Can winter fare be both vibrant and comforting? I think this colourful soup is proof that it can. Sometimes it feels difficult to pack in as many bright coloured vegetables and fruit into one’s diet this time of the year, but it’s certainly possible. Just think of all the bright colours in season right now – winter squash galore, sweet potatoes, kale, pomegranates, citrus, radish, apples, cranberries, pears, persimmons, etc. If you feel yourself in a cold weather food rut, try busting out some of these into your shopping cart each week. The pop of colour will instantly boost your mood no matter what the weather is like outside. And if it doesn’t, well at least they are pretty to photograph!
Last week, I picked up a couple sweet potatoes because it had been a while since I had any. I usually prefer squash over sweet potatoes, but it’s nice to change it up once and a while. This hearty soup is filled with sweet potato chunks, fluffy protein-packed quinoa, black beans, and is seasoned with cumin, coriander, and chili powder. While it’s a good soup on its own, it really shines with toppings like avocado, cherry tomatoes or salsa, cilantro, crushed corn chips, and green onion, giving it a Tex-Mex flare. Cashew cream would also be nice on top too, as I used in my Raw Taco Salad recipe. If sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, feel free to use butternut squash in its place.
This was hands down, the most fun bowl to eat so far this season!
Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Red Quinoa Soup
Email, text, or print this recipe
Inspired by: Sprouted Kitchen & Coconut & Quinoa
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked red quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (or other oil)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cup diced sweet onion (about 1/2 large)
- 1 jalapeno, seeded if preferred and diced
- 1 large sweet potato (350 g), peeled and chopped to 1/2-1 inch dice (2.5-3 cups)*
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans (one (15-oz) can rinsed and drained)
- fine grain sea salt and black pepper, to taste (I used 1/2 tsp salt or a bit more)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes)
- 2 handfuls Spinach or kale leaves, optional
- toppings: avocado, corn chips, cilantro, cashew cream, lime juice, tomatoes or salsa, green onion
1. In a medium-sized pot, add quinoa along with 1.5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cover with tight fitting lid. Simmer covered for about 17 minutes or until the water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and keep it covered until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large wok or pot. Add garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Now add in the jalapeno and sweet potato and sauté for 5-7 minutes more.
3. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, coriander, and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 18-20 minutes uncovered, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cooked quinoa, drained and rinsed black beans, cayenne, and optional spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding more spice if desired.
5. Garnish soup with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, corn chips, avocado, and/or cashew cream.
6. Feast on tasty, vibrant comfort food!
Updates!
I did some major updating on my FAQ page, adding some common questions and I also wrote an update on my knee injury in the running section.
Well, we’re off to our first Christmas party of the season tomorrow and Sunday is going to be dedicated to picking out our tree and decorating. It should be a festive one….just what I love this time of year. Have a great weekend!
I am going on a healthy kick to start off this festive season. This fits the bill perfectly! Plus an awesome way to fit in a meatless meal without dbf noticing.
How would this taste without the jalapeno? Is there something I could sub for it? I don’t have any jalapenos but this looks so good, and I’m craving sweet potatoes and black beans!
We just got done eating this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! We topped it with tomatoes, cilantro, green onion and the cashew cream and the flavors complimented each other perfectly. We will definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy to hear that Amanda!
I just want say thank you for sharing this recipe!! I made it this evening and it looked lovely, tasted great and filled me up!! I am not usually a fan of quinoa but just thought that this soup was DELICIOUS!!! Definitely a keeper.
So glad you enjoyed it Allyson :) Thanks for trying it out!
Seldom do I see such an inviting meal! It just make me want to dive in head first. ;)
This looks so good! I love all the colors, it would be perfect for a chilly day!
How long would I set my slow cooker for with this recipe?
I would add the (cooked) beans and greens towards the end, but it appears the recipe will work in a crock pot! Yum!
Good question! Im not sure, but Id probably set it to low and check it after a few hours?
We had black beans left over from day before. So happy to see your recipe today. My daughter was not in the mood for soup today. I boiled the sweet potatoes in water for 20 mins. and added them to the sauteed ingredients of onions, garlic, beans and spices. Put over the quinoa. Cilantro mixed in with avocado and tomatoes on top. She loved it! Very satisfying. Your recipes are always so forgiving of changes and subs. Always delicious. Thanks so much!
