Hearty Vegetable and Quinoa Soup with Beans and Lentils

This soup builds a full main course from a broad mix of vegetables, quinoa, white beans, and lentils. The broth is seasoned with tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, then finished with lemon and parsley for brightness.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 150 g yellow onion small dice
• 120 g carrots small dice
• 90 g celery small dice
• 4 g fine salt divided
• 12 g garlic minced
• 30 g tomato paste
• 200 g zucchini small dice
• 250 g russet potato peeled and diced into 1.5 cm pieces
• 2 g dried thyme
• 1 piece bay leaf
• 2 g black pepper freshly ground
• 400 g diced tomatoes canned or boxed
• 1200 ml vegetable broth low-sodium if possible
• 250 ml water
• 120 g quinoa rinsed well in a fine mesh strainer
• 240 g canned white beans drained and rinsed
• 180 g cooked green lentils drained if needed
• 80 g kale stems removed, chopped
• 4 g fine salt divided
• 15 ml lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 10 g parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Heat 20 ml of the olive oil in the soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and 4 g of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. The vegetables look softened and glossy, with no raw onion smell.
2. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the paste darkens slightly and loses its raw edge. Stir in the zucchini, potato, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water. The pot is evenly combined and the tomato paste has coated the vegetables.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook for 12 minutes, until the potato is just tender when pierced with a knife. The potato yields at the center but still holds its shape.
4. Stir in the quinoa, white beans, and green lentils. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally so the quinoa does not stick to the bottom. The quinoa is tender and the broth looks slightly thickened.
5. Add the kale and the remaining 4 g of salt. Cook for 3 minutes, just until the kale is wilted and bright green. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 10 ml of olive oil, then taste and adjust with a little more salt only if needed. The kale is tender, the broth tastes seasoned, and the soup finishes with a bright lemon note.
6. Ladle into bowls and finish with the chopped parsley. The parsley is scattered over the surface and the soup is ready to serve.