Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque pairs a subtle earthy taste with a succulent creamy texture. So velvety smooth you will never know it’s dairy-free. It is decidedly filling, providing warmth and comfort on the coldest of days!
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque
Soup That Warm the Soul
I live in Virginia. Anyone familiar with this part of the country knows that by this time of year we’re usually in the midst of a deep freeze and have probably already had at least one snow. This year was different, and for that I am extremely grateful!
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque – Raw Ingredients
We had temperatures through our Christmas vacation that made it possible to visit some of the picturesque wineries that grace the Virginia countryside and take walks to the nearby lake,. Not to mention dine at local eateries without the primary goal being getting from car to restaurant and back again without freezing! Either way, it’s soup season! And for that I am thankful.
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque
I love creamy soups! This year I wanted to create a soup that has that traditional luscious creaminess and delicious flavor while still being dairy-free.
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque – Sauteed Vegetables
Part of the key to meal satisfaction is feeling full, right? Who wants to walk away from the table saying, “Boy, that was great but I’m still hungry.” I have found that the more nutrients a meal offers, the fuller I feel and the longer the fullness lasts. Well, this soup definitely hits the mark.
Nutritious Plant-based Soup
If you want to find out all of the nutritional benefits of quinoa take a look at the post I did on Simplifying Quinoa.
As for the leeks they are another nutritional unsung hero. Leeks contain chemical compounds like Allicin (also found in close relatives garlic and onions) that are thought to fight free radicals in your body. They are also a generous source of vitamins A and K, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, thiamine and antioxidants. Combine all of this with the healthy fats, protein and other nutrients in the cashews and quinoa and you have a one pot meal — although it makes a great side dish, too.
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque – Cashew and Vegetable Broth Blended
Why Saponins Should Be Removed
One note before we get on with the recipe. I want to highlight the fact that my recipe calls for sprouted quinoa as this assures that the saponins have been removed. To see why this is important and how you can remove the saponins yourself (if you don’t have sprouted quinoa) check out the “What I Learned About Using Quinoa” paragraph in my How To: The Many Faces of Cooking Quinoa post.
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque
Vegan Gluten-free Soup
Add some grated carrot or chopped chives to the top as a garnish. For a nice pairing you could also serve this soup as a side dish with a fresh green salad and some gluten-free bread! I tried this and it was delicious! I hope you love this vegan gluten-free soup! Enjoy!!
Creamy Quinoa Leek Bisque pairs a subtle earthy taste with a succulent creamy texture. So velvety smooth you will never know it's dairy-free. It is decidedly filling, providing warmth and comfort on the coldest of days!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 2 fresh leeks (halved and slice white part only)
- 2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sauteeing vegetables)
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- dash of finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup uncooked sprouted quinoa
- 3 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- cashew milk (may be used for thinning if a thinner consistency is desired)
Instructions
- 1) Place cashews in a bowl and cover with extremely hot water. Let soak for about 30 minutes. Cashews are ready when soft and tender, rinse and drain. Alternatively, soak cashews in cold water overnight in the refrigerator (about 8 to 10 hours), then rinse and drain.
- 2) In a large saucepan add leeks, garlic and celery to heated olive oil over medium heat. Add salt and pepper and saute until vegetables begin to appear translucent. Stir occasionally.
- 3) While vegetables are sauteing, drain cashews and place in a blender with 1 cup vegetable broth. Blend on medium-medium/high speed until smooth (approx. 1-2 minutes). (see picture in post)
- 4) Add quinoa to sauted vegetables in saucepan and stir. Allow to continue to cook for 1 minute. Pour remaining 2 cups of vegetable broth in saucepan with vegetables and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Stir and remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- 5) Add vegetable quinoa mixture to cashew cream in blender. Depending on the size of your blender this may have to be done in batches. Cover blender with lid, but open lid a tiny crack and hold it with your hand. Do this just enough that heat can escape and won't cause pressure to build as you blend the heated ingredients. Pulse a couple of times to begin to break down the vegetables, then blend on medium-medium/high speed until smooth. Carefully remove lid. Add vinegar or lemon juice and blend until mixed. If a warmer serving temperature is desired soup can be placed back in saucepan and warmed. If a thinner consistency is desired cashew milk can be added to the soup in the saucepan as well. I would not recommend adding more than 1/2 cup of cashew milk as the flavor may be altered at that point.
Notes
Add some grated carrot or chopped chives to the top as a garnish.
For a nice pairing you could also serve this soup as a side dish with a fresh green salad and some gluten-free bread!
I never had leeks before and clearly I was missing out. This recipie is simply delicious! Grated carrots is the perfect touch.
Thanks so much, Jasmine! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Thank you for this lovely recipe — it’s my new favorite soup! This was my first experience using cashews for a creamy base and it was so fun to see how it worked. Delicious and heartwarming — can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Pam! Thank you for such a lovely comment! It’s sentiments like yours that make everything I do so rewarding. I’m so glad that this recipe was an enriching addition to your table!!