Hearty quinoa vegetable soup

Why you'll love this recipe

This quinoa vegetable soup is comfort food that's actually good for you. It's loaded with vegetables and protein-rich quinoa, making it filling enough to be a complete meal. Plus, it gets better as it sits, making it ideal for meal prep.

Ingredients

Base:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Soup:

• 1.5 litres vegetable stock
• 400g tin diced tomatoes
• 150g quinoa, rinsed
• 200g kale, chopped
• 1 tin cannellini beans, drained
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic, thyme, and oregano. Cook 1 minute more.

2. Add liquids: Pour in vegetable stock and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

3. Cook quinoa: Add quinoa, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add greens and beans: Stir in kale and cannellini beans. Cook 5 more minutes until kale is wilted and quinoa is tender.

5. Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Tips for success

• Rinse the quinoa: This removes the bitter saponin coating.
• Don't overcook: The quinoa absorbs liquid as it sits, so leave it slightly brothy.
• Adjust consistency: Add more stock if soup thickens too much during storage.

Variations

• Chicken: Add shredded rotisserie chicken for extra protein.
• Italian: Add Italian sausage and swap kale for spinach.
• Spicy: Add red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Add extra stock when reheating.