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Tex-Mex Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Vegan Tex-Mex Quinoa Vegetable Soup features a healthy mix of quinoa, mixed beans, corn, carrot, tomato, and zucchini in a flavorful broth and is easy to make using a slow-cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop!

top down view of soup full of tex mex quinoa vegetable soup with items surrounding.

I think everyone loves the idea of using slow-cooker meals. I know I sure do – it simplifies life and makes for delicious oil-free cooking!

Why We Love This Recipe!

Healthy + nutritious. Brimming with my favorite grain, quinoa, and a medley of beans, vegetables, and spices, this quinoa vegetable soup is full of plant-based protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. Check out the nutrition card below!

Easy to make. This one-pot vegan recipe can be made right in the crock-pot for a no-hassle set it and forget meal! And if you don’t have a slow cooker – no worries – you can just as easily make this soup on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.

Stores well. This quinoa veggie soup refrigerates well, making it perfect for meal prep and make-ahead meals. It’s also freezer-friendly!

So without further ado, let’s make soup!

side by side picture of quinoa and spices in jars, and quinoa vegetable soup on crockpot before cooking.

Tex Mex Quinoa Vegetable Soup

We start with the basics, carrot, celery, and onion, and add in fresh zucchini, a can of corn, tomatoes, beans, and dry quinoa.

To flavor it all we add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, a couple of bay leaves, and a well-flavored vegetable broth.

You may even have almost everything on hand.

You’ll find the flavor to be warming (not spicy) with a hint of sweetness from the corn. It’s a simply delicious and cozy soup!

P.S. If you are one of those who are wary of quinoa, you will love it in soups. Those who don’t care for it have probably never had it cooked properly. I’m here to tell you that adding it to soups is a foolproof way to cook quinoa. It’s a wonderful addition to your healthy lifestyle and I know if you give it a try in soups you will love it!

top down view of crockpot with freshly cooked tex mex quinoa vegetable soup.

Once everything is added to the crockpot, set it and forget it.

Serve your soup with diced avocado and fresh chopped cilantro. Easy and delicious!

More Vegan Soup Recipes!

side angle view of a bowl with a serving of healthy tex mex quinoa vegetable soup.

If you try this quinoa vegetable soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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Tex-Mex Quinoa Vegetable Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

Get your crockpot, Instant Pot, or stovetop ready. This hearty quinoa vegetable soup is oil-free and so simple to make, plus it’s delicious as can be!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Cook Time: 1 – 4 hours
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
  • Category: Entree, Soup
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 scant cup dried quinoa
  • 1/2 large yellow onion
  • 3 large carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery ribs, sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced
  • 1 can (14 oz.) corn, drained
  • 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies, with juices (fire roasted pref.)
  • 2 cans (14 oz.) beans (red, pinto, black, kidney or white beans), drained and rinsed
  • 34 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • salt + pepper, to taste

to serve, optional

  • avocado, diced
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges

Instructions

Crock-Pot: In a 5qt. or larger crockpot, add all the ingredients finishing with the vegetable broth, give a good stir, and cook on low for 5 – 8 hours or high for 2 – 4 hours. Add more broth/water as needed. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Stovetop: In a large dutch oven or pot, add ingredients finishing with the vegetable broth, give a good stir, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add more broth/water as needed. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Instant Pot: Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and add the 1 tablespoon olive oil or ¼ cup water, onion, carrot, and celery, saute for 5 minutes, adding the spices and garlic powder in the last minute (feel free to skip this step entirely adding everything to the pot and cooking). Add the quinoa, beans, corn, zucchini, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth, stir to combine. Attach lid and turn to lock, set the valve to SEALING, and manually set to HIGH pressure for 3 minutes (it takes about 25 minutes to come to pressure). Let natural release for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Serve with diced avocado and chopped cilantro. Pairs well with tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days. This soup also freezes well for longer storage.

Serves 4 – 6

Notes

Feel free to change up the spices. Try adding a scant teaspoon of dried oregano for variation. If you love cumin try adding a little extra or reducing the chili powder. I used Simply Organic Chili Powder which is a delicious blend.

Use any single or combination of beans you like. I used pinto and red beans which I had on hand.

Soup shown was cooked on high for 2 1/2 hours using a slow cooker.

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14 Comments

  1. Great Recipe!
    I had everything on hand and I have it on the stove now. Great add to my rotation! This is a very forgiving recipe for adds & subtracts. Tex-mex flavor is distinct and hits the spot chili misses.






  2. Was looking for something easy to use up my zucchini with – this was absolutely delicious and the meat-eating hubby loved it too! I always add like triple the recipe’s worth of veggies – perfect! Will definitely make again, thank you!






  3. If I want to make this spicy what should I add?

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      You can add a diced jalapeno with a few seeds, or add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for spicy heat. You can also add 1 or 2 adobe peppers from the can. I hope that helps, enjoy!

  4. This soup is absolutely delicious! I have made it a bunch of times! Such good flavor! Makes a good amount so it’s great for leftovers! Thanks for the great recipe!






  5. Linda P. Black says:

    The recipe sounds great, but how can I get down the carbs? Do I eliminate the quinoa?
    Please advise. I need low carb soup recipes! Apro 25 grams if possible.
    Thanks!

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      You can eliminate the beans or quinoa to reduce the carbs. If you opt not to use the quinoa, I suggest using about 4 – 5 cups of broth instead of 6 cups. For the beans, you can use 1 can or omit them altogether. Hope that helps!

  6. Am making this tonight, already tastes delicious!

  7. Looks and sound amazing…question for you, should I rinse the quinoa before putting in the crockpot?
    Thank you for the recipe!

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      To be honest, I never rinse my quinoa but it doesn’t hurt. If you’re accustomed to rinsing I’d say go ahead and do it using a fine mesh strainer. It only takes a minute.

      Hope you enjoy the soup! :)

  8. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

    Thank you! It really is a delicious soup, and so easy! Enjoy :)

    1. Cynde Villegas says:

      Thank you, thank you 🙏🏼 we love this, it is so so ono 🙏🏼 I double this recipe, so I have extra for work-week lunches plus I make at it at least once a month 🫣
      We recently adopted a plant-based diet, it has simplified my life so much😉 I love the fact that even if I didn’t plan head for dinner can throw a fabulous healthy meal together in about an hour 🙏🏼

  9. Rosanna Jennings says:

    This looks yummy and easy to make!!.. Love your recipes!!

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Thank you so much Rosanna! Cheers :)

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