Chupe de Quinoa is one of our favourite creamy Peruvian soups to cook at home.
Our homemade Chupe de Quinoa recipe is quick and easy to make, ready to serve in under 40 minutes!
Spoon through a bowl of our healthy gluten free Peruvian Quinoa Soup featuring flavourful Aji Amarillo Paste, oregano, mint and lime.
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What Is Soup?
Soup is a liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but can also be served cold like gazpacho), that is prepared by combining meat or vegetables with stock or water.
Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavours are extracted, creating a rich broth.
Soups are similar to stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two. Soups generally have more liquid (broth) than chunkier and heartier stews.
In traditional French cuisine, soups are classified into two groups: clear soups (bouillon and consomme) and thick soups (purees, bisques, veloutes).
Purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch; bisques are made from puréed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream; cream soups may be thickened with béchamel sauce; and veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter, and cream.
History of Soup
Evidence of the existence of soup can be found as far back as about 20,000 BC. Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers, such as clay pots. To boil the water hot rocks were used.
The word soup comes from French soupe (broth), which comes through Vulgar Latin suppa (“bread soaked in broth”) from a Germanic source, from which also comes the word “sop”, a piece of bread used to soak up soup or a thick stew.
The word restaurant (meaning “restoring”) was first used in France in the 16th century, to refer to a highly concentrated, inexpensive soup, sold by street vendors, that was advertised as a cure to physical exhaustion. In 1765, a Parisian entrepreneur opened a shop specializing in such soups. This prompted the use of the modern word restaurant for eating establishments.
In America, the first colonial cookbook was published by William Parks in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1742, based on Eliza Smith’s The Compleat Housewife; or Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion, and it included several recipes for soups and bisques.
English cooking dominated early colonial cooking; but as new immigrants arrived from other countries, other national soups gained popularity. In particular, German immigrants living in Pennsylvania were famous for their potato soups. In 1794, Jean Baptiste Gilbert Payplat dis Julien, a refugee from the French Revolution, opened an eating establishment in Massachusetts called The Restorator, and became known as the “Prince of Soups”.
What is Chupe de Quinoa?
Chupe is a culinary term used in South America for a variety of stews often prepared with chicken, red meat, lamb, fish, shrimp, potatoes and yuca.
While Chupe is typical of South American cuisine, it is mostly associated with culinary traditions in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The city of Arequipa in Peru has a traditional selection of chupes that are served on specific days of the week. On Fridays, the chupe is meatless because of the Catholic traditions of the country.
Chupe de Quinoa is our favourite Peruvian soup, a meat-free recipe featuring sliced red onions, fresh corn, chunks of sweet potato, fresh mint and fresh lime juice.
Travel to Peru by Making Chupe de Quinoa at Home
I love traveling to Latin America.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, from traditional markets to award winning restaurants.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Chupe de Quinoa recipe. I’ve embarked on culinary adventures at local restaurants in Mexico, Cuba, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
In Peru, I’ve slurped through steaming bowls of traditional Chupe de Quinoa at restaurants in Lima, The Sacred Valley, Cuzco and Puno.
Authentic Peruvian Quinoa Soup is a spicy and creamy soup featuring red onions, Aji Amarillio Paste, dried oregano, sweet potato, corn, quinoa, chicken broth, whipping cream, fresh mint and lime.
After enjoying your first few sips, you’ll realize why a steaming bowl of traditional Chupe de Quinoa is a must-try when visiting Peru!
Where To Eat Peruvian Quinoa Soup
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Peruvian restaurant that serves an authentic Chupe de Quinoa.
Haven’t traveled to Peru before? It may be helpful to first sample Chupe de Quinoa at a local restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You’ll get an idea for the desired thickness of the broth, intensity of Aji Amarillo Paste flavour and ideal proportion of vegetables to liquid.
In Toronto, popular South American restaurants that may offer healthy Peruvian Quinoa Soup include Mira Restaurant, Paracas Peruvian Restaurant, Chotto Matte, Los Chicos Brasa and Aldo’s Restaurant.
My Family Loves Peruvian Quinoa Soup
My family has a tradition of eating soup and salad for lunch on Sunday’s after getting home from church. Soup is such an simple and brainless meal to serve a busy family with kids.
My dad would often make cream of tomato soup and serve a bowl with grilled cheese sandwiches and pickles. Our family also loved slurping through bowls of Butternut Squash Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup.
