Description
Each delightful spoonful of this Vegan Creamy Italian Quinoa Soup is a blend of rich flavors and perfect for cozying up on a chilly day.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 – [ 14.5 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes
- 1 – [ 8 oz. can ] tomato sauce
- 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth *
- 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] chickpeas, drained and rinsed *
Cashew Cream Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup [raw] cashews *
- ½ cup water
Add-In Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 cups fresh baby kale (or baby spinach), chopped *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons dried oregano (+/-)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil (+/-)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning (+/-)
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves (+/-) *
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ to 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- Pinch to ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- Pinch to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (+/-)
Other Optional Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Serving Ideas:
- Flatbread or crusty bread
Instructions
- Place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water, set aside to soak for 15 to 20 minutes, then drain off the water (discard) and set the soaked cashews aside until Step 7.
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the crushed red pepper) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large stock pot, add the diced onions, carrots, and celery; sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes. Add a tablespoon or so of vegetable broth or water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot, stir constantly for one minute.
- Add all the remaining Base Ingredients and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well, then bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, place the soaked cashews into a high-speed blender with ½ cup of water, blend on high for approximately one minute (+/-) or until smooth and emulsified.
- After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes and the quinoa is just tender, add the cashew cream, chopped baby kale, peas, and crushed red pepper, stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the stove, allow to sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to marry.
- Top with chopped fresh parsley and Vegan Parmesan Cheese, serve with flatbread or crusty bread.
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Servings: 6 servings 9 cups