Today’s recipe is Instant Pot Peruvian Quinoa Stew, an adaption of a Moosewood recipe. It’s an easy vegan stew that you can make in an Instant Pot in under a half an hour depending on how quickly you chop your veggies and how quickly the Instant Pot builds pressure. Let’s dive into the details…

What makes this a Peruvian Stew?
It’s all about the ingredients and quinoa is an ancient grain grown in South America and a regular staple in Peruvian cuisine.
We love quinoa and cook with it quite often. We have perfected making Instant Pot Quinoa and we have a number of recipes that feature quinoa as a star ingredient:
- quinoa stuffed bell peppers
- greek quinoa salad
- healthy quinoa taco salad
- vegan cilantro quinoa burrito bowl
- quinoa fajita casserole
- vegan asparagus mushroom quinoa risotto
So, as you can see, this Instant Pot Peruvian Quinoa Stew continues our love affair with quinoa. We even love making this unforgettable chocolate quinoa cake from Barefeet in the Kitchen.
Instant Pot Peruvian Quinoa Tips
- Since quinoa can have a coating that can cause a bitter taste, make sure you thoroughly rinse your quinoa before cooking unless you are using sprouted quinoa or a brand that specifically says it has been pre-rinsed.
- Feel free to substitute in some of your own favorite veggies and spices.
- Top with your favorite toppings — we love using avocado and cilantro.
It’s not hard and you’re going to love it! You can let us know what you think of this Peruvian quinoa stew in the comments down below. What toppings did you end up using?

Instant Pot Peruvian Quinoa Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small zucchini chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
- 1 cup roma tomato chopped
- 3/4 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups broth or water
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Press the saute button on the Instant Pot and pour in oil and let heat up.
- Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add carrots and celery and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients and stir slightly.
- Close and seal lid, press manual for 1 minute.
- After cycle is complete, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then carefully vent and open lid.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings--cilantro, avocado, pico de gallo, etc.
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