Gluten Free Spring Vegetable Quinoa Minestrone Recipe
Now that winter has gone, and we’ve emerged from hibernation and put our down jackets and wool sweaters away, it’s also time that we set aside the winter comfort foods. Instead of filling our tables with sweet potatoes and winter squashes, let’s lighten things up and welcome spring and all its amazing produce.
I’m a firm believer in eating as seasonally as possible, which is partly why I love spring so much. With all that variety, I’m going to show you how to use the abundance of fresh produce in this gluten free spring vegetable quinoa minestrone recipe. It’s a light and comforting soup that utilizes tons of fresh, seasonal produce. Feel free to swap ingredients in and out based on what you have in your fridge. That’s the beauty of this recipe – it’s very customizable!
Gluten Free Spring Vegetable Quinoa Minestrone Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup white quinoa uncooked
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher or fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup chopped zucchini 1 small or half of 1 medium
- 1½ cups chopped asparagus
- 1 packed cup spinach
- ½ cup frozen peas or green beans
- Nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and carrots and cook until they start to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, quinoa, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in the remaining vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the asparagus has started to soften, but still has a light crunch.
- Taste, adjust seasonings as needed, and serve immediately. Garnish with nutritional yeast or cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
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