This gluten-free quinoa soup with mini vegan meatballs is a hearty, satisfying and comforting meal that's perfect for the whole family. Pair it with a side salad or some gluten-free, vegan garlic bread.
Did you have a favorite soup growing up?
For me, it was Progresso's Chickarina.
If you've never heard of it, it was basically chicken soup with the addition of mini meatballs and acini di pepe pasta instead of spaghetti noodles.
Not only was it time to make this childhood favorite vegan, but also gluten-free.
Just one problem...those beautiful pearly pasta dots.
For some reason, it's just not that easy to find a gluten-free version of acini di pepe.
In fact, I only found one brand and it wasn't even available on Amazon.
Since that wouldn't be convenient for most people, I had to go with something else.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town (it was really across the room, but it sounds more intriguing this way), my husband saw me banging my head against the desk as I struggled to come up with a substitute for acini de pepe.
Then he casually commented, "Why don't you just use quinoa?"
Ah-ha!
Oh wait, that's the 80s band. Oops! 🙂
Aha! That's it - quinoa it is!
Glad I though of it. 😉
Ingredient highlights
Once it was established that I would be using quinoa in place of the acini di pepe, it was time to figure out the meatball ingredients.
I looked at the Chickarina meatball ingredients and found they are made with a combination of pork and turkey. So, I decided to use Beyond Meat's Beyond Sausage to make the meatballs instead of a vegan beef substitute.
I originally contemplated using a chickpea or lentil-based meatball but knew I needed something more substantial to hold its own when being submerged in liquid.
I seasoned the meatballs with garlic, parsley, vegan Parmesan, gluten-free bread crumbs and black pepper and used aquafaba for the egg replacement.
The remaining soup ingredients include: olive oil, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, sea salt and black pepper.
How to make quinoa soup with mini vegan meatballs - step by step
First, preheat your oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the Beyond Sausages from their casings and add to a mixing bowl.
Mash up the "meat" with a fork.
Then add the aquafaba, garlic, vegan Parmesan, gluten-free bread crumbs, parsley and pepper.
Use a spoon, silicone spatula or your hands to mix until ingredients are well combined.
Use a 2-teaspoon or 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (#70 or #100 disher) to scoop out the mixture onto the baking sheet.
Then use your hands to roll into balls.
Bake the "meatballs" at 400° F for 20 minutes.
When they are done, remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to use.
While the meatballs are cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot.
Add carrots, celery, garlic and onion and season with salt. Cook until veggies are softened, about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the veggie broth and black pepper and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and use tongs to carefully add the meatballs to the soup.
Then stir in the quinoa.
Continue to simmer uncovered until quinoa is fully cooked, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Season with additional salt to taste, if desired, before serving.
Ideas for serving
You can enjoy this soup as is or garnish with some freshly ground black pepper, fresh parsley and/or some vegan Parmesan cheese.
This soup pairs perfectly with our easy vegan and gluten-free garlic bread or with our almond flour biscuits.
It's also great with a simple side salad.
FAQ
Beyond Sausage is available at many grocery chains throughout the United States including Whole Foods Market. You can search for a store near you that carries it on the Beyond Meat website or buy directly from the company online.
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the leftovers in a pot on the stovetop until warmed throughout, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat in the microwave in a covered microwave-safe container in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. When reheating, you may need to add more broth as the quinoa tends to soak it up while sitting in the refrigerator. Note that the "meatballs" will start to break up over time from sitting in the liquid and being stirred around during reheating.
Yes, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator before reheating. Once defrosted, reheat the soup on the stovetop, ensuring you bring it to a boil.
More vegan soup recipes
Quinoa Soup with Mini Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
FOR THE VEGAN MEATBALLS
- 14 oz Beyond Sausage (I used Original Brat)
- 3 tbsp aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup grated or shredded vegan Parmesan cheese (I used Thrive Market brand)
- ¼ cup gluten-free, vegan plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 10 cups low sodium vegetable broth (80 oz; use certified GF broth if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed and drained
Instructions
FOR THE VEGAN MEATBALLS
- Preheat oven to 4000° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove sausages from their casings and add to a mixing bowl. Mash up with a fork.
- Add aquafaba, garlic, vegan Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley and pepper and use a spoon, rubber spatula or your hands to mix together until ingredients are well incorporated.
- Bake chicken meatballs for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165° F.
- Bake for 20 minutes. When done, set aside until ready to use.
FOR THE SOUP
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a 5-qt. soup pot.
- Add carrots, celery, garlic and onion and season with salt. Cook until veggies are softened, about 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the veggie broth and black pepper and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and use tongs to carefully add the meatballs to the soup.
- Stir in the quinoa.
- Continue to simmer uncovered until quinoa is fully cooked, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Season with additional salt to taste, if desired, before serving.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs for this recipe)
Notes
Nutrition
This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on December 4, 2015. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Changes to the story were also made.
©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.
Amanda
Quinoa is such a great idea, my mother in law just brought me some back from Peru, this would be a great use. I have found a gluten-free orzo that also works well in some soups. I don't remember the brand off hand, but I am sure it is not as healthy as quinoa!
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Amanda! I'll have to check out the gluten-free orzo. 🙂
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
I just love this beautiful soup, Sherri! The addition of chicken meatballs will make all the meat eaters happy too.
Beautifully photographed 🙂
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Robyn!! 🙂
Brian Jones
Those meatballs sound wonderful, love the addition of the cheese! I make a similar soup but with pearl barley rather than quinoa and will definitely be giving your meatballs a run through the mill in there 🙂
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Brian! Enjoy! 🙂
Jessica {Swanky Recipes}
This soup sounds incredible and simple enough to make. It's just starting to cool down here in the south and I'm all about soup right now!
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Jessica! 🙂
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
Hi Sherri, I am new to your blog. I have a few dietary restrictions and am happy to see things that will work for me! Yay. I totally love your writing voice. Looking forward to reading more.
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Michelle! That totally made my day! 🙂
Jessica {Swanky Recipes}
It's just starting to get cold here in the south and I'm totally getting into the whole soup thing. This recipe sounds incredible!
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Jessica!! 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I haven't had meatball soup in SO long.. definitely loving this recipe!
Watch Learn Eat
Thank you Thalia! 🙂
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
This soup looks amazing! Quinoa sounds like the perfect way to go gluten free with soup. Total comfort food.
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Dawn!! 🙂
Noel
Ah-ha! an 80's band! lol perfect!!
great idea on the soup ... I'm not really a fan of Italian wedding soup, so this is a good alternative for me.
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Noel! Gotta love the 80s 😉 Hope you like the soup!
Denise Wright
What a great idea! Add the quinoa was genius! I make wedding soup all the time for my family and I use meatballs and shredded chicken and carrots and celery etc however I have to set some aside for me before I add the pasta for my family. I never thought of using quinoa. Next time no pasta....everyone gets quinoa.
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks Denise! That sounds like a plan! 🙂 Enjoy!