Healthy Vegetarian Quinoa and Kale Minestrone Soup
A delicious take on a classic, this quinoa and kale minestrone soup is hearty, flavorful and full of good for you nutrients. This meatless minestrone soup recipe is perfect for fall.
Jump to Recipe
Why This is the Best Minestrone Soup Recipe
My grandmother used to say the secret to being a good cook is patience. That’s why I like making soups. It’s a good exercise in patience. You have to chop everything, so that each spoonful has all the ingredients evenly proportioned for balanced flavor.
What makes this the best minestrone soup recipe is that it mixes all the ingredients perfectly into rich and flavorful heaping spoons of deliciousness.
We had a few rainy days here in Southern California, and it instantly made me want to have a hearty soup. Here is everything you’ll need to make this hearty fall soup.
What Makes This Vegetarian Soup Hearty and Filling?
Chickpeas! I’m a big fan of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Chickpeas in particular are high in protein and make an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian or vegan dishes.
I love using them as a protein in dishes as they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Chickpeas are also high in fiber, a rich source of vitamins and fiber. In short, a great addition to this healthy vegetarian quinoa and kale minestrone soup.
Ingredients
(scroll for the recipe and portions)
- yellow onion, chopped
- carrots, chopped
- celery, chopped
- zucchini, chopped
- green beans, cut into ½ an inch
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- garlic, minced
- can of crushed tomatoes
- olive oil
- uncooked quinoa
- Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- chick peas, or garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- kale, with ribs removed
- limes
- sprig of thyme
- bay leaves
- Vegeta (optional)
- 5 cups of vegetable stock
- salt & pepper to taste
How to Make this Meatless Minestrone Soup
We start by chopping all of our ingredients and then sauteing them gently for a few minutes . Once the vegetables are soft add the Cannellini beans and the garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas.
Add crushed tomatoes, spices and Vegeta or seasoning of your choice to the mixture. Top with vegetable stock,season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to boil.
Then we add our liquid, crushed tomatoes for additional flavor and seasoning allowing everything to cook thoroughly and simmer on the stove.
Add uncooked quinoa about 20 minutes before the soup is done and then kale just a few moments before turning off the pot.
I like to serve minestrone soup with sliced avocado, grated parmesan cheese and a sliver of lime for additional flavor.
Quinoa and Kale Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2 zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2 inch
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 15 oz Cannellini beans can, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz Garbanzo beans or chick peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup kale, chopped, ribs removed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 limes
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 tbsp vegeta seasoning or herbs de provence
- 5 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over a medium heat. Add onion, carrot and
celery. Sauté the mixture until soft. - Add zucchini, green beans, pepper and
sauté for another few minutes, until all vegetables are soft. Add garlic. - Add the drained Cannellini beans and chick peas.
- Add crushed tomatoes, spices and Vegeta or seasoning of your choice to the mixture. Top with vegetable stock,
season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to boil. - Spoon out the thyme sprig and the bay leaves.
- Add uncooked quinoa and let the soup simmer for another
20-25 minutes. Add kale and cook for another several minutes.
More Soup Recipes You May Like
- Quick Homemade Chicken Soup
- How to Make Mediterranean Green Lentil Soup Recipe
- The Best Detox Lentil Soup Recipe
- Spicy Creamy Asparagus Soup Recipe
- How to Make An Authentic Borscht | Beet Soup Recipe
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Additional Notes for this Recipe
Does Quinoa get soggy in the soup?
If you haven’t used quinoa in your soup recipes yet, this is one that’s sure to help you make the leap. The cooked quinoa adds nice texture and mild flavor, plus it won’t set soggy or breakdown like pasta or rice. This minestrone soup also freezes quite well.