Herby Quinoa Veggie Soup
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A hearty vegetarian noodle soup with quinoa, zucchini noodles, kidney beans and fresh herbs. Simmered until veggies soften, infused with thyme, rosemary and oregano aromas. Brightened with lemon juice and a spicy kick of Sriracha. A balanced bowl with protein from beans and quinoa, packed with textures and layers of flavor.
Prep:
28 min
Cook:
32 min
Total:
60 min
Servings:
8 servings
#vegetarian
#quinoa
#zucchini noodles
#bean soup
#herbs
#easy soup
#protein rich
Kick-off in the kitchen hearing garlic and onion sputter in hot olive oil, that snap of fresh veggies hitting the pan. The dance between thyme, rosemary and oregano takes this somewhere earthy and deeply aromatic. You can smell the herbs unfurling, waking up the base. Meanwhile, good quinoa cooks away – fluffy, nutty, vital protein. Turning up the heat till the broth bubbles, zucchini noodles plunge in, cooking just right — tender yet resilient. Beans add hearty heft. Then comes lemon juice, the acid kick, Sriracha’s fire. Mixes heat and brightness with those woody herbs. No mushy zucchini traps or bland broth here. Just layers of texture and flavor. Years cooking taught me the timing, replacing rosemary with paprika once was a game changer. Slow smelling, knowing when to salt and spice, that’s how you make it sing.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 4 cups zucchini noodles
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Sriracha or hot chili sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Substitution twist: swap rosemary for smoked paprika for warmth and earthiness
About the ingredients
Olive oil sets the stage; don’t skimp or switch to butter unless craving richness. Garlic and onion form the aromatic base, finely dice for quick even cook. Carrots and celery chopped medium, enough to soften yet retain bite. Dried herbs last longer but fresh thyme sprigs lift complexity if handy. Rosemary can intimidate; crushed dried works best, avoiding needle bits. For a twist? Swap with smoked paprika for warmth. Vegetable stock should be quality; homemade or low-sodium store-bought to control salt. Zucchini noodles are fragile – store chilled, spiralize just before using to avoid waterlogging soup. Quinoa’s texture matters, rinsing prevents bitterness. Kidney beans add protein; rinsed canned beats dried for speed. Fresh lemon always better than bottled, brightens flavor instantly. Sriracha variable; dial heat to taste. Salt and pepper slowly, better to add than to fix over-salting later.
Method
- Start heating olive oil in a large heavy-bottom stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Stir occasionally. Listen for a gentle sizzle; veggies soften, edges get translucent, about 4-5 minutes instead of 3-4. This is when aroma sharpens; no browning yet.
- Throw in thyme, rosemary (or smoked paprika if you want a twist) and oregano. Stir constantly. Herbs wake up, releasing their fragrance in 1 to 1.5 minutes. If it gets too hot, lower the heat; burnt herbs ruin the dish.
- Simultaneously, if quinoa isn't ready, cook it: rinse 1 cup quinoa thoroughly, boil with 2 cups water, simmer low, steam off. Fluffy, not mushy quinoa is key. Use leftover quinoa to save time.
- Pour in vegetable stock with 2 1/4 cups water straight into pot. Crank heat to high until boiling, watch surface bubble up – that rolling boil signals moving on.
- Add zucchini noodles first. They’re delicate; stir gently so they don't tear. Follow with quinoa and drained kidney beans. Lower heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered. Don’t overcook zucchini – just tender, still with bite. About 3-6 minutes depending on your stove.
- Final touches: squeeze lemon juice over soup, swirl in Sriracha, salt and pepper. Taste repeatedly. Adjust heat and acidity as you go. Big tip: lemon brightens dull broth instantly but too much kills balance.
- Serve hot — ladle into bowls. Leftovers thicken as quinoa absorbs liquid; reheat with splash of stock or water.
- Pro tip: If you lack zucchini noodles, use spiralized carrots or thinly sliced cabbage instead. Kidney beans can be swapped with cannellini or chickpeas, just rinse well. If no Sriracha, a pinch of red pepper flakes works fine.
- Mistakes to avoid: overcooking zucchini it becomes mushy and limp; burning herbs too early creates bitterness; under-salting leads to flat flavor – season gradually.
Cooking tips
Start by heating olive oil slowly in a sturdy stockpot till gently shimmering. Toss garlic, onion, carrots, celery in, stir – no rush. Let them sweat and soften, not brown; that sets a mellow, sweet base. Add herbs right after to toast without burning – a quick minute until fragrance wakes. While that happens, prep quinoa; getting it ahead saves time but cooking in parallel is okay too. Pour in stock and water, observe bubbling boil before adding noodles and beans. Keep heat moderate to avoid soft mush; stir gently, keeping zucchini intact. Simmer just until zucchini edges start tendering but with firm snap. Finally, mix in lemon and Sriracha carefully; acidity and spice balance out deeper broth flavors. Taste test repeatedly, salt gradually. Serve hot; leftovers thicken due to quinoa so reheat with extra broth or water. Keeping track of aromas and textures beats clock-watching — cook’s instinct rules here.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat olive oil gently in heavy pot till shimmering but not smoking. Works best if you let garlic onion sweat without browning. Stir each veggie separately add carrots and celery after onion softens. Watch edges of onion translucent and hear faint sizzle. Timing here is key; rush and lose sweetness and moisture.
- 💡 Herbs timing matters. Dry crushed rosemary goes in last with oregano and thyme. Too hot burns flavor fast; drop heat if sharp scent is acrid. Substituting smoked paprika changes dynamic. Add here too but watch for bitter overcooking. Herbs release aroma in about a minute so don’t overdo or skip stirring.
- 💡 Quinoa texture rules outcome. Rinse well before boiling 2 cups water per cup quinoa. Simmer low covered to avoid mush. Fluffy grains mean better mouthfeel. Use leftovers or cook in parallel during veggie prep. Skipping rinse leads to bitterness; trust sensory cues on fluffiness before moving on.
- 💡 When pouring stock add extra water bit by bit; immediate boil signals moving forward. Watch for full rolling bubbles not lazy simmer. Too aggressive heat cracks zucchini noodles. Add zucchini first gently stir avoid breaking fragile strands. Stir quinoa and beans in next then tone down heat to medium-low for slow tender but not mushy texture.
- 💡 Final seasoning is dance with lemon Sriracha salt pepper. Lemon brightens but kills harmony if overdone. Add gradually taste-test carefully. Sriracha kick varies by brand so start low. Salt carefully; add in stages use spoon to adjust; better add more later than fix over-salt disaster. Balance acidity heat and salt around base broth.
Common questions
Can I swap zucchini noodles for something else?
Yes, carrots spiral sliced or thin cabbage works fine. Watch cooking times shorter for cabbage. Texture changes but keeps fresh crunch. Beans not affected. Good backup if zucchini not around.
How to avoid mushy zucchini?
Add zucchini late not long cook. Watch edges soften but still resilient snap. Simmer uncovered for 3-6 minutes depending on stove heat. Stir gently; breaking strands means mushy strands later. Keep eye on look and feel.
What if I forget to rinse quinoa?
Tastes bitter. Remedy? Rinse now if raw. Cooking without rinse risks off notes. Rinsed quinoa eats fluffier, better digest. Can offset with more herbs or lemon but won’t fix fully. Best prep ahead.
How to store leftovers properly?
Cool quickly. Refrigerate in airtight. Quinoa absorbs broth thickens soup. Reheat with splash of water or stock to loosen. Microwave or stovetop works. Freeze okay but texture shifts; reheat gently to avoid drying.
