Recipe from Mary McCartney
Adapted by Jeff Gordinier
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 4(2,349)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Soup doesn't have to be loaded with meat to be deeply satisfying. This one from Mary McCartney, devoted vegetarian, cookbook author and a daughter of Paul, is proof of that fact. Quinoa adds a lovely bit of texture, and beans – practically any variety will do – add heft and a wonderful creaminess as they break down in the broth. This recipe begs to be tampered with, so feel free to add more beans, vegetables, quinoa or fresh herbs. One reader even added a few cups of cooked pasta. It's almost impossible to mess up, so don't hold back. —Jeff Gordinier
Featured in: A Warm, Messy Take on Meatless
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings (about 2½ quarts)
- ¼cup light olive oil
- 2medium onions, finely chopped
- 2medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2stalks celery, trimmed and finely diced
- 1can (14½ ounces) cannellini or other white beans, drained
- 2cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1can (14½ ounces) chopped tomatoes, with their juices
- 7cups vegetable stock
- ⅓cup quinoa
- ¼cup chopped parsley
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, rosemary or thyme
- 1bay leaf
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
239 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 1154 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery, and sauté until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and garlic and stir for 2 minutes.
Step
2
Stir in tomatoes and their juices, and vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Step
3
Add quinoa, parsley, oregano or other herb, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer until quinoa is cooked, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf and serve.
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4
out of 5
2,349
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Cooking Notes
Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor
I made this last night, and it was very tasty. This recipe definitely lends itself to improvisation. I added frozen chopped spinach, more beans (2 1/2 cans total), 1/3 cup more quinoa and about a cup of ditalini pasta. I also had a sad little Parm rind in my cheese drawer, so I tossed that in, too. It's the perfect clean-out-your-vegetable-drawer soup.
consuelo holtzer
Just adding something about the remark that fresh beans should have been used. Normally I would agree. I almost never use cans. But this time it did not matter. It came out very tasty with almost no effort. So unless Obama is coming to dinner, cans seem fine to me. From someone who hates cans.
Robert
So I just subscribed to the NYT-All Access package about a week ago, which includes NYT Cooking. I decided to finally go ahead and give cooking a try. This Hearty Quinoa and White Bean Soup is the first dish that I've seriously cooked in my life and it was fun to prepare the ingredients, instructions were easy to follow, and it came out delicious! The clarity of the instructions, ingredients, specificity- all top notch. I look forward to continuing to use NYT Cooking. Thank you NYT!
Lisa Conn
Ok, a good start for a vegetable soup. I added a can of corn, cut-up green beans, diced bell pepper, and orzo. To make it flavorful I added: liquid aminos, Worcestershire sauce, nutritional yeast, a little sugar, and some white wine vinegar. Taste and adjust, taste and adjust until it is yummy.
Deborah
Don't forget to rinse the quinoa before adding, otherwise it can be bitter.
Es
Delicious. Make it your own. Quinoa adds to appearance and density. Lasts for a few days if not eaten first. I used a can of white kidney beans, half chicken and vegetable stock, and the vegetables I had in the refrigerator at that moment, and rosemary and thyme. Flavors are very nice.
Nancy Greuel
Be sure to rinse the quinoa for at least two minutes before adding it to the soup.
Alice de Dadelsen
Note to the recipe's author: "light" olive oil is not extra-virgin olive oil and not fit for cooking. Check it out on line. As a producer of EVOO myself, my advice would be to write instead that the recipe calls for "mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil," produced from French olive varieties, for instance Only EVOO can be heated up to 200 F. Thanks for the delicious recipe, which I'll try this week!
ChristineRM
Delish, but I made a few changes: double the beans and the quinoa, add a parm rind when the liquids go in, double the crushed tomatoes, add 1 Tbsp. Paprika and a dash of cayenne. When it’s finished cooking, stir in about 3 Cups of chopped kale.
Michele
Easy and tasty. Liked it with fresh thyme.
