Vegetable Quinoa Soup – It’s soup weather!
Our very own Amy H. is at again. I’ve previously shared some of her recipes in our “Thanksgiving Food Fest” blog. Today, Amy took me to a very happy place when she shared a Vegetable Quinoa Soup recipe she found at “two peas & their pod.”
Of course, Amy being Amy, she made some modifications for the meat lovers in your group. I hope you enjoy the soup as much as Town + Country did. Sometimes it amazes me how something so simple can make people so happy on a much-needed rainy day!
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 box (32 ounces) vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups cooked quinoa
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, zucchini, yellow squash and green beans and continue to cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and basil. Reduce to low heat, cover and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Stir in the cooked quinoa and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Note: To cook the quinoa, rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, 2 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
Amy’s modifications: Add chicken sausage, preferably Trader Joe’s sun-dried tomato chicken sausage. If this meal is being prepared for meat eaters, use chicken broth – not veggie broth – and serve with parmesan cheese as a delicious topper.
ENJOY!