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This easy quinoa vegetable soup is a bone-warming, brothy meal that combines the comfort of chicken noodle soup with the health perks of a veggie-packed bowl (and it whips up in under 30 minutes!). With simple-to-follow, foolproof steps, this soup is a guaranteed winner every time.
save this recipe!Your New Go-To Soup
This soup is impossible to mess up. Throw everything in one pot, heat it up, and boom: soup. Flavors not quite right? Adjust them! Missing a certain ingredient? Swap it out!
This veggie soup is flexible and forgiving, making it especially great for those chilly nights when you forget to make a grocery pit stop (and your fridge is looking a little sparse). Don’t leave the warmth of your house—make this instead!
Reader rating
“Delicious new addition to my limited soup choices. I’m not a big fan of soup, but this is great!” —Krista
Here’s What You’ll Need
When I say this soup is easy, I mean easy. If you keep your veggies and spices pretty stocked, you likely already have everything! Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements—this is just an overview!
- Olive Oil: We’ll use this to cook the mirepoix and garlic. I recommend extra virgin olive oil for its heart health benefits.
- Mirepoix: Load up on onion, carrots, and celery for a savory, hearty base.
- Garlic: Any good soup should contain garlic! Use 4 cloves here.
- Broth: For our liquid base, we’ll use vegetable broth (learn how to make vegetable broth here!). It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals.
- Seasonings: Add fresh thyme for an earthy note, oregano (always great in vegetable soup), and bay leaves for that extra hearty flavor boost.
- Quinoa: Quinoa provides folate, copper, manganese, magnesium, and loads of other nutrients (plus, it’s a complete protein!).
- Chickpeas: To bulk up the soup and add extra protein, throw in some chickpeas! You can use canned for convenience or cook chickpeas from scratch for a creamier texture. If you use canned, rinse them thoroughly.
- Parsley: Complete your soup with some chopped fresh parsley.
Making This soup Is Easy
I don’t know about you, but I love one-pot, two-step recipes. This soup could practically be made with your eyes closed! (Jump to the recipe card for the full printable instructions.)
Step 1: Cook The Base
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook until softened (about 10 minutes).
Step 2: Prepare The Rest
Add the broth, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves to the pot, then bring everything to a simmer. Once simmering, add the quinoa and cook until it’s tender. Right before serving, stir in the chickpeas and garnish with parsley.
Try These Variations
There is literally no way you can mess up this quinoa vegetable soup. Have veggies waiting to be used? Throw ’em in! Need to use up something before it goes bad? By all means! Here are some delish ideas.
- Veggies: Think peppers, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, and corn. Fresh vegetables are great, but don’t hesitate to use frozen ones if you’re short on time or ingredients!
- Seasonings: Try basil, sage, red pepper flakes, or your very own homemade Italian seasoning blend.
- Legumes: No chickpeas? No problem! Swap them out for white kidney beans, cannellini beans, lima beans, or green/brown lentils.
- Grains: Try barley for a chewy texture, farro for a nutty flavor, or Israeli couscous for a pasta-like bite. Or, go gluten-free with millet or rice.
Pair This With…
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect quinoa vegetable soup side dish, look no further than one of these tasty options.
- Avocado Sandwich: Soups are classically paired with sandwiches, and a light option like this makes your meal feel cozy and nutritious.
- Veggie Caesar Salad: Opt for a crisp, refreshing salad for all the greens!
30-Minute Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, 30 mL
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 cups vegetable broth, 3 quarts, 2.8 L
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dried quinoa, 180 g
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, 2 425 g cans, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 20 g
Instructions
- The Base: Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook until softened (about 10 minutes).
- The Bulk: Add broth, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves, then bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add quinoa and cook until done (about 12 minutes). Right before serving, stir in chickpeas and garnish with parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Hi Sarah! Would I be able to throw some cruciferous veggies in, like broccoli and/or brussel sprouts? I’m not sure if that’d work but my dad has cancer and I’m trying to increase the cruciferous veggies…thank you!
Yes those would be tasty here!
Quick soup that tastes great. I added a couple of chopped baby portobello mushrooms and the aquafaba from the chickpeas. Just delicious!! Thanks
Thrilled you loved it, thanks for the review!
I’ve never made soup with quinoa. This was easy to make, flavorful and healthy. The quinoa was the perfect addition!
So happy you loved the soup Andrea, happy eating!
that’s a lot of broth – why so much ? is it because the quinoa soaks it all in ?
sounds really yummy so rating it a 5 but need the question about the broth amount 🙂
Hi Pamela! Yes, the quinoa absorbs quite a bit of the broth and it’s also just a bit of a brothy soup. You can see in the photos the texture that we’re going for 🙂 If you want a thicker soup, you could reduce it to 8 or 10 cups.