly sliced)
- 1 lg Celery stalk (diced)
- 2 Carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 cup Sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1 1/2 cups Cabbage (coarsely chopped)
- 1 Turnip – white (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2-1 tsp Chili powder or ancho chili powder (mild chili powder blend or pure ancho powder; not cayenne)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (plus more as needed; chicken stock may be substituted)
- 1/4 cup Quinoa (dry; rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve and drained)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp Sea salt (to taste)
- 1/2 cup Parsley (fresh, coarsely chopped)
- 1-2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to taste)
- Chopped tomatoes or red peppers for garnish (optional)
Even pieces make a better bowl
Cut the root vegetables into half-inch pieces and rinse the leek well. Let the carrots, onion and leek soften before adding the remaining vegetables and quinoa.
Check vegetables as well as grains
The quinoa and roots should both be tender before serving. Add a little stock if the pot gets too thick, and let the vegetables finish cooking even if the quinoa is ready first.
A bright finish
Start with one tablespoon of cider vinegar and taste before adding more. Stir in parsley at the end and offer chopped tomato or red pepper for a fresh contrast.
Adapted from Eat Well Enjoy Life’s Peruvian Quinoa Soup, with clarified preparation and cooking guidance.
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The cooking plan
How to make Peruvian-Inspired Quinoa Vegetable Soup.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, well-rinsed leek, celery and carrots. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the sweet potato, cabbage, turnip, cumin and chili powder. Stir for about 1 minute, keeping the spices from scorching.
Pour in the stock and add the rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for about 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and its small germ rings have opened, and the carrots, turnip and sweet potato are fork-tender. Add stock or water as needed to keep a soup consistency. Follow the quinoa package timing if it needs longer.
Stir in the salt to taste, parsley and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. Taste and add more vinegar gradually if desired, up to the listed 2 tablespoons. Adjust chili powder and salt as needed. Serve with optional chopped tomatoes or red pepper.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Peruvian-Inspired Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive oil- 1 lg Yellow Onion diced
- 1 lg Leek, white and light green part only washed well and thinly sliced
- 1 lg Celery stalk diced
- 2 Carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 cup Sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups Cabbage coarsely chopped
- 1 Turnip - white peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2-1 tsp Chili powder or ancho chili powder mild chili powder blend or pure ancho powder; not cayenne
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock plus more as needed; chicken stock may be substituted
- ¼ cup Quinoa dry; rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve and drained
- 1/4-1/2 tsp Sea salt to taste
- ½ cup Parsley fresh, coarsely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to taste
- Chopped tomatoes or red peppers for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, well-rinsed leek, celery and carrots. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the sweet potato, cabbage, turnip, cumin and chili powder. Stir for about 1 minute, keeping the spices from scorching.
- Pour in the stock and add the rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for about 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and its small germ rings have opened, and the carrots, turnip and sweet potato are fork-tender. Add stock or water as needed to keep a soup consistency. Follow the quinoa package timing if it needs longer.
- Stir in the salt to taste, parsley and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. Taste and add more vinegar gradually if desired, up to the listed 2 tablespoons. Adjust chili powder and salt as needed. Serve with optional chopped tomatoes or red pepper.
Notes
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How do I change the number of servings?
Use the serving controls in the recipe card. Ingredient quantities change automatically; quantities written in the instructions, pan sizes and cooking times still need your attention.
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