K. Schumann
Indeed kind of a Swiss-Army-Knife-Soup: Great on its own, but infinitely tweakable.Cooked it last night with fresh oregano (parsely/oregano ratio was 1:1).Topped it with a teaspoon of Pesto and a good amount of shredded Grana Padano. It nearly brought us to tears!It’s a keeper.P.S.: Depending on the stock you use, prepare to add a lot more salt!
Merry
This was delicious; we added slivered kale just a few minutes before serving and a splash of sherry vinegar at the table. Perhaps a note about rinsing quinoa prior to cooking would be a good idea?
FDionne
My version of this great recipe isn't vegetarian; I have yet to find a palatable vegetable stock. I used chicken stock, a half-cup of quinoa and a 19-oz can of cannellini beans, and I added a parmesan rind and some red pepper flakes and Aleppo pepper. Then I mixed in a few handfuls of finely sliced baby spinach, and served with grated grana padano.
David Cee
Delicious soup following the directions and using home veggie stock. The notes below refer to doubling the quinoa and adding acid which was not needed in our four hour simmering/reduction of this soup. The 1/3C quinoa in the recipe was just right for us, and our tomatoes and fresh parsley kept the flavor bright. Try the recipe first before tinkering.
Anaïs
This recipe is delicious! I have followed the advice to double the quinoa (good advice, thanks!). I've also decided to use a can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles and it brought to the soup the perfect kick.
debra
Doubled quinoa and added orzo
Sydney G
I made this last night and added butter beans, heavy cream, white wine vinegar, and a Parmesan rind and it was fabulous. I used both dried oregano and a couple rosemary sprigs instead of parsley and then mini elbows rather than quinoa as a preference!
Erik
I made this soup, adhering to the recipe. Results are outstanding!
Michelle
This is simple, inexpensive, and full of flavor. This makes a ton of soup, so next time I will keep everything as is except reduce the broth by 3 cups and add an extra can of beans. Then it will be perfect for two people.
Charlotte Lansing
I just made a version with what I had on hand and it was delicious! I didn't have celery so I used some peeled broccoli stalk and a smallish potato. I didn't have diced tomatoes so I used a 1/2 can of tomato sauce.
Elisa
Used 8 cups broth, doubled beans and quinoa (used Hearty Grain blend from Trader Joe’s), added 1 lemon and half a bag of pre cut kale. Eat with a side of focaccia
kimmie in the kitchen
All 3 of my kids ate this (that’s saying something I count 2/3 a win) & I’m looking forward to using this recipe as a base for future “kitchen sink” soups when I have random things that need to be cooked up. It’s lovely! The recipe as is with sage & rosemary came off like a bean filled minestrone. Beautiful & hearty.
Michelle
This was a surprisingly good soup. A surprise because the ingredients are so simple. I had everything in my pantry. It was simple and satisfying - and quick to make. I did add a Parmesan rind as others suggested, but it would also be fine without, and I doubled the beans and the quinoa. It was a perfect thick soup consistency. I also used Better Than Bouillon No Chicken for the stock and did not feel any additional salt was needed. I will definitely make this again.
Enola
Delicious and easy to prepare. This recipe is a keeper, but moving forward I will double the beans and the quinoa for a heartier soup.
mrj
Double tomatoes and beans
Jack
Exceptionally bland. Added a Parmesan rind while the soup simmered. Still exceptionally bland. There are so many better versions of this combination of ingredients.
lck
Corn, potato
Amy J
Much better the next day or when pulled out of the freezer and reheated.
Luke Johnson
I made this with fresh basil, oregano and sage (no bay leaf). Also substituted kale for celery. Very good.
Laura
I’ve made this twice now. The first time was at a church supper where I triple the recipe, I couldn’t find a colander, so I dumped the beans in without draining them. It didn’t seem to make much difference in the finish soup. Making a single batch today for lunch. Easy and delicious recipe.
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