Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
This healthy homemade vegetable soup recipe is full of veggies, kale and quinoa. It's easy to make and good for you, too! Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
We’ve been living in a winter wonderland lately. We’ve gotten so much snow that my dog, Cookie, can barely keep her head above it when we go outside (she’s smaller than you think). I’m thankful to have electricity and gearing up for more winter weather this weekend.
This hearty soup is exactly what I need. It’s brimming with fresh veggies and warms me right up. Soup to the rescue!
This homemade vegetable soup with quinoa is light but filling and packs great for lunch. Like most soups, it tastes even better the next day. Bonus? It freezes well, too. I love keeping my freezer stocked with hearty soups and defrosting one whenever I need a quick but nutritious meal.
This soup is vegan unless you want to top it with Parmesan cheese, which isn’t a bad idea if you ask me. The ingredients list, while a little on the long side, includes mostly pantry items. Every single one of them is nutritious!
Quinoa Vegetable Soup Recipe Development
Confession: the idea for this soup recipe came from Trader Joe’s. (You know what they say about grocery shopping while hungry.) A few years ago, their “vegetable soup with quinoa and kale” caught my eye in the refrigerated section right as my stomach grumbled.
I was initially skeptical about quinoa in soup (will it get mushy? does the flavor play nicely with the other ingredients?), but now I’m only wondering what took me so long to try it.
Quinoa was meant for soup. It lends some extra protein and hearty texture. Unlike most other vegetable soups, which are too light to count as a full meal, this is a true meal-in-a-bowl if you eat enough of it.
I adapted this recipe from my lentil soup, which has gotten quite a few raving reviews. I hope you enjoy this one just as much.
Recipe Notes & Tips
I wrote the recipe so it’s easily adapted to seasons. Winter squash would be lovely in place of the zucchini that I used.
This soup straddles the line between soup and stew, but whatever you call it, it’s delicious.
If you want more of a soup, use 3/4 cup quinoa and 1 cup seasonal veggies. If you want more of a stew, use a full cup of quinoa, two cups of seasonal vegetables and throw in some extra greens.
Watch How to Make Quinoa Soup
Please let me know how you like this soup in the comments! I love hearing from you.
If you enjoy this soup, be sure to check out my minestrone, lentil soup, Megan’s quinoa stew, and the hearty soup recipes in my cookbook.
Quinoa Vegetable Soup
This healthy homemade vegetable soup recipe is full of veggies, kale and quinoa. It’s easy to make and good for you, too! This soup makes great leftovers. It’s gluten free and vegan, as long as you don’t top it with optional Parmesan cheese. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings of soup.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 to 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables, like zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, sweet potatoes or butternut squash
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
- Scant 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander (use less for a lighter, more broth-y soup)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can (15 ounces) great northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup or more chopped fresh kale or collard greens, tough ribs removed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- Optional garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, seasonal vegetables and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the quinoa, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and add the beans and the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.
- Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. (You might need up to ½ teaspoon more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.) Divide into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you’d like.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Trader Joe’s organic vegetable soup with quinoa and kale. Recipe adapted from my lentil soup recipe.
Seasonal vegetable preparation tips: If you’re using dense vegetables like butternut or sweet potato for your seasonal vegetables, be sure to chop them as small as you’re chopping your carrots so they cook in the same amount of time.
Slow cooker option: I haven’t tried, but Sarah reports that her soup turned out well after 8 hours on low heat.
Storage suggestions: This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It freezes and defrosts well if you want to freeze extra portions for later!
Make it dairy free/vegan: Don’t garnish with Parmesan.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Love this soup! Second time making it today. My boyfriend loves it too and he is not normally a veggie soup person.
Hooray! Thanks, Michelle!
Wow, I just made this using my new digital pressure cooker and it came out AMAZING! It’s the best thing to come out of that pressure cooker so far! I used chayote squash as my seasonal vegetable. The only change I made is 1/2 cup quinoa instead of a full cup, half the salt, and I added a little extra red pepper flakes. I’m absolutely saving this recipe. Thanks!!
Thank you, Joanna! So glad to know this soup works in a pressure cooker!
How long did you put it in the pressure cooker for and what process did you use?
Thank you for this recipe! I finally got to make it tonight. With a few minor changes in vegetables it came out amazing!!
Thank you, Carin!
This was SO good. So much more flavourful than would seem! At the top of my winter recipe list.
Thank you, Julie!!!
This was kickass! I’m a longtime vegetarian (somewhat soup-challenged). Made this after a long hike on a particularly blue day. Thank you.
Thank you, Leanne! Glad to hear it.
Lovely soup! Warm and perfect for these cold days in Maine!
Just made this soup for a dinner party on Saturday night to rave reviews! I used Kabuchi squash, omitted the teaspoon of salt, used baby spinach in place of kale and added about two ounces of parmesan rind to the soup. The soup was so delicious. Definitely a keeper! Thanks Kate.
