Fall is here and it’s time for soup!
This kale quinoa soup will be ready in under an hour from start to finish. You’ll have a nice batch of tasty goodness that is easy to make and not very expensive! You can add whatever protein you want or none at all! I added some turkey sausage crumbles that I already had in the fridge.
I used to pack my lunch of soup in thermos all the time growing up. It was pretty much any variety of Campbell’s soup that struck my fancy that week. I also tried a soup diet before – when I ate a lot of Progresso soup for lunches and even dinners. Turns out those soups aren’t that good for you — check the sodium content! 🙄🙄
For this soup, adding a squeeze of lemon will brighten the flavor and a light sprinkle of parmesan will give it a bit of extra flavor. I love a good soup and this one is a keeper!
Get cooking!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 cup dried quinoa
- 2 cups protein (diced rotisserie chicken works great)
- 7 – 8 cups low sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 package (5 oz.) baby kale or 1 small bunch*
- parmesan cheese
- sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
Steps
- In a large pot or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent.
- Add in garlic and spices (red pepper, salt, pepper) and cook another 2 minutes or so.
- Add in the quinoa and chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. You can tell when the quinoa is cooked, because the pods “pop”.
- Add in kale and keep on low heat, stirring occasionally, until kale wilts (baby kale will wilt faster than a typical bunch of kale).
- Add your cooked protein – diced rotisserie chicken works great!
- Top with shredded parmesan.
Serves 4 – 6.
Notes:
*If using a bunch of kale, be sure to remove the center stem and roughly chop the leaves.