Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions Recipe
Hearty quinoa, vegetables, and feta cheese stand in for the cream and seafood in this healthy vegetarian soup that’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
What to buy: Quinoa can be found in your local health food store, gourmet grocery store, or online.
Avoid using pre-crumbled feta in this recipe—it tends to be too dry.
This soup was featured as part of our slideshow of gluten-free recipes.
- 3/4 cup quinoa, any color or variety
- 8 cups (2 quarts) water, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 large potato), peeled and small dice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 3 cups thinly sliced spinach leaves (from about 1 bunch)
- 4 ounces feta cheese, small dice (about 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and finely chopped
- Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Bring the quinoa and the 8 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the white outer casings on the quinoa have popped, revealing translucent little beads, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain the quinoa through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large heatproof bowl. Measure the quinoa cooking liquid and add water as needed to make 6 cups; set the quinoa and cooking liquid aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, clean saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, cumin, and measured salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to soften, adjusting the heat as necessary so that the garlic doesn’t brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reserved cooking liquid and half of the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Add the cooked quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions and simmer until the spinach just begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with the chopped egg and serve.
Made this several times now and is one of my favorite dishes. Spiced it up though. 6 garlic cloves, 1 cube vegetable broth, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp Cayanne Pepper, very spicy, but delicious. I keep making extra but it never makes it to the freezer, just too good.
this was SO GOOD. i'm going to make it all the time now! and the cheese is SO NECESSARY it just adds that little extra something! i love it so much!
Would this recipe still taste good without the cheese?
instead of quinoa, i'm going to use black eyed peas with this. the recipe reminds me of a greek spinach pie, without all the phyllo pastry calories. thanks for the recipe idea!
Eh Psycho how can you tell if it "relly" good if you have yet to try it?????
i used a miso broth instead of water and skipped the egg. i'd add more jalapeno and garlic next time. pretty good!
I think organic wild rice instead of quinoa would be great as well!
It pobably could be frozen ,but mine would never make it to the frig, much less freezer. This is relly , relly good.,and I havent even made it yet.
Do you think this would be richer by using vegetable broth in place of water? I used water the first time around and thought the feta gave the broth a richness but was wondering if it could be improved w/ using stock.
Wondering if this cld be frozen...thinking maybe after adding the cooked quinoa, spinach & remaining scallions but b4 the feta & cilantro (middle of step 6)...any opinions? Thanks!