The Best Quinoa Minestrone

Forget going out to eat or ordering takeout every time you crave Mediterranean food. Try making The Best Quinoa Minestrone at home. This recipe serves 8 and costs $3.67 per serving. Watching your figure? This gluten free recipe has 544 calories, 26g of protein, and 26g of fat per serving. 1 person has tried and liked this recipe. It works well as a pretty expensive main course. Head to the store and pick up celery, canned tomatoes, pesto, and a few other things to make it today. It is brought to you by Foodista. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes. With a spoonacular score of 73%, this dish is solid. Similar recipes are Kale and Quinoa Minestrone, Kale and Quinoa Minestrone, and Kale and Quinoa Minestrone.

  • Serves: 8
  • Time: 45 Mins
  • Category: lunch, soup, main course, main dish, dinner
  • Health Rating: 35.0

Ingredients


Table
Grid

Instructions

Step 1: Start by prepping your pancetta and vegetables.

Ingredients:

  • vegetable
  • pancetta

Step 2: Cut the pancetta into medium sized chunks (larger than bite sized, because they'll cook down in the pan) and roughly chop some carrots and celery. Then peel and chop a large russet potato. I keep these chunks larger, because they break down a lot in the soup.

Ingredients:

  • russet potato
  • pancetta
  • carrot
  • celery
  • soup

Equipment:

  • frying pan

Step 3: Next, dice some yellow onion and mince some garlic.

Ingredients:

  • yellow onion
  • garlic
  • ground meat

Step 4: Throw the olive oil in a large stock (or soup) pot and let it warm up over medium heat.

Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • stock
  • soup

Equipment:

  • pot

Step 5: Once warm, add in the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, until lightly browned.

Ingredients:

  • pancetta

Step 6: Then, add the onions, carrots, celery, and potato to the pot and cook for medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Again, stir occasionally. In the last 30 - 60 seconds, add in the garlic, dried thyme, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

  • red pepper flakes
  • dried basil
  • dried thyme
  • vegetable
  • carrot
  • celery
  • garlic
  • onion
  • potato

Equipment:

  • pot

Step 7: Now add in the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and a bay leaf. Give it a quick stir and season with salt and pepper. Don't season too aggressively, because the pancetta and chicken broth already have salt. You can add more later on, if necessary!

Ingredients:

  • canned tomatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • chicken broth
  • bay leaves
  • pancetta
  • salt

Step 8: Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower to medium and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • soup

Step 9: Then add in the dry quinoa and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the quinoa is cooked.

Ingredients:

  • vegetable
  • quinoa

Step 10: Now discard the bay leaf and add in the beans, white wine, and pesto.

Ingredients:

  • white wine
  • bay leaves
  • beans
  • pesto

Step 11: Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the baby spinach.

Ingredients:

  • baby spinach
  • soup

Step 12: Re-season with salt and pepper and place back on the stove to warm it back up, if necessary!

Ingredients:

  • salt and pepper

Equipment:

  • stove

Step 13: Serve immediately with an optional sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese and a side of crusty baguette smothered in pesto!

Ingredients:

  • parmesan
  • baguette
  • pesto


Dietary Information

  • Gluten-Free

Nutrition Facts

NutrientAmount% Daily Needs
Calories543.52 kcal27.18%
Fat25.82 g39.72%
Saturated Fat8.68 g54.25%
Carbohydrates51.89 g17.3%
Net Carbohydrates42.62 g15.5%
Sugar9.34 g10.38%
Cholesterol35.66 mg11.89%
Sodium1980.78 mg86.12%
Alcohol1.58 g100.0%
Alcohol %0.31 %100.0%
Protein26.36 g52.72%
Vitamin A9536.75 IU190.73%
Vitamin K191.18 µg182.07%
Manganese1.54 mg77.12%
Calcium541.01 mg54.1%
Phosphorus490.33 mg49.03%
Folate179.39 µg44.85%
Magnesium155.23 mg38.81%
Potassium1333.55 mg38.1%
Fiber9.27 g37.1%
Vitamin B60.72 mg36.02%
Iron6.17 mg34.29%
Copper0.63 mg31.69%
Vitamin C26.1 mg31.63%
Vitamin B20.51 mg29.93%
Vitamin B10.42 mg28.04%
Vitamin E3.98 mg26.52%
Zinc3.2 mg21.34%
Selenium14.93 µg21.33%
Vitamin B33.93 mg19.65%
Vitamin B51.1 mg11.0%
Vitamin B120.48 µg7.96%
Vitamin D0.21 µg1.38%