Sopa De Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup onion – finely chopped
• 1 cup carrot – diced small
• 0.5 cup celery – diced small
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 leaf bay
• 12 ounces potatoes – peeled and diced small
• 1 cup peas (frozen)
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp parsley – chopped (for serving)

Instructions

1. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until it runs clear, 1–2 minutes; drain well.
2. Warm the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, and dried oregano; cook until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
3. Add it to the pot and stir to coat; toast over medium heat until it smells lightly nutty, 2–3 minutes.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth, add the bay leaf and potatoes, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer; cover partially and cook until the potatoes are tender and the grains show their visible tails, 15–20 minutes.
5. Stir in the peas (frozen) and the kosher salt and black pepper; simmer until the peas are bright and tender, 3–5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest 5 minutes to settle. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley. Serve hot.