Growing up one of my favorite fall dinners was my Father's Beef and Barley soup, but in this day and age I thought updating it for those of you avoiding gluten would be a good idea. Quinoa is a very hearty and nutritious grain, and can be easily substituted for any whole grain when cooking. It holds up to long cooking much better than rice,and carries flavors very well too.
A lot of people unfamiliar with Quinoa can be intimidated, but let me make this easy: any recipe that calls for whole wheat, barley, rice, or oats can be made with quinoa. I think you will find you prefer the substitution quite often.
The secret to any soup or stew is once again doing the prep work the right way. Veggies need to be chopped fairly uniformly so that they cook evenly. Meat needs to be browned to caramelize flavors.
Slow Cooker Beef Quinoa Soup
A classic fall soup updated for today's Gluten-Free lifestyle.
YIELD
10 to 12 servingsACTIVE TIME
10 minsTOTAL TIME
10 minsINGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless lean beef, cubed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 (32oz) Cartons beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 cup Quinoa
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a skillet over medium heat, saute the beef in the oil for 5 minutes, or until browned. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder and place seasoned meat in a slow cooker. Add a little bourbon to the skillet and stir to pick up the browned bits. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add the broth, water, celery, carrots, garlic, green onions, parsley and quinoa. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables and quinoa are tender. Add the thyme just before serving