Quinoa and Vegetable Stew

This Quinoa and Vegetable Stew is a veggie packed gluten-free stew that you can make on a weeknight.
I flavored it with some queso fresco, but if you are vegan, feel free to omit the cheese to make it vegan friendly.

I took the whole of last week off from blogging as my best friend Ceren came down to visit us from Chicago. We spent most of our time on the beaches of Virgin Gorda talking about food, photography, and blogging. Although in her career she is in a completely different field than anything food related, she enjoys good food, watching cooking shows, and trying new recipes as much as I do. So we decided to take advantage of this time we have together and cooked and photographed a dish everyday after our time on the beach.

A Quick How-To Video

This Quinoa and Vegetable Stew is one of the four recipes we made together. While you can easily make it throughout the year (thanks to frozen vegetables that are available in supermarkets), I think it is perfect for this time of the year when fresh peas and corn are in season. Also, the addition of quinoa and red potatoes qualifies it as a filling and nutritious meal that you can serve with a simple salad during the warm evening of the upcoming summer months.

I choose to top it off with fresh cubed avocados, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro. However, from what I understand, in South America, where this stew originates from, people also poach an egg and put it on top as a way of incorporating more protein and flavor into the dish. Unfortunately, I read about this after I took the photos. But next time I make it, I will definitely give it a try with a poached egg on top.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stew

By Aysegul Sanford

Yields: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

A veggie packed gluten-free stew made with quinoa. I used a little bit of cheese to flavor it, but if you are vegan feel free to omit the cheese.

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium-size onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper cut into small cubes
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 pound red potatoes cut into small cubes
• 1 cup white quinoa washed thoroughly
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup queso fresco crumbled (alternatively, feta cheese)
• 1 avocado cut into small cubes
• handful of fresh cilantro as garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or any other large, heavy bottom pot). Add in the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 7-8 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, paprika, coriander, and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds or so.
• Add in the broth and potatoes. Bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer 10-12 minutes.
• Stir in the quinoa and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes until both the potatoes and quinoa are cooked.
• Stir in the corn and tomatoes and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the peas and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle it in large bowls and garnish each bowl with queso fresco, avocado, and cilantro before serving.

Video

Notes

Note: For a vegan option feel free to omit cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 1212mg | Potassium: 1016mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1752IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 4mg

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keywords: quinoa stew, quinoa vegetable stew

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This recipe is adapted (with minor changes) from America’s Test Kitchen’s  The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook.