This quinoa vegetable soup is a healthy, high-fiber, protein-rich meal that feels satisfying and comforting without being heavy, perfect for an easy, balanced lunch or dinner.
For more easy soup recipes, check out our Greek chickpea soup, easy black bean soup, curried lentil soup, and Mediterranean one pot vegetable orzo.
A Warm, Healthy Meal You Can Make Anytime
On cold days like this, when the streets are frosty and the fridge is half empty, ordering takeout can feel tempting. But it’s often expensive, heavy, and never quite as comforting as you hope. That’s usually when cooking at home starts to feel like the better choice ❄️.
Louise and I end up in that situation quite often. When it’s cold outside and the fridge is nearly empty, we want something healthy and nourishing without making a big effort. That’s when this quinoa vegetable soup comes together 🥣.
Quinoa and lentils make it naturally fiber-rich and protein-rich, while the vegetables keep it balanced and satisfying. It’s an easy quinoa soup that fits into a steady, Mediterranean-style way of eating.
Best of all, it’s ready in about 30 minutes, made in one pot, and leaves you feeling warm, nourished, and glad you cooked 🌱.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Quinoa: makes the soup filling and protein-rich. If using cooked quinoa, add it at the end just to warm through. Substitute millet, rice, or orzo if needed.
- Canned lentils: add comfort and substance. White beans or chickpeas work well too. If using dried lentils, they’ll need about 40 minutes and extra broth. Add the quinoa halfway through cooking so it gets tender without overcooking.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds gentle richness and helps build flavor. Substitute avocado oil or a light olive oil if preferred.
- Onion: forms the savory base of this soup. Yellow or white onion both work, or use shallots for a softer flavor.
- Carrots: add sweetness and color. Substitute parsnips, sweet potato cubes, or butternut squash for a more hearty vegetable soup feel.
- Celery: brings balance and aroma. Leeks or fennel are good alternatives.
- Garlic: adds warmth and depth. Garlic powder works in a pinch, though fresh is best.
- Ground cumin: gives gentle warmth without heat. Swap with ground coriander or a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Vegetable broth: keeps the soup light and savory. Water plus a bay leaf works too for a simpler, healthy vegetable soup.
- Canned diced tomatoes: add body and mild acidity. Crushed tomatoes or fresh chopped tomatoes both work.
- Dried oregano: adds a familiar Mediterranean note. Thyme or Italian seasoning are easy swaps.
- Leafy greens: spinach is quick and tender. Kale, chard, or frozen greens work well for a weeknight vegetable soup.
How to Make Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Step 1: Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion looks soft and clear. Add the garlic and cumin. Stir and cook for 1 minute, just until you smell the garlic.
Step 2: Add everything and simmer
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the diced tomatoes, quinoa, lentils, oregano, salt, and pepper (and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like). Stir well. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer gently, lid slightly cracked open, for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. Stir once or twice so nothing sticks.
Step 3: Add the leafy greens
Turn off the heat, then stir in the spinach or other greens and the lemon juice. Stir just until the greens wilt. Spinach takes about 1 minute. Kale needs longer, about 8 minutes on low heat, so add it earlier.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Taste and adjust the salt. If the soup is too thick, add a splash more broth or water. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon. Add a little crumbled feta if you want a more comforting vegetable soup.
Tips
- Lower Sodium Tip: Rinse lentils well and use low-sodium broth and no-salt-added canned tomatoes. Add salt at the end if needed.
- Rinse the quinoa well before adding it to the pot. This small step keeps the flavor clean and balanced in any soup with quinoa and vegetables.
- Cook the vegetables gently, not fast. Medium heat helps them soften and sweeten without browning, which keeps the soup calm and comforting.
- Use canned lentils for ease. They make this a truly low-effort, pantry-based meal that works well for a simple quinoa and lentil dinner.
- Add the greens at the very end. This keeps them tender and fresh, especially if you’re aiming for a lighter, everyday vegetable soup.
- Adjust thickness to taste. Some people like it brothy, others thicker. A splash of broth or water at the end makes it easy to customize.
- Finish with lemon, not more salt. A squeeze of lemon wakes everything up and keeps the flavors bright and satisfying.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Like many cozy vegetable soups, the flavors settle and improve with a short pause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This soup is a great option for meal prep. The flavors develop as it sits, which makes it especially good for a weeknight vegetable soup you can reheat and enjoy over a few days.
Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Absolutely. Rice, millet, or small pasta shapes all work. Keep in mind that cooking times may change slightly.
Yes. Add less broth for a thicker, more hearty vegetable soup, or add extra broth or water if you prefer it lighter.
The base of the recipe is naturally plant-based. If you skip the optional feta at the end, it’s a fully vegetarian quinoa soup suitable for many eating styles.
This recipe is flexible. Zucchini, potatoes, frozen peas, or green beans all work well depending on the season and what you have on hand.
Yes. Green or brown dried lentils work well, but they need about 40-45 minutes to cook and extra broth (about 8 cups added gradually). Add the quinoa halfway through so it cooks through without becoming mushy.
