We’ve been living in a winter wonderland lately. We’ve gotten so much snow that Cookie can barely keep her head above it when we go outside (she’s smaller than you think). I’m thankful to have power and gearing up for more winter weather this weekend.
This hearty soup is exactly what I need. It’s brimming with fresh veggies and warms me right up. Soup to the rescue!
This homemade vegetable soup with quinoa is light but filling and packs great for lunch. Like most soups, it tastes even better the next day. Bonus? It freezes well, too. I love keeping my freezer stocked with hearty soups and defrosting one whenever I need a quick but nutritious meal.
This soup is vegan unless you want to top it with Parmesan cheese, which isn’t a bad idea if you ask me. The ingredients list, while a little on the long side, includes mostly pantry items. Every single one of them is nutritious!
Quinoa Vegetable Soup Recipe Development
Confession: the idea for this soup recipe came from Trader Joe’s. (You know what they say about grocery shopping while hungry.) A few years ago, their “vegetable soup with quinoa and kale” caught my eye in the refrigerated section right as my stomach grumbled.
I was initially skeptical about quinoa in soup (will it get mushy? does the flavor play nicely with the other ingredients?), but now I’m only wondering what took me so long to try it.
Quinoa was meant for soup. It lends some extra protein and hearty texture. Unlike most other vegetable soups, which are too light to count as a full meal, this is a true meal-in-a-bowl if you eat enough of it.
I adapted this recipe from my lentil soup, which has gotten quite a few raving reviews. I hope you enjoy this one just as much.
Recipe Notes & Tips
I wrote the recipe so it’s easily adapted to seasons. Winter squash would be lovely in place of the zucchini that I used.
This soup straddles the line between soup and stew, but whatever you call it, it’s delicious.
If you want more of a soup, use 3/4 cup quinoa and 1 cup seasonal veggies. If you want more of a stew, use a full cup of quinoa, two cups of seasonal vegetables and throw in some extra greens.
Please let me know how you like this soup in the comments! I love hearing from you.
If you enjoy this soup, be sure to check out my minestrone, lentil soup, Megan’s quinoa stew, and the hearty soup recipes in my cookbook.
Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This healthy homemade vegetable soup recipe is full of veggies, kale and quinoa. It’s easy to make and good for you, too! This soup makes great leftovers. It’s gluten free and vegan, as long as you don’t top it with optional Parmesan cheese. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings of soup.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 to 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables, like zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, sweet potatoes or butternut squash
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes
- Scant 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander (use less for a lighter, more broth-y soup)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces) great northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup or more chopped fresh kale or collard greens, tough ribs removed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- Optional garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, seasonal vegetables and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the quinoa, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and add the beans and the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.
- Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. (You might need up to ½ teaspoon more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.) Divide into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you’d like.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Trader Joe’s organic vegetable soup with quinoa and kale. Recipe adapted from my lentil soup recipe.
Seasonal vegetable preparation tips: If you’re using dense vegetables like butternut or sweet potato for your seasonal vegetables, be sure to chop them as small as you’re chopping your carrots so they cook in the same amount of time.
Slow cooker option: I haven’t tried, but Sarah reports that her soup turned out well after 8 hours on low heat.
Storage suggestions: This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It freezes and defrosts well if you want to freeze extra portions for later!
Recommended equipment: I’m convinced that everything I cook in my Dutch oven comes out extra delicious.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Jill Ryder
I made this last night and it was enjoyed by all who ate it! I had to use frozen green bean instead of kale, that what was available! I added sweet potatoes, which worked out well. I has some Parmesan cheese rind which I added when I put in the bay leaves. This also worked well. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jill!
Kathy Smith
Making the soup now. Wondering if anyone has tried black beans in it. Also, nutritional information not coming up. Every recipe of yours that I have made have been delicious. Thank you so much for this blog.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Kathy! I’m sorry the nutritional information wasn’t working for you. It should be now. Thanks for your review!
Curtis
I used zucchini and red and green bell peppers and canned whole tomatoes instead of chopped (I think the whole tomatoes have a little more flavor). Really excellent soup! All of the recipes I have tried have all been grand…thanks so much!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Curtis!
