Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published January 27, 2020. Updated January 28, 2020

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Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup Recipe – a soup you can feel great about eating and serving, plus this hearty soup is amazingly filling. It’s jam packed with nutritious ingredients like quinoa, two types of pulses and an overload of vegetables!

Looking for more healthy soup recipes? Try my classic Vegetable Soup, Cabbage Soup and Lentil Soup.

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (1)

So this is me, I eat pretty healthy most of the time so I can make room for dessert all the time. I’m kidding (sort of). But really, I think balance is important, which doesn’t really mean dessert every day but sometimes I think it’s necessary.

I’ve said it before, all the healthy food is definitely good for your physical health but I say the sweet stuff is good for my emotional health because how could I survive without sugar (especially chocolate)? Addicted? Maybe. Content with that, definitely.

This soup has got to be one of the healthiest I’ve ever made though. It is packed with so many fresh, healthy ingredients and it really does taste amazingly delicious!

I’ve learned that light and healthy recipes don’t need to be boring, they just need to have the right blend of flavors and good seasoning and it makes such a big difference.

You’ll love how this soup is very filling without all lots of added fats or empty carbs. Plus it makes a big pot-full so you can have some for lunch for the next few days.

And yes, this minestrone soup recipe does call for quite a few ingredients but don’t shy away from this recipe because of that. It’s worth it!

Photography credit: Jess Larson

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (2)

Ingredients Needed for This Healthy Soup Recipe

The vegetables you’ll need (and fruits):

  • Yellow onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Zucchini
  • Bell pepper
  • Garlic
  • Canned crushed tomatoes
  • Fresh parsley
  • Green beans
  • Kale
  • Lemon

Other Ingredients Needed:

  • Olive oil
  • Vegetable broth
  • Dried rosemary and thyme (fresh will work great too just use 3x the amounts)
  • Quinoa
  • Cannellini beans
  • Chick peas
  • Parmesan (optional, omit for a vegan soup)

How to Make Healthy Quinoa Vegetable Minestrone Soup

  1. Saute vegetables: In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and saute about 5 minutes. Add in zucchini, red bell pepper and saute 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
  2. Add canned ingredients and seasoning, simmer: Add in vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow soup to gently boil, covered for about 20 minutes.
  3. Add quinoa and green beans, continue to cook: Add in dry quinoa and green beans then cover and cook 10 – 15 minutes longer.
  4. Add pulses, kale and lemon and simmer: Add cannellinni beans, chick peas, kale, parsley and lemon juice and cook, uncovered, until kale has wilted, about 5 minutes.
  5. Garnish: Serve warm garnished with parmesan cheese.

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (3)

Can I Freeze This Soup?

Yes this soup can be frozen in an airtight container for a few months. Just be sure to leave room for it to expand at the top as it freezes.

Variations:

  • Try it substitutingother vegetables you may already have on hand. Just keep in mind the softer vegetables you’ll want to add later on so they don’t get mushy.
  • Add red pepper flakes for a little kick.
  • Use 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning instead of those dried herbs listed.

Can I Make This Healthy Soup Recipe in the Crockpot?

Yes. You could also cook this in the crockpot to do so:

  1. Add vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, olive oil, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, dried herbs to a large slow cooker.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 7 – 8 hours or high 3 1/2 – 4 hours.
  3. Add quinoa, bell pepper, green beans, zucchini, kale and cook about 30 – 45 minutes longer.
  4. Stir in chick peas and cannellini beans and heat through (they should warm through in a minute or two).
  5. Finish with parsley and lemon and serve warm.

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (4)

More Minestrone Recipes You’ll Love

  • Autumn Minestrone – made with fresh seasonal vegetables like butternut squash, yellow potatoes and kale.
  • Classic Minestrone – includes slow cooker and stove top instructions. A favorite!
  • Creamy Tortellini Minestrone – you’ll love that cheese filled pasta and cream addition, so good!

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (5)

5 from 8 votes

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Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup

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Easy, healthy and delicious soup recipe that's packed with veggies and quinoa. A perfectly hearty and filling lunch or dinner.

Servings: 8 Servings

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook1 hour hour

Ready in: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and saute about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in zucchini, red bell pepper and saute 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

  • Add in vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow soup to gently boil, covered for 20 minutes.

  • Add in dry quinoa and green beans then cover and cook 10 - 15 minutes longer.

  • Add cannellini beans, chick peas, kale, parsley and lemon juice and cook, uncovered, until kale has wilted, about 5 minutes.

  • Serve warm garnished with parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • *Recipe originally called for 4 cups vegetable broth and 3 cups water but for more flavor I've omitted the water and increased broth. Also 1 1/2 tsp sugar have been omitted from the recipe, but if you think it needs it feel free to add it.
  • *You don't have to use unsalted broth and crushed tomatoes but if you are watching your sodium intake it's recommended.
  • **1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning can be substituted for the thyme and rosemary.
  • Recipe inspired by Mind Body Green

Nutrition Facts

Healthy Kale and Quinoa Minestrone Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 281Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 417mg18%

Potassium 1118mg32%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 11762IU235%

Vitamin C 127mg154%

Calcium 226mg23%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Kale Soup, Minestrone, vegan soup

Author: Jaclyn

Recipe originally published January 27, 2020. Photos and text have been updated. Recipe modified slightly as noted.

