Mexican Quinoa Stew
You're going to love this Mexican quinoa stew! It's hearty, easy to make and tastes amazing. This delicious soup recipe is vegan and gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
Sometimes I get really excited about a recipe because it sounds delicious, but it almost seems too easyโdo you know what I mean? Like, am I about to get duped here? Am I going to end up with a so-so meal? Maybe Iโm too skeptical, but Iโve been let down before.
This soup sounded both delicious and easy, and it proved to be even better than thatโitโs amazing! And so easy! The recipe comes from my friend Meganโs brand-new cookbook called No Excuses Detox: 100 Recipes to Help You Eat Healthy Every Day. All of the recipes are vegetarian (mostly vegan) and gluten free, with short ingredients lists and prep times.
I love Meganโs approach to detoxingโthe term often makes me think of scary juice fasts and extreme measures, but thereโs nothing extreme about this book other than the ease of the recipes. She shares simple recipes made from whole foods that support your bodyโs natural detox mechanisms.
Plus, she shares tons of real-world tips on how to eat well when youโre short on time, money and energy. Megan manages to run a blog, write cookbooks, work as a greeting card designer, and raise two adorable kids all at the same time. She definitely has a few tricks up her sleeves and doesnโt let excuses get in the way. Iโm the queen of making excuses and overthinking, so Iโm taking notes.
I am especially pumped about her tips for pressure cooking, since I just caved and bought an Instant Pot. (Have you guys tried pressure cooking yet? Iโm scared. So many buttons. The unopened box is resting nice and cozy next to my hamper.)
Anyway, her bookโs full of recipes that look and sound delicious, and seem easy enough for busy weeknights. This hearty Mexican quinoa soup hit all of those marks. I could eat this soup every day until spring and I just might, since it freezes well.
Megan modeled this recipe after chicken tortilla soup, but made it a hearty vegetarian soup with quinoa and black beans. It tastes remarkably fresh and flavorful, thanks some basic aromatics, herbs and spices. I love that she used water instead of vegetable broth, tooโsomething to consider in future soup recipes. Please let us know how you like it!
Watch How to Make Mexican Quinoa Stew
Mexican Quinoa Stew
Youโre going to love this Mexican quinoa stew! Itโs hearty, easy to make and tastes amazing. This soup recipe is vegan and gluten free. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 more modest bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (I opted to use 1 tablespoon olive oil instead)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 jalapeรฑos, seeded and chopped
- 3 ยฝ cups water
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 ยฝ cups cooked black beans or 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- ยฝ cup quinoa (dry/uncooked)
- ยผ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- โ teaspoon cayenne pepper (for extra heat, optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional garnishes (my ideas): extra chopped cilantro, small wedges of lime, diced avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour creamโฆ
Instructions
- In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and jalapeรฑos. Sautรฉ until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add the water, tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt, quinoa, cilantro and cayenne pepper (if using). Season with pepper and bring the soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is tender, add more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. You can serve this soup right away or use an immersion blender to purรฉe a couple cups of this soupโthis helps to thicken the soup while still leaving some texture (I may have overdone it a bit).
- Divide into bowls and serve with any garnishes that youโd like. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Recipe reprinted with permission from No Excuses Detox, copyright ยฉ 2017 by Megan Gilmore, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Meganโs Instant Pot guidance: Sautรฉ the aromatics (everything listed in step 1) in your Instant Pot with the olive oil. Add the ingredients listed in step 2. Securely seal the lid according to the manufacturerโs instructions and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then carefully remove the lid. You might want to blend a couple cups of the soup as suggested in step 3. Serve with garnishes of your choice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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Delish! Healthy! Inexpensive! Whatโs not to love??
Added cayenne pepper but otherwise made the recipe as written. Thank you!โบ๏ธ
Made this tonight and my husband and I both like it! Used half veggie broth/half water. Also used entire jalapenos and added a can of corn. Immersion blended most of it, very tasty!
Loved it! Very tasty and full of flavors!