Robin
Made this today for lunch – it’s terrific. Added an extra carrot (didn’t want one sad carrot left in the fridge), and used kale as well as a small quantity of spinach. Also added the juice of a small lemon, after a taste test with 1/2 lemon. This made a lot of soup and I froze two lunches’ worth while refrigerating the rest. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Great, Robin!
Mari
I made this soup and couldn’t be more satisfied by the results!!! Everyone in my family who ate it opined in how delicious, healthy and desirable this soup is!! I’m a fan of all your recipes! Thanks cookie & Kate always for sharing your knowledge, and great healthy taste for food!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it and other recipes! Thanks, Mari.
ELizabeth Scanlon
Absolutely delicious! Posted it on Instagram. Went ahead and bought two of your cookbooks – one for me and one for a vegan friend.
Kudos!!
★★★★★
Kate
Elizabeth, thank you so much! Hope you and your friend find lots of new favorite recipes in the book. So glad you enjoyed this one!
Beth Scanlin
Had the soup again last night with cheese quesadillas on the side. Soooo good! Should get the cookbook today! It’s freezing here in DC so a perfect day to stay in and try some of your recipes. Keep up the good work!
★★★★★
Jocelyn Hankins
Delicious! I used non-dairy cheese as a topper; my veggies were onions, carrots, celery, red pepper and sweet potatoes.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds delicious, Jocelyn!
Shannon
I just finished eating this and it was delicious! First recipe I have made from your site and super satisfied! I used zucchini, bell pepper and seeet potato along with the carrots, kale and celery. I put in a sprig of fresh rosemary and thyme + one extra bay leaf. Cooking times were much longer for me, maybe I cut everything too big but I love chunks of veggies (and am a bit lazy with chopping). Therefore, the quinoa really bulked up making more of a stew than soup but that’s still great in my book! Thanks Cookie and Kate. Will go in rotation as soon as I finish off what I was able to put in the freezer!
★★★★★
Kate
This is a great one to start with! The side you chop things does really make a difference. Thanks for sharing, Shannon! I appreciate the review.
Linda Morris
Can I ask a question please.
Is the quinoa uncooked or cooked when you put it into the pot? Sorry if this question sounds dumb but there are recipes that used the quinoa cooked.
Kate
It is uncooked when you put it into the pot. I hope this helps!
Linda Morris
Thank you so much for you reply, will be cooking it this weekend, with the help of my 11 year old granddaughter, so here’s hoping it turns out as well as other people on here have said it does.
Heather
This soup is truly awesome!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you love it, Heather!
Kathy Smith
Absolutely love the sweet potato and black bean veggie burgers! I’m going to have to get your book.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you on both accounts! Let me know what you think of the book when you get it, Kathy.
Joanne
Delicious! I was really surprised by these flavors. I was expecting a tomatoey taste and was going to omit the tomatoes, but I wanted to try the recipe as Kate made it. I am glad I followed the recipe! And, I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Larry
Kate, Made the recipe for the Quinoa Vegetable with Kale soup today utilizing zucchini, sweet potato, and red and green peppers. Didn’t have bay leaves so I substituted oregano and marjoram. Worked like a charm. The soup was delicious, healthful and filling. Thank you for this recipe. Looking forward to trying others.
Just one question, do you have any tips for how I can more efficiently cut up the vegetables, especially the Mirepoix, other than improving my knife skills – perhaps some kind of device?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Larry! I’m glad you really liked this soup. I guess you could use a food processor and lightly chop them in there? They might get to finely chopped, though.
Rajinder Singh
Great recipe you have shared here. Will try to make it.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks!
Elaina Perleberg
Used chicken broth otherwise followed exactly. Delicious! love your sit. Fabulous healthy meal ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Elaina
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing Elaina!
Sandy Payne
I have a question as I’m making this now. The seasonal vegetables, it says 2 cups, is that each vegetable or total of all of them?
Kate
2 cups total, Sandy. :)
Rachel
I absolutely loved this soup! Question regarding the nutrition label. It says there are 6 servings, but what is the exact serving size?
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Rachel! Roughly 1-1.5 cups should be about a serving.