My Own Quinoa Soup Adventures

Inspired by my own reminiscing, I decided to make my own version of quinoa soup tonight for my husband and me. This soup is quite a bit different than the Peruvian version, but I thought it was quite delicious. I had some leeks in the refrigerator that needed to be used, so I concocted a leek/quinoa soup.

Here is a loose recipe if you'd like to try it. My husband and I loved it.

Leek Quinoa Soup

2 T Butter
1 T Olive Oil
2-3 Large Leeks (cleaned and chopped)
Salt and Pepper to taste
About 1-1 1/2 quarts of good Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2-3/4 cup of dried quinoa (depending on how thick you want the soup to be)
1 T Heavy Cream
1-2 T Greek Yogurt as a Garnish if desired

*Because leeks make a thinner soup, you may choose to thicken it up. You can make a simple Beurre manié from equal parts butter and flower (about 1 T of each) to thicken the soup at the end if you choose. Just whisk the mixture into the hot soup.

In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil under medium heat. When the butter has melted, toss in the chopped leeks. Season with salt and pepper and then saute until the leeks are translucent, about 10 minutes, on low heat. Add the stock, and simmer for about 20 minutes. At this point, you will need to blend the soup. I use a hand blender because it is much easier, but you can also transfer the soup to a blender and then return it to the pot on the stove. The leeks should not be thoroughly blended. Small pieces should remain. At this point, bring the soup back to a boil and add the quinoa. Once the soup is boiling, bring back to medium heat and cook until quinoa is done. The quinoa should enlarge a little and the outer edges should start to come away, forming a circle around the grain. Return the heat to a simmer and add the cream and Beurre manié, if using. Serve warm with a good crusty bread. I like to put a dollop of Greek yogurt in the center of my soup. However, some will prefer the soup plain.

Enjoy! While it was not the same soup I enjoyed in Peru, it brought back great memories.