Some of the fondest memories of my childhood spent in Toronto, Markham, Oakville and Muskoka are cozying up to a bowl of homemade soup with gourmet crackers, artisanal cheese and sourdough bread.
During October in Ontario we’d often visit popular Fall Fairs in Norfolk County, Niagara and Prince Edward County to go on fun rides, run through corn mazes and purchase fresh local fruits and vegetables at the peak of harvest season.
Onions, sweet potato, corn, quinoa and mint are available in abundance year round in Canada but we especially love to serve this savoury soup in the Fall at Thanksgiving or the colder months throughout the winter.
Is Chupe de Quinoa Vegetarian?
Our Chupe de Quinoa recipe is not vegetarian as it contains chicken broth. You can easily substitue mushroom or vegetable broth to make this Peruvian Quinoa Soup vegetarian friendly.
Traditional recipes are not vegan as they contain cream but you could substitute the dairy for coconut milk or your favourite nut milk.
Chupe de Quinoa Health Benefits
Our Peruvian Quinoa Soup recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
An excellent source of vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes boost your immune system and help keep your skin healthy. They also have a very low glycemic index, providing a steady supply of energy to your body.
Quinoa is a complete protein, offering essential amino acids in healthy balance. It is also high in fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin E.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cream) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Oregano is rich in antioxidants, may help fight bacteria, could have anti-cancer properties and can decrease inflammation.
Fresh mint is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and can have a calming effect on the digestive system. It is also a good source of folate, which supports blood health.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, limes help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Peruvian Quinoa Soup Tips
This healthy homemade Peruvian Soup recipe is quick and easy to make at home. We’ve included a few tips for first time soup makers!
- Use a large cast iron dutch oven with a high rim to reduce splatter when cooking.
- We suggest using a high quality rubber spatula spoon when making soup so you can easily stir, scrape down the side of the pot and sip to check if it needs to be seasoned further with more salt before spooning into bowls.
- Traditional recipes typically feature Peruvian Aji Amarillo Paste which you can purchase at your local Latin American market or Mexican grocery store. You can also buy it on Amazon.
- We’ve used red onion to give the soup some colour but you could also use shallots, white onion or vidalia onion.
- Chupe usually contains tuberous vegetables and we’ve included sweet potatoes in this recipe. You could also use potatoes, cassava, yuca or even squash/pumpkin.
- We’ve used canned corn in this recipe but if corn is in season we suggest chopping two cobs in half like we did in this Ajiaco Cubano recipe.
What To Serve with Chupe de Quinoa
There’s nothing more comforting on a cold day then cozying up to a bowl of soup with a fresh salad, gourmet crackers, artisanal cheeses, sourdough bread, savoury muffins and homemade pickles.
We most often serve easy Peruvian Quinoa Soup as a hearty lunch. If you’re hosting a large dinner party you might want to serve our Chupe de Quinoa as a small portioned appetizer before serving heartier mains.
We love serving this soup with Gruyere Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Old School Cheese and Onion Pie, Baked Chicken Cracklings, Cheesy Vegetarian Antojito, Keto Jalapeno Poppers, Chicken Fajita Tacos and Sweet Potato Rice.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe or Cinnamon Babka For Chocolate Lovers.
Storing Soup
If you have leftover soup you can store the soup base in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. To reheat simply zap it in the microwave or simmer in a small saucepan on the stove.
We love doubling our soup recipes so can store leftovers in the freezer and save time on cooking in the kitchen. We suggest storing leftover soup in Pyrex freezer safe containers that have a snug lid so there’s not spilling. My mother often uses old glass pasta sauce jars to store soup in the freezer.
Be sure to let your soup reach room temperature before storing it in the freezer. If you add a hot jar of soup to a cold freezer it will significantly reduce the interior temperature and potentially spoil your food.
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Best Easy Chupe de Quinoa Recipe
Chupe de Quinoa Peruvian Soup
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Red Onion minced
- 1/4 cup Aji Amarillo Paste or minced jalapeno peppers
- 3 tbsp Dried Oregano chopped
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- 8 oz Sweet Potato peeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups Corn
- 3/4 cup Quinoa rinsed and drained
- 5 cups Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup Whipping Cream
- 1/3 cup Fresh Mint chopped
- Lime Wedges garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring until golden brown, around 4 minutes. Add the aji amarillo paste (or minced jalapeno pepper), oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring until fragrant, around 30 seconds.
- Stir in the sweet potato chunks, corn, quinoa and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low. Cook, stirring every so often, until the potatoes and quinoa are tender, 15-20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in cream. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with mint and serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
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