Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Quinoa Vegetable Soup combines hearty vegetables like carrots, celery, zucchini, sweet potato, and kale with quinoa and a blend of dried herbs simmered in vegetable broth. The quinoa adds a tender texture and slight nuttiness, complementing the soft vegetables and tomato base. This filling soup offers a balanced mix of vegetables and grains, suitable as a comforting, wholesome meal. It’s practical for batch cooking, can be extended with shredded chicken for protein, and finished with a touch of lemon juice and optional Parmesan for added flavor complexity.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt divided, plus more to taste, sea salt
- 2 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 2 talks celery chopped
- ½ cup mushroom chopped, mixed varieties
- 2 teaspoons oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon marjoram dried
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 oz can diced tomatoes
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 large zucchini chopped
- 1 cup sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups kale de-stemmed, chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping, optional, grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Sauté onion and garlic with ½ teaspoon salt until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add in carrots, celery and mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes more.
- Stir in remaining salt and rest of spices and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Then, add in the tomatoes, broth and potatoes.
- Stir in quinoa and increase heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, then remove the lid and add the zucchini and chopped kale. Continue simmering for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and quinoa is fully cooked.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Divide into bowls and top with grated parmesan if you’d like.
Notes
- Leftover soup keeps refrigerated up to one week or frozen for three months.
- Reheat on the stovetop gently for best texture.
- To add protein, stir in shredded cooked chicken before serving.
- For slow cooker: sauté vegetables first, then combine with remaining ingredients (except kale and zucchini), cook low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours, adding kale and zucchini in the last 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 273
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving (w/o cheese) | |
| Calories | 273kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 52g | 17% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 534mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 854mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.