Quinoa Vegetable Soup

This hearty quinoa vegetable soup is packed with a ton of veggies and plant-based protein. It’s easy to make in the slow cooker and makes great leftovers! Gluten-free and vegan, as long as you skip the cheese.

After posting this slow cooker chicken fajita soup I had a ton of requests to make a vegetarian slow cooker soup. Your wish is my command! Seriously though, I actually love getting recipe requests. It gives me an idea of what you want and makes my brainstorming process a little easier. It’s a win-win for us both.

Like my classic vegetable soup recipe, this soup is for all my vegetarians and vegans! That said, meat-eaters will surely not complain if you serve them a steamy bowl of this soup, as it is still plenty flavorful and filling with a ton of veggies and protein-packed quinoa. The zucchini, mushrooms, sweet potatoes and carrots add great texture while the quinoa adds a breadiness that almost makes it seem like a pot-pie soup.

The best part? You don’t have to cook the quinoa before adding it to the recipe, whether you’re making it in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.

Here’s What You Need

• avocado oil or olive oil – to sauté the vegetables in.
• vegetables – yellow onion, garlic cloves, carrots, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, sweet potato and kale.
• quinoa – no need to cook the quinoa beforehand, just throw the uncooked, dry quinoa in!
• vegetable broth – the liquid base of the soup. I like using low-sodium broth and adding salt to taste at the end of cooking if needed.
• water – a little extra cooking liquid. Feel free to use more broth if preferred.
• diced tomatoes – adds more liquid, flavor, texture and color to the soup. I used regular diced tomatoes but fire roasted tomatoes would be delicious as well!
• lemon juice – for a touch of brightness. I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice as opposed to the juice you find in stores.
• spices – dried oregano, dried marjoram, dried thyme, sea salt and pepper.
• grated parmesan cheese – adds some salty and nutty flavor. This is definitely an optional topping. If you need this soup to be vegan, just omit the cheese, use a dairy-free parmesan or make my vegan parmesan cheese.

Substitutions and Variations

The options are truly endless with this soup!

• Vegetables – Don’t love one of the veggies I’ve included or have another veggie in your fridge that needs to be used up? Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand.
• Potatoes – I used sweet potatoes, but any potatoes will do! You can even swap in butternut squash for the sweet potatoes if you want.
• More protein – This soup already has 9 grams of protein per serving thanks to the quinoa, but if you’re looking to amp up the protein even more you can add a 15 ounce can of chickpeas or white beans to the soup.
• Spice – I like to add a little crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper to give the soup a little kick!

How to Make Quinoa Vegetable Soup on the Stovetop

I love making this soup in the slow cooker for ease. After chopping and sautéing, all you have to do is put everything in, turn the slow cooker on and let it work its magic. That said, you can definitely make this soup over the stovetop. Here’s how I would make it:

Sauté vegetables – Heat oil over medium. Sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add in carrots, celery and mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes more.

Add seasoning – Stir in spices and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Then, add in the tomatoes, broth and potatoes.

Simmer – 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.

Final touches – 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.

How to Serve Veggie Soup

Thanks to the quinoa, this soup is a full, filling meal on its own, but I love serving it with some sides for added volume and textures in my meal! Here are some ideas:

• Bread or crackers: This soup is delicious served with some warm, crusty bread (like sourdough) or crackers (try my my simple almond flour crackers) for some added crunch. It would also be great with my honey whole wheat bread, vegan cornbread or these pumpkin cornbread muffins.
• Salad: For a side salad this spinach salad is an awesome option.
• Protein: Want to boost the protein of this soup? Serve it it alongside any protein of your choice. It would be delicious paired with my maple turmeric chicken, apple cider vinegar chicken or balsamic salmon. For some vegetarian options my baked tofu or maple balsamic tempeh would be delish.

How to Store Leftovers

In general, soup is amazing because of how well it stores! I love making one big batch and eating leftovers throughout the week. It tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a day or two!

For storage, let the soup cool before placing it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to one week or store in the freezer for up to one month. I recommend reheating on the stovetop rather than the microwave so you get an even heat without microwave splatters and hot/cold spots!

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes

• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Lentil Stew with Kale
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Curried Pumpkin Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Butternut Squash Red Lentil Soup

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