Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions

🥘 Ingredients

• coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  1/3 cup
• cumin (ground)
  1 teaspoon
• egg (hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped)
  1
• feta cheese (about 1 cup, small dice)
  4 ounces
• garlic clove (medium, finely chopped)
  1
• jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped)
  1
• olive oil
  2 tablespoons
• pepper (freshly ground black)
• potatoes (yukon gold, about 1 large potato, peeled and small dice)
  1/2 pound
• quinoa (any color or variety)
  3/4 cup
• salt (kosher, plus more as needed)
  1 teaspoon
• scallions (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
  1 bunch
• thinly sliced spinach leaves (from about 1 bunch)
  3 cups
• water (2 quarts, plus more as needed)
  8 cups

🍳 Cookware

• saucepan
• bowl
• pan

1. 1

   Gather coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves , thinly sliced spinach leaves , garlic clove , feta cheese .

   coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves: 1/3 cup, thinly sliced spinach leaves: 3 cups (from about 1 bunch), garlic clove: 1 (medium, finely chopped), feta cheese: 4 ounces (about 1 cup, small dice)
2. 2

   Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.

   quinoa: 3/4 cup (any color or variety), water: 8 cups (2 quarts, plus more as needed)
3. 3

   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 ⏱️ 10-15 minutes .
4. 4

   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.
5. 5

   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 .

   olive oil: 2 tablespoons, jalapeño: 1 (seeded and finely chopped), potatoes: 1/2 pound (yukon gold, about 1 large potato, peeled and small dice), cumin: 1 teaspoon (ground), salt: 1 teaspoon (kosher, plus more as needed)
6. 6

   Add the reserved cooking liquid and half of the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about ⏱️ 12 minutes .

   scallions: 1 bunch (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
7. 7

   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.

   pepper (freshly ground black), egg: 1 (hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped)
8. 📝

   Servings: 4-6