Nourishing Winter Veggie Soup (Printable)

Wholesome mix of winter vegetables and quinoa, slow-cooked in an aromatic, comforting broth.

# 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Add sliced carrots, celery, diced parsnip, and sweet potato to the pot. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften vegetables.
03 - Incorporate the chopped kale or Swiss chard, chopped cabbage, and diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to combine flavors.
04 - Add rinsed quinoa, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
05 - Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and quinoa is fully cooked.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice if using. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot in bowls.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Every spoonful has something different—tender vegetables, those little popped quinoa grains, a broth that somehow knows exactly what it's doing.
  • It's the kind of meal that feels nourishing without any of the fussiness.
02 -
  • Rinse your quinoa or it'll taste slightly bitter and make the whole pot taste off—this one mistake haunted me until someone finally told me.
  • Don't skip the bay leaf; it adds a subtle complexity that changes the entire flavor profile of the broth.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables relatively uniform in size so everything cooks at the same pace and you don't end up with some pieces falling apart while others stay too firm.
  • A pinch of red pepper flakes added early on brings a gentle heat that develops as the soup simmers—not a shout, just a whisper of warmth.
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