Cold winter days call for a hearty, rich, comforting soup. This Simple Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with Quinoa is a twist on the classic Italian dish. Adding quinoa makes a perfect protein-packed alternative to the traditional pasta in this Italian peasant soup.

Minestrone is hearty, warming, and healthy one-pot meal. Full of vegetables, cannellini beans, and quinoa, it’s a great soup to use up what veggies you have on hand. The broth’s herbs and Parmesan cheese add tons of flavor, richness, and complexity. I bet one bowl will never be enough! It’s sure to become a new family favorite and a new addition to your weekly dinner rotation.

The soup has a bold, complex flavor profile: slightly acidic from the tomatoes with earthy notes from the beans and quinoa, herbal notes from the parsley, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and spinach, and nuttiness from the Parmesan cheese rind. However, they blend perfectly together in harmony, creating a concert of flavors on your tastebuds.

What is minestrone soup?

Minestrone (pronounced min-neh-stro-ne) is a classic Italian thick, hearty soup made with vegetables and beans, often with small pasta. It can be vegetarian or vegan or contain meat or a bone-based broth. 

Historically, minestrone is known in Italy as belonging to the cooking style called “cucina povera” (which literaly means “poor kitchen), meaning dishes that have rustic, rural roots.

There is no set recipe for minestrone, as it is traditionally made from whatever vegetables are at one’s disposal. Also, there are regional and seasonal variations of the recipe.

So, feel free to use this recipe as a base and get creative in the kitchen, making your version of the soup.

Ingredients to use for this recipe

As I mentioned, you can use whatever vegetables you have. However, you’ll find a few basic ingredients in almost all minestrone soup recipes: Onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, beans (kidney beans, white beans, or a combination), vegetables, herbs, and small pasta. 

For this recipe, I have replaced the pasta with quinoa. See below the ingredients for this recipe:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Tomato paste
• Chicken broth, preferably organic. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this recipe.
• Canned crushed tomatoes
• Canned Cannellini Beans
• White Quinoa. Potential for gluten cross-contamination exists with quinoa. If this is a concern, either eliminate it or replace it with buckwheat or gluten-free pasta. 
• Bay leaves
• Parmesan Cheese rind
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoning
• Baby Spinach
• Fresh parsley
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

You can buy Italian seasoning at grocery stores, delis, or online. 

You can also make your own Italian seasoning mix. It is easy to make at home, and you most likely have all the ingredients on hand! Just follow this quick recipe to make your own homemade Italian Seasoning.

How to make the Simple Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup with Quinoa, step by step

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies become soft and aromatic, approximately 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously for another minute.

Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, white beans, quinoa, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, add salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. 

Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low. 

Cover and let the soup simmer until the quinoa is cooked through, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Stir in the chopped spinach and parsley. Simmer just until the spinach wilts, approximately 1-2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves and remaining cheese rind.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Variations 

• Use whatever vegetables you already have at hand or what’s in season.
• Swap the quinoa with buckwheat, rice, gluten-free pasta, or regular pasta (if gluten is no concern).
• Add cooked turkey or chicken for even more lean protein. 
• For a vegan version of the soup, use vegetable broth and omit the rind of Parmesan cheese and the grated Parmesan.

What to serve with Minestrone soup?

Minestrone soup is a one-pot meal you can easily make for a weeknight dinner. It does not require many accompaniments; serve it with some grated Parmesan cheese on top and some crusty bread.

Notes and Cooking Tips

Minestrone is a thick soup. If you prefer a thinner version, add more broth until the soup reaches your desired consistency.

Mirepoix (the mix of diced carrots, onion, and celery) can usually be purchased in the refrigerated section of the produce department of your local supermarket. Not the most budget-friendly option but an excellent time saver.

The rind from a leftover Parmesan cheese won’t completely dissolve in the soup. Just remove whatever remains of it at the end of cooking.

When you are close to finishing up that Parmesan or Pecorino you purchased, save the rind in the freezer. This way, you will always have it at hand for soups and sauces!

Make-ahead tips and Storing leftovers

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature (no longer than 2 hours) and transfer it into an airtight glass container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

To freeze the soup, cool soup as above and transfer it into an airtight freezer-safe container. Place in the fridge until completely cooled. Then, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

When you’re ready to enjoy some leftovers, reheat the soup on the stove until it comes to a boil. You can also reheat the leftover soup in the microwave until heated through.

If you don’t recognize a tool or skill I mention, look it up in the Cooking Terms Glossary for more information.

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