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Gluten-Free Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder

Avatar photoby Updated: Aug 30, 2018

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Do you have your megaphone ready? I’m digging my husband’s out of the garage.

Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder foodiecrush.com

Yep, he has a megaphone because he’s in a band, you know, for “special effects” and stuff. He also has these weirdo 1960’s goggles and a suit covered in Christmas lights—because he’s in a band.

But that’s another story for another day.

Today’s story is that we’re all banding together and shouting at the top of our lungs—or into said megaphone if you have one handy—we’re shouting, “GOODBYE FROZEN TUNDRA, and good riddance.” Why? Because (happy dance) this week marks the official first day of spring. Yes!

But that certainly doesn’t signal the end of eating savory soups and stews. Heck, this is just the beginning.

And since we’ll probably do the winter/spring dance tease of warm one day, cold the next and I’m sure I’ll have to cover my tomatoes for at least two more snow storms, this gluten-free chowder is just one way to walk the tightrope of comfort food cravings and spring clean eats desires.

Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder foodiecrush.com

Last week I may have said I wasn’t a devout whole foodie. And now, here I am, posting whole foods. To me, that is exactly how a foodie should be. Balanced. Eating what feels right. What cures the craving.

Lightened up, but still savory, this chowder is a great #MeatlessMonday meal. Because that’s what I’m craving now.

About the recipe: 

I used nature’s produce as a natural thickener in the form of potatoes and cauliflower instead of the traditional floured roux to keep it gluten-free. With the helping hand of my favorite immersion blender that makes me feel like an invincible Chuck Norris in the kitchen, I can create a totally velvety chowder texture packed with secret health benefits my daughter just doesn’t need to know about.

If you don’t have an immersion blender on hand, a traditional blender will work just fine. But be sure to vent the lid when you blend as hot liquid tends to explode when it’s blended with a closed lid. Take it from me, two replaced computer keyboards have proven my point.

To keep in the whole foodie / #MeatlessMonday vein, and to give yet another jolt of texture and protein, I added the super whole food Quinoa, making creating a soup that’s rich in flavor and healthy for the mind and soul.

One word about the quinoa, it will soak in all of that lovely chowder soup-y-ness, so if you prefer yours a little thinner, add the quinoa at the end. If you prefer it a little thicker, cook it with the quinoa a little longer and let the little pearls go to work.

Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder foodiecrush.com

4.24 from 30 votes

Gluten-Free Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder

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Ingredients 

  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 Idaho russet potato skinned and diced
  • 3 cups cauliflower roughly chopped
  • 2 15- ounce cans vegetable broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 cup quinoa

Instructions

  • In large dutch oven or stock pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add red bell pepper and carrots and cook for 10 minutes or until pepper softens.
  • Add potato, cauliflower, vegetable broth, milk, bay leaf, thyme and kosher salt. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until cauliflower and potato are softened. Turn heat to low.
  • Meanwhile, rinse ⅔ cup quinoa in cold water and place in small pan and cover with 2 cups of cold water. Season with pinch of kosher salt and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until quinoa is softened. Fluff with fork and set aside.
  • Ladle about 3 cups of broth and vegetables, mostly potatoes and cauliflower but leaving some in pot for texture, into high sided container and blend with a blender until smooth.
  • Add back to pot. Remove bay leaf and season with more salt if desired. Add quinoa and remaining tablespoon of butter and cook for another 5 minutes. Quinoa and butter will thicken soup as quinoa absorbs some of liquid. Serve immediately.

 

How about a few more quinoa recipes to add to your weekly menu planning?

Quinoa Crusted Eggplant Parmesan | www.kitchenconfidante.com

Quinoa Crusted Eggplant Parmigiana

I wasn’t impressed that her husband went grocery shopping but more so that he showed up with a bag full of eggplant! And this is what happens when quinoa gets added to the #meatlessmonday mix.  Recipe here. 

12952325174_f935d399a7

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Ricotta Salata

She may have been a quinoa skeptic, but she’s a convert now. This salad is simply proof in the pudding. Recipe here.

3-2

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Not just meatless, these burgers go all the way making a vegan burger downright good looking. Thanks to the combo of flax and black beans, walnuts and quinoa, these burgers actually hold together like burgers should. And don’t forget the chipotle mayo. Recipe here.

