Open Arms of Minnesota

Weekly Recipe #202: Quinoa Vegetable Soup

by Gwenda Hill, Open Arms Nutrition Specialist

This week kicks off our National Nutrition Month® Celebration! Every March, we shed additional light on the foods that nourish us.

This year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages everyone to “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle” by consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices and getting daily exercise to maintain a healthy weight. To help you start this month in a nutritious way, I am going to share one of my all time favorite winter recipes: Quinoa Vegetable Soup.

The delicious blend of tomatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage and quinoa gives this soup a hearty texture. It also offers a substantial amount of protein, as quinoa is a complete protein, making it a vegetarian’s go-to grain.
Quick tip: Always use the low-sodium version of the ingredients, including canned broth, tomatoes and beans. Lowering the sodium in your diet decreases your risk for heart disease.

This soup can be prepared quickly, making it ideal for an after-work dinner. It pairs wonderfully with a multigrain bread and cheese, making it a lovely choice for a cold, snowy night. Added BONUS: if you have a smaller family like mine, you can freeze half of it for an easy dinner option at a later date!

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

(Serves: 6)

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup carrot, diced
  • ½ cup celery, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf*
  • 1 pinch dried thyme
  • Two 32-oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
  • One 28oz can low-sodium crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • One 15-oz can low-sodium light red kidney beans, drained
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • ½ cup grated
  • Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until softened (5-10 minutes).
  2. Add parsley, basil, bay leaf, thyme, chicken broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until heated through, 10 minutes.
  3. Stir cabbage, kidney beans, and quinoa into the soup. Cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 30 minutes.
  4. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.
    *Don’t forget to take the bay leaf out before you serve the soup! Bay leaves become tough and leathery while cooking. It would be a very unpleasant surprise if someone ended up swallowing it by mistake. Have you ever heard that they are poisonous? Rest easy – they only become a problem if you eat quarts of them at a time.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 325 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated fat, 3 g polyunsaturated fat), 41 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 15 g protein, 350 mg sodium

More from Open Arms

Great Minnesota Bake Sale 2025

Open Arms Set For Second Annual Great Minnesota Bake Sale! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ethan Armstrong [email protected] Cell: 320-815-2351 Minneapolis, MN, [16 July 2025] – Open Arms of Minnesota is thrilled to announce that the second annual Great Minnesota Bake Sale will take place

Read More »

Music With Open Arms Concert Event

Music With Open Arms: A Benefit Concert to Nourish Our Neighbors On Saturday, July 12, Matt Gogola will host Music With Open Arms, a benefit concert at The Hook and Ladder Theater, featuring performances by beloved local bands and artists. This powerful evening of

Read More »
Patrick Scully

Patrick Scully Online Performance

Patrick Scully To Perform A Few Tales – Faerie & Otherwise Online For Open Arms Community Please join us virtually for a special evening of storytelling with acclaimed local artist, activist, and provocateur Patrick Scully on Wednesday, June 25, at 6 p.m. 📅 When: June 25, 2025🖥️ Where: Virtual, WATCH

Read More »

Great Minnesota Bake Sale 2025

The Second Annual Great Minnesota Bake Sale will be held on Aug. 10-16. You can support our clients via the Bake Sale by shopping at participating businesses throughout the Twin Cities Metro. Go HERE for a map of our Great Minnesota Bake Sale partners. Buy something yummy and nourish our neighbors – it’s a win-win! 

Moveable Feast 2025: The Show Goes On

No matter the challenges, Open Arms stands ready to face the future. Together, we will gather for a special production of Moveable Feast being held on Thursday, May 15 at the historic Hollywood Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. We hope you and your cast of characters will join us in support of our clients!

IN A CHAOTIC WORLD, WE CAN SHOW LOVE IN ACTION!

When life feels overwhelming, there’s one thing we can control: showing care, love, and compassion to one another. This February, Give from the Heart in honor or memory of someone special. Your gift will provide life-saving medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling to someone facing a critical illness. We’ll send a heartfelt card to your honoree or their family, sharing your loving tribute.

Open Arms of Minnesota Earns Accreditation from Food Is Medicine Coalition

Open Arms of Minnesota, the Twin Cities-based non-profit dedicated to providing nourishing, medically tailored meals to individuals with critical illnesses, has earned accreditation from the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC). This recognition places Open Arms among an elite group of organizations nationwide that have demonstrated a high standard of care in delivering medically tailored meals (MTM).

End Of Year Giving Graphic

Your Gift Will Help Us Serve More Clients!

Together we can continue to meet the increased demand for medically tailored meals with your support! We hope you think of us as you consider your year-end giving. Your donation is a gift of care, compassion, and encouragement!