Healthy Soup Recipe - Kale and Quinoa Minestrone - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What is the thickening agent for minestrone? ›

Use Tomato Paste For A Hearty, Thick Minestrone

You can prepare it at home or buy it in a tube and mix it with other food ingredients as needed. If your minestrone is too thin, add a few tablespoons of tomato paste while it's cooking. Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons, stir well, and see how it turns out.

Is minestrone soup good for your gut? ›

It keeps the gut healthy

Minestrone is rich in fiber, which helps the intestines stay healthy.

Can you eat minestrone everyday? ›

A Longevity Expert Swears By Eating Minestrone Soup Every Day—Here's Why. Plus, tips to make your own. Jill Schildhouse is an award-winning writer and editor with 23 years of experience in print and digital publishing. Maria Laura is EatingWell's senior nutrition & news editor.

Is minestrone soup the same as vegetable soup? ›

Minestrone soup is unique because it typically includes beans, pasta, or rice, as well as vegetables, and the ingredients are always left chunky (it's never blended), making it a heartier option. Vegetable soups are usually simpler and don't typically include beans or pasta, and you could have a blended vegetable soup.

How do you upgrade minestrone soup? ›

Onions, carrots, and celery add depth of flavor to its herb-flecked tomato broth, and starchy beans and pasta make it nice and thick. I toss in green beans for texture, and, as a final finishing touch, I top it off with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

What is the healthiest soup to eat why? ›

Vegetable soup is one of the best soups to eat. Vegetable soup is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans and green peas. The combined nutrition of each vegetable adds a great number of vitamins and minerals to your diet. Potatoes are a good source of potassium and carrots provide beta carotene.

Is soup good for bowel problems? ›

Plenty of water

You should drink water and other liquids, such as naturally sweetened fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups, to help the fiber work better. This change should make your stools softer and easier to pass. Drinking enough water and other liquids is also a good way to avoid dehydration.

Is minestrone soup bad for acid reflux? ›

Minestrone and fa*gioli soups are also great options that won't inflame your reflux, but ask your server about whether they're high in garlic or onion. If you're going out for Asian food, fried foods and spices will be your biggest troublemakers.

What do the longest living people eat? ›

“When you look at the longest-lived of people in the world, whether you're in Asia, Europe, Latin America, United States, they're eating 90% -100% whole food plant-based,” says Dan Buettner. “The five pillars of every longevity diet in the world are wholegrains, greens, tubers like sweet potatoes, nuts, and beans.

What soup is eaten by the longest living people in the world? ›

But one recipe that has been around for ages is minestrone soup. This soup is thought to help you live a long and healthy life. The Melis family, who hold the Guinness World Record for the oldest combined age for nine siblings, have enjoyed this dish for years.

What is a interesting fact about minestrone soup? ›

Minestrone is one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, and may even be more widely dispersed and enjoyed throughout Italy than pasta. The soup was initially made from small things leftover from previous meals, combined so as not to waste perfectly good food.

What is Olive Garden minestrone soup made of? ›

Ingredients- 2 Tbs olive oil; 1 onion diced (1 cup); 1 celery diced; 1 carrot, peeled & diced; 1 zucchini, chopped; 2 tsp minced garlic; 14 oz can diced tomato; 32 oz vegetable stock; 1 bay leaf; 1 1/2 Tbs Italian seasoning; 2 Tbs tomato paste; 15 oz canned small white beans, rinsed drained; 15 oz canned kidney beans ...

What does minestrone mean in Italian? ›

Etymology. The word minestrone, meaning a thick vegetable soup, is attested in English from 1871. It is from Italian minestrone, the augmentative form of minestra, "soup", or more literally, "that which is served", from minestrare, "to serve" and cognate with administer as in "to administer a remedy".

How to make minestrone soup Gordon Ramsay? ›

Method:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onions, carrots, celery and some seasoning. ...
  2. Add the thyme, bay leaf and bacon. ...
  3. Tip in the borlotti beans and cherry tomatoes, then pour in the chicken stock or water to cover. ...
  4. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes.
Nov 6, 2023

What is the best thickener for vegetable soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

What do restaurants use to thicken soup? ›

Corn Starch

This completely versatile starch is used in savory and sweet dishes alike: gelatinizing fruit pie fillings or thickening your hefty, stick-to-your-bones soups.

What are the two main thickening agents in soup? ›

cooking sauce or soup. Arrowroot starch thickens very quickly and it is unnecessary to bring the mixture to a boil for it to work. Cornstarch, on the other hand, requires heating the mix- ture to a boil to fully thicken the mixture and to avoid any “starchy” taste or texture in the fin- ished product.

What do chefs use to thicken sauce? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

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