You will not find a hearty soup that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes other than this Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup!
It is one of the quickest and healthiest Instant Pot recipes you can cook in your Instant Pot.
Whether you are cooking a big batch for a party or a small one fit for one meal time, this soup can deliver a full serving of essential nutrients in a small bowl.
The hearty vegetables give the chunky texture, while the white or red quinoa makes it chewy.
What a great way to bring some variety to the dinner table! It's a delicious soup packed with flavors and nutrition that you must try once to believe.
You will be surprised to see how much flavor this Instant Pot Quinoa Soup has, especially for being prepared in such a short time!
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Why this recipe works
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is a one-pot dish that can be a starter or the main course. The essential amino acids from Quinoa and fiber from seasonal vegetables make it a balanced meal.
This Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup makes a great vegetarian meal.
Like my vegetable barley soup, this quinoa soup tastes great the next day too!
The ingredients list is quite lengthy, but it contains mainly pantry staples. They're all nutritious in their own right!
After noticing some of the soups at Costco and Sprouts, I got inspired to create a vegetable quinoa soup with the Instant pot.
The best part is that this soup is cheaper, tastes better, and is healthier than any store-bought version.
This instant pot recipe is an offshoot of my reader-favorite and kid-approved Instant pot lentil soup. I am sure it will be one of your family favorites too!
Ingredients note
Quinoa: I used white quinoa for this Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup recipe. Red quinoa would also work equally well. I plan to use red quinoa the next time I prepare this soup.
Vegetables: I used yellow onions, frozen peas, corn, carrots, bell peppers, and home-grown potatoes. I encourage you to buy as many local seasonal vegetables as possible from your local farmer's market. Some options for adding other vegetables are red bell pepper, beets, parsnip, and sweet potatoes.
Vegetable broth: I used homemade vegetable stock. You can use any broth of your choice. Look for a low-sodium, vegan version.
Spices: I used cayenne pepper, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, Italian seasoning, and cumin powder. The list is not too restrictive. If you prefer some but not all of these spices, that's ok too.
Tomato sauce: I used tomato sauce to add acidity and sweetness to the soup. You can use any tomato product of your choice like diced tomatoes, tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, or tomato paste.
Toppings: I used cilantro, avocados, and vegan croutons for the topping. You can also use other fresh herbs of your choice.
How to make this soup
Press saute and add olive oil to the Instant Pot.
When the display shows "hot," add chopped onion and garlic.
Stir and cook for a minute until the onions are softened.
Add all the chopped vegetables and salt.
And spice powders and mix well.
Add the tomato sauce, quinoa, vegetable broth, and water. Stir well.
Close the Instant pot with the lid and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure.
Release the pressure naturally for about 5 minutes, and then use the quick release(QR) option.
Open the Instant Pot and stir. If the soup is too thick, add more water and cook for a minute.
Serve hot with toppings of your choice.
Storage
This Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to a week.
You can also freeze it for up to a month. Thaw the frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, it is important to rinse the quinoa before cooking. This will remove bitterness from the quinoa and result in a more pleasant flavor. Or else buy pre-washed quinoa.
No, I don't soak my quinoa before cooking. Instant pot quinoa vegetable soup doesn't require any pre-soaking.
Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. Just add after sauteing onions and saute the tomatoes until it's soft.
You can use any veggies of your choice. Some of my favorites are sweet potatoes, zucchini, kale, and spinach.
Expert tips
- You can use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.
- Add black beans, kidney beans, lentils, or chickpeas to make it a filling meal.
- Use red chili powder or smoked paprika instead of cayenne pepper for a milder flavor.
- You can also top up with vegan parmesan cheese.
- Add or omit any spice powder to suit your taste.
- Always buy good-quality quinoa for a better flavor and texture.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 carrots chopped - 1 ½ cup chopped
- 1 potato chopped
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings - optional
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 4 cup vegetable broth
- 3 cup water
- salt to taste - 1 ½ tsp
- 3 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Press saute and add olive oil to the Instant Pot.3 teaspoon olive oil
- When the display shows "hot," add chopped onion and garlic.2 garlic cloves chopped, 1 cup chopped onions
- Stir and cook for a minute until the onions are softened.
- Add all the chopped vegetables, salt, and spice powders and mix well. (check above for pictures with instructions)1 bell pepper chopped, 2 carrots chopped, 1 potato chopped, ½ cup frozen peas, ½ cup frozen corn, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings, salt to taste
- Add the tomato sauce, quinoa, vegetable broth, and water. Stir well.1 cup quinoa, ½ cup tomato sauce, 4 cup vegetable broth, 3 cup water
- Close the Instant pot with the lid and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure.
- Release the pressure naturally for about 5 minutes, and then use the quick release(QR) option.
- Open the Instant Pot and stir. If the soup is too thick, add more water and cook for a minute.
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice.
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Video
Notes
- You can use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.
- Add black beans, kidney beans, lentils, or chickpeas to make it a filling meal.
- Use red chili powder or smoked paprika instead of cayenne pepper for a milder flavor.
- You can also top up with vegan parmesan cheese.
- Add or omit any spice powder to suit your taste.
- Always buy good-quality quinoa for a better flavor and texture.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Frank
It’s been my experience that with a Insta pot carrots take 10 minutes on high to cook, can you tell me why you’re able to cook them in five minutes?
Uma Raghupathi
Hi Frank. It depends upon the size of the carrots.