Mexican Quinoa Soup
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This hearty and comforting one-pot Mexican quinoa soup is layered with the robust flavors of chorizo sausage in a deep, delicious broth that uses salsa instead of some tomatoes. The result is a fresh and bold soup!
This is a hearty soup for those days when I don’t feel like cooking but still want something satisfying and delicious on the table fast. It’s loaded with Mexican-inspired flavors from spicy fresh chorizo, quinoa, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and corn, all coming together in one easy pot with minimal cleanup.
Like most soups, this one gets even better after a day in the fridge, so leftovers make a great lunch or quick reheat dinner. I like to finish each bowl with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, and a few pickled jalapeños to really take it over the top.
What is chorizo sausage?
Chorizo sausage is a seasoned pork-based sausage popular in both Mexican and Spanish cuisines. I’m a big fan of the bold flavors of chorizo sausage, so you’ll find it in many recipes on The Endless Meal. It’s important to know that the two types are quite different and not interchangeable in recipes:
- Mexican chorizo is fresh, raw, and uncooked.
- Spanish chorizo is fermented, semi-cured, or fully cooked.
Mexican chorizo is used in this recipe and in most of our other chorizo recipes. It is also known as fresh chorizo.
Tip for cooking Mexican chorizo sausage
Mexican chorizo sausage comes in a casing that needs to be removed before cooking in this recipe. The casing is not edible and should be discarded. When the casing is removed the meat will crumble and will resemble ground beef when fully cooked.
Tasty add-ins
Take this soup to the next level by topping it with add-ins or garnishes – they’re fun AND delicious! Here are some favorites:
- Sliced jalapeños or pickled jalapeños
- Cheddar cheese or cojita (a Mexican cheese)
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla chips or tortilla strips
Store and freeze
How long does this soup last? This soup will keep in your fridge for 3-5 days. It reheats well on the stovetop or microwave and gets even tastier the next day!
Can I freeze this soup? This soup freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. I love these reusable Stasher freezer bags for freezing soup.
Mexican Quinoa Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium red pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 links fresh chorizo sausages
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 cups beef bone broth
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup salsa
- 15-ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular diced tomatoes)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheese tastes best)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime (juiced)
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños, cheddar cheese, cilantro, sour cream (to serve)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and sauté until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.2 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 medium onion, 1 medium red pepper, 4 cloves garlic
- Remove the casing from the chorizo sausages and add them to the pot. Cook, breaking the sausages into pieces, until they are fully cooked. Stir in the chili powder, salt, and cumin.2 links fresh chorizo sausages, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Add the broth, quinoa, salsa, black beans, and tomatoes and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.6 cups beef bone broth, 1 cup quinoa, 1 cup salsa, 15-ounce can black beans, 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- Stir in the cheese, corn, cilantro, and lime juice. Once the corn is warm and the cheese has melted, taste and add more salt if needed. Serve the soup topped with any or all of the toppings.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup frozen corn, ½ cup chopped cilantro, 1 lime, Pickled or fresh jalapeños, cheddar cheese, cilantro, sour cream
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Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Popular Mexican soup recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our soup recipes!
Yummy 😋
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 😋 Thanks so much for making it and leaving a note.
Approx how much would 2 links of chorizo weigh? I found bulk chorizo and am wondering how much to use
Great question! Two links of chorizo are usually around 6–8 ounces (about 175–225 grams) total. Bulk chorizo will work perfectly — just measure out roughly that amount. Hope you love the recipe! 💛
Absolutely delicious!!! My husband does not like quinoa, but in this soup, he likes it.
I’m much the same way! It’s not usually a big quinoa fan but I love it in this recipe. So happy it was a hit for you and your husband!
Love your ingredients, I have a question
We do not eat sausage or pork. Could I leave it out?
Thank You
If you eat beef, I would replace the chorizo with ½ lb of ground beef. If not, you can omit it. You may find you need to add a touch more seasonings as the chorizo brings richness and flavor to the soup.