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Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup
5 from 24 votes

Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup

Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup is a vegetable-rich soup featuring kale, quinoa, cannellini beans, and chickpeas in a tomato and vegetable broth. The addition of fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, and thyme brings aromatic notes, while quinoa and beans provide protein and texture. This soup delivers a hearty and wholesome flavor, making it suitable for a nutritious meal option.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 onion diced (2 cups, large, yellow
  • 3 carrot diced (1 1/2 cups, medium
  • 2 celery diced (1 cup, stalks
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups zucchini from about 2 small, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 7 cups vegetable broth unsalted
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes unsalted
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp parsley chopped, fresh
  • 1 tsp rosemary crushed, dried
  • 1 tsp thyme dried
  • salt to taste, freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, freshly ground
  • 3/4 cup quinoa dry
  • 2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch segments
  • 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpea drained and rinsed (aka garbanzo beans
  • 2 cups (heaping) kale thick ribs removed before chopping, chopped, fresh
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Parmesan Cheese for garnish (omit or use vegan parmesan if making vegan, shredded

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and saute about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in zucchini, red bell pepper and saute 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
  2. Add in vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow soup to gently boil, covered for 20 minutes.
  3. Add in dry quinoa and green beans then cover and cook 10 - 15 minutes longer.
  4. Add cannellini beans, chick peas, kale, parsley and lemon juice and cook, uncovered, until kale has wilted, about 5 minutes.
  5. Serve warm garnished with parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • You can omit sugar or adjust it to taste; optional for balancing acidity.
  • Unsalted broth and tomatoes help control sodium; adjust salt as needed.
  • Dried Italian seasoning can substitute thyme and rosemary.
  • The soup is inspired by Mind Body Green but altered for richer flavor and simpler seasoning.