Packed with vegetables, beans and quinoa, this Quinoa Vegetable Soup makes a comforting and healthy lunch or dinner. It is full of delicious flavours and spices and is vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. With a generous amount of protein from the black beans and quinoa, this is a fantastic quinoa recipe that is hearty and satisfying.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Made in one pot, you can have my Quinoa Vegetable Soup on the table in under one hour. You will love the layers of flavours and colours in this dish.
Serve it simply with some tortilla or pita chips, or select toppings such as wedges of lime, coriander, cubes of avocado, sour cream, diced red onion or grated cheese.
You will love this Quinoa Vegetable Soup because:
- The soup is great for batch cooking. Double the ingredients and freeze some to have in the weeks ahead.
- Not only is it easy to make, but it is also delicious and packed with nutrient-rich foods.
- It is ideal for busy days. When you’re in a rush, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are serving your family a nutritious meal.
- This is a go-to recipe that you can customise to suit your family’s taste by the addition of a variety of toppings.
- As well as being family-friendly, it is great for casual entertaining or potlucks. Everyone enjoys selecting their own toppings.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Olive oil – I have used Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You could also use coconut oil if you prefer.
Red onion – you could use brown/yellow or white.
Carrots – for colour, flavour and nutrients.
Celery – part of the flavour base.
Garlic – use fresh cloves. The flavour is superior to bottled or pre-minced.
Ground cumin – adds warmth and great depth of flavour to the soup.
Smoked paprika – a sweet spice with a rich, smoky flavour.
Chipotle in adobo sauce – the rich smokiness adds a deep savoury flavour and some heat.
Tinned tomatoes – crushed tomatoes are ideal for this recipe as opposed to passata, as they add extra texture to the dish.
Quinoa – I have used tri-colour quinoa but you could use white.
Black beans – I have used canned black beans, but you could also pre-soak dried beans. They are a great source of protein and fibre.
Vegetable stock – either homemade or good quality commercial.
Corn kernels – use fresh when in season. Alternatively, use frozen or canned corn.
Step by step instructions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Cook the onion, carrot and celery:
In a large saucepan, heat oil over low to medium heat. Cook onion, carrot and celery for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
2 – Add seasonings:
Add garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle in adobo sauce. Cook, stirring for a minute or two until fragrant. Add tomatoes, quinoa, black beans and corn to the pan.
3 – Add liquid and bring to a simmer:
Add the stock and increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.
4 – Serve:
Serve the Quinoa and Vegetable Soup with your choice of toppings.
Tips for success and FAQs:
This Quinoa and Vegetable Soup is hearty and nutritious, and a great base for you to add your favourite ingredients!
If you do not require the soup to be vegan, you could add some shredded rotisserie chicken for extra protein.
Yes, it is important to rinse the quinoa as this helps remove the outside coating of the grain, called saponin, which can cause a slightly bitter taste. Saponin is a naturally occurring chemical that deters insects. Use a fine-mesh sieve and drain it well after rinsing.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the soup thickens on standing, add some additional vegetable stock or water.
Yes, it freezes well. Store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Variations and substitutions:
Vegetables – use seasonal vegetables of your choice. I like to add some finely chopped zucchini and capsicum/bell pepper on occasion.
Chipotle in Adobo Sauce – add more to your taste if you like extra heat. You could also use some cayenne pepper or red chilli pepper flakes.
Beans – instead of black beans, you could also use cannellini, red kidney beans or even chickpeas.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the Quinoa Vegetable Soup simply with some tortilla or pita chips, or select toppings such as:
- wedges of lime
- fresh coriander/cilantro
- cubes of avocado
- sour cream or grated cheese.
You could also serve it with some freshly baked Spelt Bread.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Easy soup recipes are great to have in your repertoire. They are perfect for meal prep, great to have in the freezer for a quick meal and are an ideal way to get lots of vegetables into your diet.
Here are some more of our favourite soup recipes for you to try:
- Spiced Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- Roasted Capsicum Soup with Basil Oil
- Broccoli and Potato Soup
- Pea and Mint Soup
- Italian Lentil Soup (Zuppa di Lenticchie)
Alex xx
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Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 medium red onion – finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots – finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery – finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin See Note 2
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika See Note 2
- 2 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce See Note 3
- 400 g (14 oz) crushed tinned tomatoes
- ⅓ cup (70 g) quinoa – rinsed See Note 4
- 420 g (15 oz) canned black beans – rinsed and drained
- 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock See Note 5
- 1 cup (150 g) corn kernels – fresh, frozen or canned
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over low to medium heat. Cook onion, carrot and celery for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
- Add the garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle in adobo sauce. Cook, stirring for a minute or two until fragrant. Add tomatoes, quinoa, black beans and corn to the pan.
- Add the stock and increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.
- Serve the Quinoa and Vegetable Soup with your choice of toppings.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Spices: for the best flavour, ensure that your spices are fresh as the flavours become dull over time.
- Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: this sauce is readily available in supermarkets. It gives the soup a smoky, spicy flavour and nice heat. Add more if you would like it to be spicer.
- Quinoa: I have used tricolour quinoa, but you could also use white. Ensure your quinoa is rinsed prior to adding it to the soup.
- Stock: use homemade vegetable stock or good quality commercial. If eating gluten-free, always check the label of ingredients.
- Soup Thickness: add a little more stock if you would prefer a thinner soup. It will thicken as it stands, and may require more liquid added if you are freezing/reheating the soup.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Jenny
Hi Alex! We love this quinoa vegetable soup so much that we make a big batch of this whenever the weather gets cold and usually enjoy it with garlic bread or rice. It keeps us full for hours and warms us right up. We add extra chipotle and cayenne pepper like you recommended for more spice. Thank you for the great recipe. Looking forward to more from you!
Alexandra
Hi Jenny, thank you for your fantastic feedback on the Quinoa Vegetable Soup. I am delighted to hear that you enjoy it. 🙂
Jacqui
I loved how wholesome the ingredients were and tried it out! Super easy to follow and it turns out so comforting and delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us.
Alexandra
Hi Jacqui, thank you for your fantastic feedback on the Quinoa Vegetable Soup. I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it. 🙂
Elena
Thank you ,
I will try this today!
I don,t think is easy to find chipotle here,a small town,but I will replace it .
Alexandra
Hi Elena, I am delighted to hear that you will make the Quinoa Vegetable Soup and I hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
Abigail
My family loved this soup! It was so flavorful with all the spices and I love how it’s full of fiber from the quinoa and veggies. It was my first time using chipotle in adobo sauce and definitely won’t be my last. It added just the right amount of heat!
Alexandra
Hi Abigail, thank you for your lovely comments on the Quinoa Vegetable Soup. I am so pleased that you and your family enjoyed it. 🙂