Healthy Quinoa Minestrone Soup Without Pasta Carve Your Craving

I love one-pot healthy meals. Making meals in one shot in an Instant pot has been my favorite mode of cooking for years. If you are like me, then do try this healthy quinoa lentil soup or this vegan chili. These are dump and cook meals that are ready in a jiffy. If you prefer classic then check out my easy Vegan Minestrone Soup recipe.

Quinoa Minestrone Soup for a win!!!

Minestrone is a classic Italian soup that is made with a medley of veggies, beans, tomatoes, broth, and pasta or rice. A big bowl of thick minestrone is a filling meal indeed! So how about making it better?? Say hello to this healthier version of minestrone!! I am not against pasta but I am truly watching my carb intake nowadays. Swapping pasta for quinoa means adding complex carbs and a lot more protein to your meal. Quinoa melds well in this recipe and lends good texture to this soup. It is thick, yummy and so satisfying.

Ingredients to make Quinoa Minestrone.

Quinoa It is a pseudo-grain that is a complete protein. Being a vegetarian, I can’t stress enough how good quinoa is! It even cooks faster than any other grain and is ideal if you are on a clean eating diet. Lots of fresh veggies. Veggies like fresh green beans, carrots, corn, celery, and spinach are a good choice in minestrone. Beans Beans are protein but they are filled with carbs and good for you! Canned or freshly cooked cannellini beans, Northern beans, or Kidney beans work well in this recipe. Tomatoes Fresh tomatoes take along to cook down and impart great flavor! So, I skip them in this recipe. My secret to a quick minestrone is using crushed tomatoes or a good pasta sauce. The soup will taste as if it has been simmering all day long. Water or veggie broth Vegetable broth or bullion is my first preference. As we are going to season it well, water works just fine for this recipe. Simple Seasoning This soup requires minimum seasoning. Lots of garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed Italian seasoning are enough to make this soup amazing. If you love spicy food then adding some chili flakes takes it to the next level!

How to make Healthy Quinoa Minestrone Soup.

Step 1 – Chop your veggies and garlic. Gather the seasoning and broth.Step 2 – Drain water from the canned beans and pop open a jar of good crushed tomato.Step 3- Rinse the quinoa and drain excess water.Step 4- Cook in one go using an Instant Pot.Step 5- After the cooking is done, add spinach if desired and cook for a minute until wilted.Step 6- Enjoy warm.

Possible substitutes

Skip oil, to make it oil-free.You can use your choice of veggies. Keep it between 3-4 cups.Northern beans or any canned white beans work well instead of kidney beans.Swap crushed tomato with tomato puree.For extra taste use two vegetarian better than bullion if veg stock is unavailable.

Important tips to consider.

Chop veggies ahead of time to quicken the process.If the minestrone is too thick, you may add water after the cooking and simmer a bit.Add seasoning to your taste.Add grated parmesan cheese toward the end if preferred so. If cutting the recipe in half, the cooking time does not change!

Shelf life and storage.

This soup stays well in the fridge for up to 4 days.You can freeze it for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.

KEEP IN TOUCH – Are we friends yet? Let’s connect on Facebook| Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter. Never miss a recipe. Please subscribe to my blog. It is free! Check out easy recipe videos on my YouTube channel now! Pin this photo for future reference.