Just made this delicious soup! I had a can of whole tomatoes, that I strained and chopped in my food processor. It seemed a shame to dump out the juices from the tomatoes, so I used that in place of the water. I only used 3/4 cup of quinoa, but the soup came out much thicker than your photos. I added another cup of water before serving. Great soup for the frigid temps were are currently having i New England!
This was so good! We used butternut, courgette and red capsicum for the ‘seasonal veg’. Every recipe I’ve tried of yours has had wild success in my kitchen and at our family table. Cheers!
Love this soup, Kate! Even my carnivores enjoyed it. Your recipes never disappoint. This one was superb! Thank you.
I just found this recipe via pinterest! I made the soup yesterday and I absolutely love it!! Never thought of quinoa in soup but this makes so much sense! I am always looking for ways to add protein without adding meat so this is great and my whole family loves it! (I’m a college student by the way, not a mom, in case you couldn’t tell. lol) This soup is great for all ages!!
Another two thumbs up recipe. Made it yesterday, my 9 year old cut up some veggies with me and we had a delicious dinner ready in 35 minutes.
You are crushing it Kate – keep up the great work.
YUM!!!! I used fresh Roma tomatoes with a couple tablespoons of organic tomato paste, instead of canned. For the veggies, I used a turnip (gives a nice depth), yellow squash, a little bell pepper, EXTRA garlic* and a small bundle of fresh thyme. WOW!! Best veggie soup ever, and my carnivore husband gobbled it up. So glad I doubled the recipe, will be enjoying this all week.
*We are fortunate to live in the Buffalo, NY area, near Singer Farms in Appleton, where owner Tom Szulist grows 60+ varieties of organic garlic. Mail order in season (Aug-Nov)
http://singerfarmnaturals.com/garlic.php
I have made this recipe three times, adding available vegetables. I just love it. It is delicious, filling, and very satisfying. I even got my husband (no vegetable lover) to admit that it was delicious. It is even better the second day. I’m pretty sure I could live on this.
The soup is great and filling. I Love vegetable soup and the quinoa is a nice touch. I used fresh spinache in place of the kale and it was just as good. Made the first time with the kale, but not a big fan of kale. Wonderful recipe.
Kate, any tips for this in the crockpot? I have toddlers and cooking at the stove right before guests arrive is not always an option, so I’ve been trying to do a crockpot recipe so I can prep it earlier in the day during nap time… Tips? How early do I add the quinoa, kale etc…
Hi Kate, I made this soup and it was delicious!! I was wondering if you know or could provide the nutritional information for it (cals, fat, protein, etc)?
Thanks!
Also, do you know what is equivalent to a serving size? Is it 1, 1.5, or 2 cups?
I made this the other day and both my partner and I were not fans. I have made heaps of the recipes on this wonderful site and loved them all, but not this one. I felt like it was quite bland, and considering it took a bit of time to put together I thought it was going to be a winner. Never mind, you can’t win them all!
I tried this soup and it’s awesome. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Just got done making this! OMG so good. The only difference, I used lentils instead of quinoa, as that’s what I have in the cupboard. I used squash, potatoes, and red pepper as my veggies! Thanks Kate, you never fail me.
Excellent !!! Just started my journey into the vegan lifestyle and this was my second recipe I’ve used & I believe with great tasting meals like this it won’t be as hard as I thought. Even the kid’s loved it.
This is a wonderful recipe, I’ll definitely be making this again!
This soup is amazing! I’ve made it several times now, changing up the vegetables as new ones come in season. My daughters were not huge veggie fans but can’t get enough of this recipe. Thanks for posting it :)
Hooray! Thank you, Anna!
I made the quinoa vegetable soup with kale (I used spinach and beet leaves) I added baby Bella mushrooms,green pepper,sweet potato,and a garlic scape. I also used the tomato water from the can with the broth which I saved from boiling 12 ears of corn on the cob. It was delicious and perfect for my gluten and dairy free daughter. I put it in my recipe file and will make it often.
Thank you for sharing,
Nancy Paritsky D.C.
Thank you, Nancy! Your version sounds delicious. I’m glad you both enjoyed the soup.
Ok I love stews and soups so I assumed I’d like this but no, I LOVE it!! I used fennel and red bell pepper as vegetables (+ kale), didn’t have any lemon so used red wine vinegar instead and added some smoked paprika powder just because it was sitting next to the chili flakes in my cupboard :-). The quinoa is the star ingredient though, it adds crunch or whatever you call it, just so good. Thank you!
Thank you, Eva! Your version sounds stellar. I’ll have to try that combo soon.
This is the third time this month I have made this soup. It is amazing, delicious, filling and sooooo low fat. I have told my class at Slimming World about it as having this soup as a main meal four times a week has really bumped up the weight loss, and also uses up all the leftover veggies in the fridge. Thank you.
Hi Gill, I’m so glad to hear you’re loving this soup! Thank you for telling your friends about it. :)
Made this for dinner and it was a huge hit!! I also added a bit of sweet italian sausage to add some extra protein. The quinoa gave it almost a creamy texture which was fantastic. I served it with a side of beer bread and it was phenomenal!
