Vegetable Quinoa Soup

 Filled with quinoa, white beans, and veggies, this minestrone-style vegetable quinoa soup is full of flavor. You can enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or as a make-ahead meal.

Quinoa is a high-protein grain and including it in a healthy soup recipe is a great way to add more plant-based protein to a meal. Be it my quinoa chickpea salad, green quinoa breakfast bowl, quinoa burgers, or salmon quinoa bowl, there are plenty of ways to use this nutrient-dense grain.

By pairing quinoa with a legume, such as beans or lentils, you can create a complete protein source and a better balance of amino acids in any vegetarian meal. The combination of quinoa, white beans, and vegetables, ensures that this vegetable quinoa soup recipe is full of protein, fiber, and micronutrients, and is a delicious and nutritious meal that works well for lunch or dinner on a cold day

INGREDIENTS FOR QUINOA VEGETABLE SOUP

• Quinoa – The base of this quinoa soup, you can use white, red, or tri-color quinoa. The recipe uses raw quinoa, however, you can use cooked quinoa if you like. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• White Beans – To add some extra protein and fiber, you can use great northern beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans.
• Onion and Garlic – To add fragrance and build flavor in the broth. If you don’t have fresh onion and garlic, you can use 1 teaspoon of onion powder and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
• Carrots and Celery – To add some veggies and build additional flavor in the broth.
• Diced Tomatoes – To ensure the broth is rich and thick.
• Spinach – To add some leafy greens. You can use fresh or frozen spinach, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Broth – You can you vegetable broth or chicken broth.
• Herbs and Spices – A combination of bay leaf, dried thyme, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to add Italian flavor. If using fresh herbs, use triple the amount.
• Salt and Pepper – To season the soup.
• Parmesan Cheese Rind – To further season the soup and add additional flavor.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the quinoa soup to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled vegetable quinoa soup to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To make grab-and-go meals and reheating easier, you can freeze the soup in individual portion-sized containers.

To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge and then place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the soup in the microwave, place thawed soup in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed depending on the strength of your microwave.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quinoa, raw
• 1 can (14 oz.) white beans, strained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 parmesan rind
• 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

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Instructions

1. In a large pot on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes until tender. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until tender.
3. Add the dried thyme, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the quinoa, white beans, and diced tomatoes and stir to combine with the vegetables.
5. Pour in the broth and water and stir again until everything is well incorporated.
6. Add the parmesan rind and bay leaf to the pot and stir to ensure they are submerged in the broth.
7. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender.
8. Once cooked, add the chopped spinach, stir until well incorporated in the soup, and simmer for a final 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted. If you find the soup too thick, simply add some more water or broth to thin the soup to your liking.
9. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf, then taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
10. Serve the soup immediately with freshly grated parmesan or allow it to cool completely and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To Make it in a Slow Cooker: Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. Once cooked, remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf, then taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

To Use Cooked Quinoa: Add the quinoa as instructed in step #4, however, only simmer the soup for 5-10 minutes until heated through, then proceed with instructions as outlined.

To Use Frozen Spinach: Thaw 1/2 cup or 2 ounces of frozen spinach, press out any excess water, and add it to the soup as per step #8.

To Use Dried Onion and Garlic: Use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and onion powder.

To Use Fresh Herbs: Use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme and fresh oregano.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 265 calories
• Sugar: 9 grams
• Fat: 7 grams
• Carbohydrates: 43 grams
• Fiber: 8 grams
• Protein: 9 grams

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