Collard-Quinoa-Salad-5

Collard Quinoa Salad

Collard greens are not something I eat too often, especially as a base for salad. But this combo with watermelon radishes and then a dose of feta, makes me rethink what I have going on in the kitchen. Recipe here. 

Quinoa and Toffee Chip Cookies- Title Pic

Quinoa and Toffee Chip Cookies

This is a new one for me. Quinoa in cookies? But I think I would really like it. Quinoa takes the place of oatmeal in everyone’s favorite old-fashioned cookie, with a cup of toffee chips thrown in for good measure. Now that’s thinking. Recipe here.

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Heidi of FoodieCrush

Hi! I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too.

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Comments

    4.24 from 30 votes (29 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. T

    5 stars
    This is one of the best soups I have ever had. It’s been a staple for our family for years and I look forward to it as soon as the weather gets below 80 degrees (in Texas). I’m the lone vegetarian in the house and this is a hit with everyone. I prefer to blend more of the chunks before adding the quinoa, and more butter and garlic find their way into the pot. Almond milk has always been my substitute for the milk. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  2. Anna

    Cooked this soup today and its absolutely fantastic! Used chicken broth instead veggie. So delicious thank you so much for a great receipt

    Reply

  3. sheila ramler

    The ingredients list shows 1 cup of quinoa and in instructions show 2/3 cups, which is it? I made and used 1 cup since the water amount in the instructions would be for 1 cup.

    Reply

  4. Natalie

    Also wondering, 1 cup of fully cooked quinoa or the full amount of the 1 cup dried quinoa, which ends up being 3 cups of cooked. Would love to get this clarified by anyone who’s made this.

    Reply

    • sheila ramler

      I made and used 1 cup of dried quinoa cooked in 2 cups of water. I ended up not putting all of it in the soup. I felt it would have been too much. I used the rest in another recipe

      Reply

  7. Kim

    Hi. This looks fabulous! Just a quick question… the recipe states 1 cup of quinoa but the instructions say 2/3 cup. Which should I use? Thanks!

    Reply

  9. Leah

    This soup was delicious! My husband hates quinoa and he actually really loved this soup too! I swapped out the milk (because of a dairy allergy) and just added a couple cups of water, and upped the seasoning up a bit to add some extra flavor to make up for the added water, and used olive oil instead of butter. Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  10. Little Red Frog

    This was absolutely DE-LI-CIOUS! Unfortunately, for once I didn’t have vegetable broth so I used chicken. I also used black quinoa which gave a little bit of contrast to the soup (colour wise).
    This is going to be a go-to for me this winter!

    Thanks a bunch :)

    Reply

  11. Megan

    Hi, this soup looks great! I was wondering if this would work in a crock pot. I love the ease of crockpot cooking, so it’d be super if this recipe could be adapted easily for that. Thanks!

    Reply

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  22. Liren

    This chowder is just perfect, Heidi! So many days, I just want a hearty soup, and this has everything I love. Thank you so much for sharing my Eggplant Parm! Between you and me, I’m secretly happy that my husband adores eggplant as much as I do! I think this actually convinced him to enjoy quinoa, so your chowder is next :)

    Reply

  26. natalie @ wee eats

    This looks amazing – esp for meatless monday! We unfortunately never really got a “winter” here in Phoenix. I was sad, and I miss it, but I like to pretend it’s not 85 degrees out and make nice homey comfort food anyway – which means I’ll be making this and forcing my poor fiance to eat it while it’s a furnace outside. Because it looks THAT good.

    Reply

  28. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog

    This soup looks awesome! And I can’t believe it’s the first day of spring.Cannot.Believe.It! It also cracked me up about your husbands megaphone! But back to the recipe, I can’t wait to try it, I love Quinoa and cauliflower and soup, so what could be more perfect?

    Reply

  29. Alyssa

    As a girl with a blog dedicated completely to quinoa, I LOVE when other bloggers share quinoa round-ups. And Heidi, I have to say, your chowder sounds simply divine!! And man oh man am I making Liren’s Quinoa Crusted Eggplant Parmigiana – yes please!!

    Reply

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