Don’t know what could have failed but the quinoa absorbed almost all the liquid and the soup was more like a risotto! Still tasted good, just not a soup consistency.
Just made this soup and it is delicious! I feel so healthy eating it as well. Will definitely be serving it for guests. I am loving all of your recipes. Thanks for much for all of the time Kate that you are putting in to perfecting your receipes and your blog. I really feel blessed by all of your cooking. May God truly bless you and thanks for using your gifts to bless all of us. :)
Malia, thank you for your kind comment! All my best to you.
I made this but I added shredded chicken and a few more spices. It was wonderful! My family had NOOOO complaints.
Absolutely wonderful! Made this soup tonight and it was a complete success. Happy husband and I was surprised but extremely happy kids. EVERYONE went back for seconds. Thank you for your expertise and recipe. I will make it again.
Thank you Kate for a delicious lunch, my son who is also vegan made it, it was tasty and fabulous, I put in all my left over vegetables from the fridge plus kale..but I would only use half a cup of quinoa next time, as it took all the liquid and I had to add a couple of cups more..but it was as somebody said, a take on minestrone, I made my own mixed bean addition..I would add my picture but don’t know how to!
had to add a couple of cups more of WATER!
I made this soup and it turned out great! Thank you so much for the recipe!
I only had half of the broth the recipe called for so I added water, still tasted good.
I made the soup tonight and it tasted great, thanks for the recipe!! For seasonal veggies I used bell peppers and butternut squash that I had diced and frozen from the fall farmers market. Loved it!
Hi Kate
I’m trying to eat a lot better, it only took 65 years. I love vegetables, I was wondering if you knew the calorie count for the quinoa vegetable soup. I still have more weight to lose.
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I added sweet potatoes and it is amazing. Thank you :)
This soup was so flavorful & hearty! I absolutely loved it!
This was ok. I love quinoa butI thought that in this recipe it the made it a weird texture. Also I thought the flavoring was kind of bland.
Hey! Can I subsitute dried beans instead? If so, any idea how much beans/water to add?
I’ve made this soup twice and it is very delicious! The first time I used a full cup of quinoa and a lot of kale and it was more stew-like (yum, for winter!). The second time I used less quinoa because I was in the mood for more broth. The instructions are easy to follow, the soup is a breeze to make and it tastes excellent! I add some shaved parmesan or a dab of pesto to add a little treat. Thanks for another great recipe!
Wow! Another incredible recipe! Thank you, Kate! This soup is so delicious. I love your spiced vegan lentil soup so much and didn’t think I would love this one as much, but I do. I made a double batch (because I always do when I make soup) and everyone loved it. I used sweet potatoes from my CSA and a red pepper for the seasonal veggies, and collard greens. Thanks for the great recipes. I think I’m going to try your veggie black bean enchiladas next!
This soup is awesome! Thank you so much for the recipe! Just what I needed on a cold winter day.
I’m happy to report that this adapts well as a slow-cooker recipe! What a delicious dinner to come home to. Thanks, last-night-me!
how long did you cook it for?
I did 8 hours on low heat, and it worked out great.
This is delicious! We’re in the single digits and teens in Ohio, and this seemed like a perfect, hearty soup for a cold night. I didn’t realize I didn’t have chickpeas, so I added a can of black beans, and probably more parmesan than a healthy person should. It’s freaking delicious. And I love how clear your recipes are. Yet another winner!
the soup was delicious! I didn’t have kale so used baby spinach. My son is vegan and he gave it two thumbs up…
Thanks for the great review, Wanda! (and Wanda’s son :) )
Great recipe! We added green bell pepper for the veggie, mostly spinach with a bit of kale and a chicken thigh, plus a little corn starch to thicken the broth-turned out delicious! & even better the next day. Definitely will revisit this recipe with other slight variations. Thanks!
Your variation sounds like a meat-friendly alternative, Charlie. Glad it worked out!
is there an option of making this soup in a crockpot while at work? or would it come out too mushy?
Made this last night and really enjoyed the full flavor of such a healthy soup! Similar to other commenters, mine came out a lot thicker than pictured here- maybe next time simmer fully covered or reduce quinoa to 3/4 cups? I used sweet potato and green bell pepper as my additional vegetables, used the tomato juices as part of the water measurement, and otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
Hi Nicole, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m sorry to hear that yours turned out differently from the photos. I’m wondering if some quinoa absorbs more water than others! Anyway, I just tweaked the recipe in the hopes that it will be easier to get the texture you’re looking for next time.
I just made this tonight.. love the colors and nutritious ingredients. I preferred a little more depth/warmth to the broth, so I added a few teaspoons of coriander and that was the perfect touch for me!
Love this recipe! Thank you, Kate!
(hmm… I got thinking about it later, maybe depth/warmth wasn’t the right word to describe what I was looking for, but I found it with coriander anyway :D )
It’s a great winter warmer, for sure. Happy you could adjust to your tastes, Laura.
Just made this, pretty much exactly like the recipe. It was delicious! Many thanks for posting it.
You’re welcome, Mike!