Vegetable Quinoa Soup

Vegetable Quinoa Soup

This hearty one-pot soup combines quinoa, white beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and spinach with Italian-style herbs. The original recipe makes 6 servings and takes about 40 minutes total.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raw quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can (14 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• Black pepper, to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
4. Stir in the thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute.
5. Add the quinoa, white beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir well.
6. Pour in the vegetable broth and water.
7. Add the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, making sure they’re submerged.
8. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender.
9. Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes, until wilted.
10. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf.
11. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth or water.
12. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tip: For a vegan version, use vegetable broth and simply omit the Parmesan rind and cheese.