Nourishing Winter Veggie Soup (Printer View)

Hearty winter vegetables and quinoa simmered in a flavorful broth for a cozy meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced
07 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup chopped kale or Swiss chard, stems removed
09 - 1 cup chopped cabbage
10 - 1 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh

→ Grains and Legumes

11 - ½ cup quinoa, rinsed

→ Broth and Seasonings

12 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
18 - Juice of ½ lemon, optional for brightness

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Incorporate sliced carrots, celery, diced parsnip, and sweet potato. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften.
03 - Add chopped kale or Swiss chard, cabbage, and diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring gently.
04 - Stir in rinsed quinoa, vegetable broth, dried thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and quinoa is fully cooked.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and optional lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner wins without the takeout guilt.
  • Every vegetable stays intact enough to actually taste them individually, which somehow makes the whole thing feel less boring than pureed soup.
  • The quinoa quietly does the work of making it substantial enough to call a real meal, no side dish required.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or it'll taste faintly soapy and bitter, which will haunt you through every spoonful.
  • The vegetables will keep cooking even after you turn off the heat, so if something still feels firm when you're checking doneness, give it another 5 minutes before adding salt—overseasoning is harder to fix than underseasoning.
03 -
  • Cut everything roughly the same size so nothing finishes cooking before something else, which keeps the textures interesting instead of mushy or crunchy in spots.
  • Taste and adjust salt near the very end—the broth concentrates slightly as it simmers, so what seems bland halfway through might be perfect at the finish.
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