More Easy Soup Dinners
- Mediterranean lentil soup
- Greek lentil soup
- Creamy red lentil soup
- Mediterranean chickpea soup
- Tomato lentil soup
- Creamy healthy potato soup
- Quick lemon lentil soup
- Greek bean stew with rice
- Three bean orzo soup
If you try this Quinoa Vegetable Soup Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Easy Quinoa Vegetable Soup (Healthy One-Pot Dinner)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots sliced into discs
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic grated or pressed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin or smoked paprika
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth – low sodium, add more as needed
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed well
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 15 oz / 400 g each can
- 2 cans lentils rinsed – 15 oz / 400 g each can or 3 cups / 460 g cooked green or brown lentils
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano or thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
- 4 ounces spinach about 4 cups – or other leafy greens
- 1 lemon the juice
Instructions
- Cook the veggies: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, 2 carrots, and 1 stalk celery. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion looks soft and clear.Add 4 cloves garlic (pressed) and 1½ teaspoons ground cumin and cook for 1 more minute, just until it smells good.
- Add everything else: Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth. Add the 2 cans diced tomatoes, 1 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed), 2 cans lentils (rinsed), 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.Stir well. Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked, stirring once or twice so nothing sticks.
- Add the greens: Turn the heat off, then stir in 4 ounces spinach and the juice of 1 lemon. Let spinach wilt.
- Taste and serve: Taste the soup and add more salt if needed. If it’s too thick, stir in a little more broth or water. Serve hot. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and crumbled feta if you like.
Notes
- Quinoa → Millet, white rice, brown rice, or orzo (if using cooked quinoa, add it at the end just to warm through)
- Canned lentils → White beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas (dried lentils work but need about 40 minutes and extra broth – use 1 cup green or brown dried lentils)
- Extra virgin olive oil –> Avocado oil or light olive oil
- Onion –> Yellow onion, white onion, or shallots
- Carrots –> Parsnips, sweet potato cubes, or butternut squash
- Celery –> Leeks or fennel
- Garlic –> Garlic powder (in a pinch)
- Ground cumin –> Ground coriander or smoked paprika
- Vegetable broth –> Water + bay leaf
- Canned diced tomatoes –> Crushed tomatoes or fresh chopped tomatoes
- Dried oregano –> Thyme or Italian seasoning
- Leafy greens (spinach) –> Kale, chard, or frozen greens
- Build the base – Sauté veggies until soft and fragrant.
- Bloom the spices – Add garlic and cumin briefly for max flavor.
- Simmer gently – Let everything cook low and slow.
- Stir once or twice – Prevent sticking, especially the quinoa.
- Add greens last – Spinach is quick; kale needs more time.
- Adjust & finish – Thin if needed, then brighten with lemon or crumbled feta as you prefer.
- Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
This is a very tasty stew (I think it’s too thick to be called soup). I loved using canned lentils and cooking the quinoa right in the stew, rather than separately. I made exactly as written, and it was delicious, nutritious, and quick. The only thing I might do differently next time is add more garlic and more oregano. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Rene,
Thank you so much for your comments — I’m really glad you enjoyed this soup.
You’re right, it does land somewhere between a soup and a stew depending on how thick you like it 🙂
Have a great Thursday,
Best, Louise
This is so tasty and convenient for my work lunches. I didn’t add extra salt as I used store bought veggie stock.
That’s great to hear, Paula! And you’re absolutely right — store-bought stock can add plenty of salt on its own 🙂
I’m glad it’s been working well for your work lunches. Thanks for being here.
Best, Louise
Wonderful flavor!!! Very filling, and super easy to make! Thank you, will be making this quite often!!
Fantastic, Cindi!!! I’m super happy you liked it – yes, it is really filling 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words, we appreciate it!
Best, Louise
We really enjoyed the meal! So I’m giving this five stars. My husband who is a meat eater enjoyed it too! However, please update the recipe cook time. This is NOT a 30 minute meal.
Wonderful news, I’m delighted that your husband appreciated it too. Thank you for the cooking time feedback.
Kindest, Louise
Just made this soup, absolutely delicious. A whole meal in a bowl! Look forward to trying other recipes 😋
For adding dry lentils, is that 8 cups extra broth (12 cups total), or 8 cups total including the additional broth? I can already tell this soup will be amazing.
Hi N, This recipe is written for canned lentils, using 4 cups of broth total.
If you want to use dry lentils instead, you’ll need more liquid and a longer cook time. As a guideline:
Use 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
Increase the broth to about 5–7 cups in total
Then, let the lentils simmer for about 35–40 minutes, and add the quinoa halfway through so it doesn’t overcook
Hope that helps—and I’m glad it’s sounding good already. Happy cooking,
Louise
This is so delicious and my husband lived it too. I used the exact recipe other than adding smoked paprika as well as some other herbs.
It will be made often I have no doubt. Thank you for the recipe
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it, Lise.
Smoked paprika is a great addition, sounds really delicious!
Thank you for cooking the soup and sharing your feedback here. All the best,
Louise
I love it
Making tomorrow night for dinner!! Can’t wait to try! Thank you!!
Just made this and it was delicious. I used red lentils (dry but I cooked 400g of them in water first to simulate canned). This was my first of your recipes but I’ll be trying more. Thank you so much for this.
Hi Steve, Warm welcome here 🙂
That’s a great workaround with the red lentils — thanks for sharing your experience. I’m really glad your first recipe was a success, and I hope you enjoy trying more.
All the best,
Louise
Thank you so much for your recipes. I sure do appreciate it. I will be making this lentil soup next week. I recently had a heart attack and had to have a stent put in so I’m now on cholesterol medicine and blood thinner. I want to lose 40 pounds and get healthy so I don’t have to take these drugs. I had no idea I had high cholesterol tall. I had a heart attack these recipes sound wonderful thank you so much for your help. I do appreciate it.
Sue Whitten Destin Florida