Nourishing Winter Veggie Soup (Printable)

Hearty blend of winter vegetables and quinoa simmered in a fragrant broth, full of nourishing flavors.

# 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 & Legumes

11 - 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

→ Broth & 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 1/2 lemon, optional

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
02 - Add sliced carrots, celery, diced parsnip, and diced sweet potato to the pot. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Stir in chopped kale or Swiss chard, chopped cabbage, and diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
04 - Add rinsed quinoa, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and quinoa is cooked through.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes deeply nourishing without any fussy techniques or long ingredient lists that intimidate you.
  • The quinoa adds unexpected texture and protein, making this feel like a complete meal rather than just a side bowl.
  • Every batch turns out slightly different depending on what vegetables you reach for, so it never feels boring to make twice.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa—I learned this the hard way when a batch tasted faintly soapy, and it took me a moment to figure out why.
  • The vegetables should be cut to roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time; if you're careless with your knife work, some pieces will be mushy while others stay firm.
  • The soup tastes noticeably better the next day when all the flavors have had time to get to know each other, so don't hesitate to make it ahead.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables on the larger side if you want them to hold their shape throughout cooking, or smaller if you prefer a more broken-down, creamy consistency without any cream.
  • Don't let the broth boil hard once the quinoa is in—a gentle simmer keeps everything from getting mushy and allows the flavors to develop more subtly.
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