Peruvian Quinoa Soup with Vegetables (Sopa de Quinua)

Name: Peruvian Quinoa Soup with Vegetables (Sopa de Quinua)
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: ½ cup (90 g) white quinoa, rinsed under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer for 1 minute and drained; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil or olive oil; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); 3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon (15 g) ají amarillo paste; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 2 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 2 ribs (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 1 lb (450 g) yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, no need to thaw; 1 tablespoon (15 g) huacatay paste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime; 4 oz (115 g) queso fresco, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (optional); kosher salt, to taste, about 1 teaspoon; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A hearty Andean-style soup of tender quinoa, yellow potatoes, carrot and celery in a golden ají amarillo broth, finished with the herbal, minty-basil perfume of huacatay and a squeeze of lime.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 42 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

½ cup (90 g) white quinoa, rinsed under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer for 1 minute and drained
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil or olive oil
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
3 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15 g) ají amarillo paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
2 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
2 ribs (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
1 lb (450 g) yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, no need to thaw
1 tablespoon (15 g) huacatay paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
4 oz (115 g) queso fresco, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (optional)
kosher salt, to taste, about 1 teaspoon
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (5)

4-quart (3.8 L) heavy-bottomed pot with lid
Fine-mesh strainer
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the quinoa well; unrinsed quinoa has a bitter, soapy coating (saponin).
Cut the potatoes, carrots and celery into similar ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces so they cook at the same pace.
Huacatay paste and ají amarillo paste are sold in jars at Latin markets and online; see substitutions if you can't find them.
Use a 4-quart (3.8 L) pot so the soup has room to bubble without boiling over.

1
Rinse the quinoa
- Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, rubbing the grains gently with your hand.
- Shake well and set aside to drain.
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Ready when: Water runs clear with no foam
Tip: Skipping this step can leave the soup with a bitter, soapy edge.
2
Prep the vegetables
- Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and cut the carrots and celery into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes.
- Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water if not using right away.
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Ready when: Pieces are uniform in size
Tip: Drain the potatoes before adding to the pot so they don't dilute the broth.
3
Soften the onion
- Heat the oil in a 4-quart (3.8 L) pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat; browning will darken the soup's golden color.
4
Bloom the aromatics
- Stir in the garlic, ají amarillo paste, cumin and oregano.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes.
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Ready when: Mixture smells fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly and clings to the onion
Tip: Keep stirring so the garlic doesn't scorch and turn bitter.
5
Simmer the vegetables
- Add the carrots, celery, potatoes and broth.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil (about 5 minutes), then reduce to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Potatoes are just beginning to soften at the edges but still hold a firm center
Tip: Stir once or twice so nothing sticks to the bottom.
6
Cook the quinoa
- Stir in the rinsed quinoa.
- Keep at a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered, for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: Quinoa grains look translucent with a small white spiral tail, and a fork slides easily into a potato cube
Tip: If the soup gets too thick, add ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
7
Add peas and huacatay
- Stir in the frozen peas and huacatay paste.
- Simmer 3–4 minutes more.
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Ready when: Peas are bright green and tender, and the soup smells herbal and minty
Tip: Add huacatay late; long cooking dulls its aroma.
8
Season and rest
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, usually another ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cover and let rest 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the soup thickens slightly.
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Ready when: Broth tastes bright, savory and well-seasoned
Tip: Season at the end; broth brands vary a lot in saltiness.
9
Serve
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls.
- If using, scatter the queso fresco cubes over each bowl so they soften slightly in the heat.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Cheese is soft at the edges but still holds its shape

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove bitterness.
Keep the simmer gentle; hard boiling breaks up the quinoa and potatoes.
Stir in the huacatay near the end to preserve its aroma.
The soup thickens as it sits, so keep extra broth or hot water on hand to adjust.

Make ahead

Make the soup through the seasoning step up to 2 days ahead. It thickens as it stands, so thin with hot water or broth when reheating. Add the queso fresco only when serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months (potatoes soften a bit on thawing). Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth, until steaming hot.

Substitutions

huacatay paste → ¼ cup (10 g) finely chopped fresh huacatay leaves, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint. Fresh huacatay is stronger in flavor than the paste; cilantro and mint approximate the herbal, minty profile.
ají amarillo paste → 1 tablespoon tomato paste plus ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric and a pinch of cayenne. Gives similar color and mild heat but less fruitiness.
queso fresco → Mild feta, or omit for a vegan soup. Feta is saltier, so season the soup more lightly.
yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold) → Red or white waxy potatoes. Avoid russets, which break down and cloud the broth.