Quinoa Soup

Quinoa is a high protein seed that is perfect for the vegetarian diet. Originally from Peru, this “grain-like” seed is a great alternative to rice and as an added bonus, it is gluten-free. Try Quinoa in this simple and delicious soup recipe.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Quinoa – 1/2 cup, washed and drained
Onion – 1 small, chopped
Mixed Vegetables – 2 cups
Green Chilies – to taste, slit
Broth/Stock – 4 cups
Salt – to taste
Black Pepper – to taste
Cilantro (Coriander) – for garnishing, finely chopped
Lime Juice – to taste for garnishing

Method:

1. Place washed Quinoa, Onions, Mixed Vegetables, Green Chilies, Broth and Salt in a pressure cooker.
2. Cover and pressure cook for 1 whistle and switch off stove.
3. Once pressure is gone from the cooker, open lid and add Cilantro, Black Pepper and Lime Juice to taste.
4. Serve hot.

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48 thoughts on “Quinoa Soup

  1. Hi Anuja and Hetal.

    I came across your recipe from a link on Facebook a couple of days ago and made this soup last night. I have recently started eating quinoa and love it. I don’t have a pressure cooker but it cooked fine in a saucepan just like I usually cook it. I also added a bit of cooked chicken breast to use it up from the night before.

    1. Hi Di,
      Excellent! And welcome to the SMTC Family 🙂
      Yes, Quinoa can be cooked on the stove-top, just like rice. BTW, we have a few other quinoa recipes, do check them out!

  2. Anuja and Hetal,
    I accidentally stumbled upon this site back in Feb of 2013. Ever since, I visit your site religious. My family and I love your tried and tested recipes. Thank you lovely ladies for all your effort.

    In response to one of the comments on this recipe page – I am not expert in cooking but am a bit of a health nut. So I’ve been using Quinoa for several years now. Cooked quinoa freezes beautifully.

    On a different note: I too am a busy working mom. Any other freezer friendly recipes will be greatly appreciated.

  3. Hi Anuja / Hetal,
    One thing I should really appreciate about this site is, you give lots of Veg options in everything. Thanks to both of you.
    You can try spinach soup, Broccoli soup and celery soup (without non-veg broth, or any broth for that matter) I did these and it was a hit.

  4. hi,after seeing ur video I make alternate this soup. my 3 yr daughter loves it and my rest of my family too.i have one question instead of vegetable broth is there any substitute becoz in India u don’t find vegetable broth and there vegetable price are so high so I don’t trhing they will make at home also.so what is ur suggestion.

    thanks once again for ur great receipes.

    1. Hi Bijal,

      You can always use water. You may have to increase the amount of salt and spices to compensate for the flavor of the broth.

  5. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    I have tried many of your recipes and thanks for all your wonderful recipes. I have a question about the Quinoa one. can I try this in a slow cooker. will it work ?
    Raji

    1. Hi Raji,

      Yes, quinoa does cook well in a slow cooker. Unfortunately, we have not tried this particular recipe so are not sure about the timings.

  6. Very addictive! We just started making this a week ago and have already made it three or four times. We have also shared it with family and friends. Thank you for posting this!

  7. Hi Hetal & Anuja,
    I tried the Quinoa Soup recipe last night & it turned out awesome !!! It’s going to be a staple at my house !
    I’m a big fan of yours. Thank you so much for the excellent recipe videos 🙂
    Best regards,
    Shruti

  8. What great soup! I was looking for a quinoa recipe and I stumbled upon your site. I’m absolutely make it again! So nutritious and low cal!

  9. Hi Hetal and Anuja wonderful recipes just love your videos. I am from Australia and our pressure cookers don’t have whistles. So my question to you lovely ladies is -how long is one whistle? also for two whistles do you just double it?
    Thanks in advance Jannene

    1. Hi Jannene,

      Unfortunately, neither of us owns a non-whistling pressure cooker so we cannot say for sure. Many times, the amount of pressure produced by different cookers is different. You can start with assuming one minute per whistle (once your cooker reaches maximum pressure) and then adjust from there.

  10. To reply to the question about freezing soup made with quiona…I do it all the time and it freezes just fine. Love the recipes, thank you ladies.

  11. Hi,

    I have a quick question. I am pregnanat and want to know if it is safe to eat during pregnancy. what is it called in Hindi or gujarati?

    1. Hi Pratigya,

      We are not nutritionists, but as far as we know, quinoa is safe to eat during pregnancy. It is higher in protein than any other grain, it is gluten free and is a complex carbohydrate.

  12. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    I am on a diet and really trying to limit the salt intake. Can I substitute vegetable broth with just plain water?

  13. Is there another substitute for the vegetable broth? I do my best not to use store-bought, preservative-ridden food items from the market, so it’d be great if there is another way to keep/infuse the flavor other than using broth from a can or cardboard container, would be great!

    Thanks gals,

    Mena

  14. I tried this recipe today. A very hearty, healthy soup and most importantly, a very quick recipe!…We found it to be a little bland though. Planning to spice it with some cumin flavor next time…

  15. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    I like to make big pots of hearty soups and stews on the weekend, and then I freeze individual servings in Zip-Lock bags for quick meals during the week.

    Do you know if quinoa soup is freezer-friendly? (I’ve always been a little concerned that the quinoa might break down and turn to mush!)

    1. Hi Sarah,

      Interesting question. We’ve never tried freezing quinoa so cannot give you an accurate answer. However, even after cooking, the quinoa seeds retain their texture so it may work just fine. You can try it out on a small batch. Please give us your feedback if you do :).

  16. hi hetal & anuja,
    i have been watching ur videos for a very long time and tried many of them & came out well,thanku very much. i try preparing food without onion n garlic so i omit them from many of ur recipes and they r good. it would be a g8 help if u upload some recipes esp. curries which don’t req. onion n garlic.

  17. I do not have a pressure cooker. How long does it take to cook using the stove top method?

    Thank you for responding.

    1. Quinoa cooks fast even if you do not have a pressure cooker.
      Bring it to a boil, lower the heat to a medium and cover and cook. Keep stirring and checking on it. You don’t want the liquid to evaporate. Keep cooking till you see the seeds pop open and turn white with a little white tail. So bring to boil and then on medium for about 15-20 minutes.

  18. Thank you so much for this recipe! I tried it today and it was quick, easy and absolutely delicious.

    I’m off to uni next year, so no more of mom’s homemade cooking… but atleast now I know I won’t starve! This is the perfect on-the-go recipe.

  19. Satya,

    Quinoa is definitely available at the health food stores. We have a “Sprouts – Farmer’s Market” that sells it in a big bin. You can take as much as you like. We have also seen it at a Kroger’s in a packaged tray. Have not seen it at Walmart.

    We’ll keep your suggestion in mind 🙂

  20. So where would I find quinoa? at a health food store like whole foods or can I get it at walmart – in rice and beans section?

    A small request can you try to get recipes that take lesser time – maybe short cuts and quick and healthy meals for busy working moms? I loved your cereal mix and some recipes where you suggest using ready ingredients!

    Love all your recipes BTW!

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