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Jody’s Quick Quinoa Minestrone

Name: Jody's Quick Quinoa Minestrone
Prep time: 30

(6 votes, average: 3.83 out of 5)

30 min prep

8 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

15 ingredients

This Quick Quinoa Minestrone recipe makes about one gallon, so it’s an easy meal in a bowl for 6 or more. If you are cooking for less than 6 people, you may want to...

1 cup quinoa
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, set aside extra to drizzle over the finished soup
1 cup onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 cup leeks, white part only, sliced ¼ inch and washed well
1 cup celery, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 cup carrot, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 cup fennel, cut into ¼ inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice (or canned diced tomatoes, such as Muir Glen)
2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
8 cups vegetable broth
1 pound green spring vegetables, such as (and you can use frozen):

Asparagus, peeled and cut ½ inch thick on the bias
Tender green beans, cut ½ inch thick on the bias
Fava beans, shelled (frozen lima beans do the job)
Peas, shelled (frozen will do the job)
Zucchini diced ½ inch
Spinach, or other tender greens, chopped

1 cup chopped mixed herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, and mint
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

279 cals

Fat

11 g

Saturated Fat

3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

6 g

Carbohydrates

38 g

Sugar

5 g

Fiber

11 g

Protein

10 g

Sodium

298 mg

Directions

Put the quinoa into a bowl, cover with water and allow to soak 30 minutes.
Heat ¼ cup oil with the pancetta in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes to render the pancetta. Add the onion, leeks, celery, carrot and fennel, season with salt and pepper and cook, until tender, for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the quinoa and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 3 cups broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
When ready to serve, add the remaining broth, bring to a boil and then add the green vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, for about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the herbs and serve immediately in warm bowls. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some grated parmesan cheese.

Registered Dietitian Approved

All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our oncology-trained staff Registered Dietitian, Kate Ueland, MS, RD, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and meets the standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.