I just discovered your website yesterday because I’m trying to find great smoothie and low fat plant-based recipes. I tried this last night, and I have to say that it was one of the most beautiful, satisfying meals I’ve ever had. It reheated well, too. I can’t wait to see your cookbook!
Aw that makes me so happy! Thank you :)
such a great recipe that is lighter than a chili. i used what was in the cabinet…brown rice instead of quinoa, added a can of diced tomatoes and green chilis too. so tasty!
I love, love, love black beans and sweet potatoes or black beans and butternut squash together…especially with southwest/texmex/mexican flare with cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. So comforting and warm this time of year!
This soup was delicious! I have made so many of your recipes but never commented. I used white quinoa instead of red and butternut squash instead of sweet potato. Thanks so much for your amazing vegan recipes…I love them!
Hey Julianne, Im so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your comment :)
I made this soup this weekend with regular quinoa and chicken broth…it was delicious. So glad I didn’t halve the recipe so we will have leftovers again later this week. Thanks for the satisfying and nutritious recipe!
Hi Angela,
I’m a relatively new reader, and I made this soup Saturday for a bonfire party. It was delicious! Thanks for the great blog,
Shelly in Kansas City, Kansas
Hey Shelly, Thank you for trying it out! So glad you enjoyed it…sounds like a fun party :)
I made this soup for dinner tonight and it was seriously SOOO good! My non vegan family loved it! I agree with you that the toppings are definitely a must. Thanks for a great recipe.
This recipe is great! Just finished my first bowl and am going back for seconds! I am definitely adding this to my rotation. Thanks!!!
Wonderful soup! It has all my favorite ingredients in it so…couldnt be better!!! I still had a tomato plant inside the house and I used my very last garden tomato in eat. Simply delicious!! thx for that :)
Thanks for this post. Our family enjoyed it very much. It was a splendid combination of flavors that left us full, comforted, and planning when we would make it again. Thank you so much. Cheers.
Aww Angela this looks SO good! When I saw it, it reminded me of Martha Stewart’s tortilla soup (which I just made) except much more wholesome. I can’t wait to try it!
And thank you for updating your FAQ page with your knee injury info–I recently was diagnosed with chondromalacia in my right knee (from overuse) and it just sucks. I never imagined having to lay off running and all other forms of impact cardio for six months! But like you said, it has made me appreciate what my body can do, and I’ve been getting much more into yoga and pilates! It’s always good to hear similar stories :)
This soup was amazing!! I made it tonight for dinner and it came together so fast and easy! I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
This is now officially one of my favorite soups! I absolutely loved it! The best part is that my 15 month old and 4 1/2 year old agreed! It was a huge hit and will be a fall/winter favorite in our house. I love how easy it was to make. I must confess. I can’t get enough veggies so I always double the veggies in any soup. I also doubled the quinoa. I like soups on the thicker side and it also helps my 15 month old. The thicker it is the easier it is for my girls to eat!
Im so glad to hear that Christy!
I tried this recipe. It’s great. I like to eat salad for lunch but freeze when I do because it’s cold outside. I felt warm and like I got my veggies with this. The recipe has several steps but it was worth it. Thanks.
Soups are the Best foods to be had in Winter!!! They keep us warm as well as healthy!! Great one to be had for Breakfast or as a Snack!!!
Yum! This is now one of my favorite soups! All of the omnis who ate it agreed, too :)
I just made this yesterday and it’s all gone! This soup is so delicious!! Thank you again, Angela for another wonderful recipe! I keep spreading the word about Oh She Glows saying that I’m not vegan but I could be if I lived at your house :)
I made this for a bunch of my buddies when they came over to watch UFC. Needless to say they all loved it, and this is coming from 5 macho men! Keep up the good work Angela!
whohoo! Glad to hear that Jon.
Angela – This looks amazing! I love how you left everything fairly deconstructed in the bowl too. Awesome
I made this for dinner last night! Amazing! I have it for lunch today too. I love having leftovers that I am excited about eating. I added celery because I had some in the fridge that needed to be used. It worked well with the onion and other flavors.
Thanks for all of the delish recipes. They get me excited about cooking!
This looks so nourishing. Beautifully taken. xoxooxxox
Love, Love, Love! So yummy! We really enjoyed and will be making for our family when they visit for the holiday!
Hey there! I just wanted to let you know I made this soup tonight for my family. Oh my goodness! SO DELICIOUS! I am so thrilled that everything I have made for my family the last couple of days since trying Vegan/Gluten Free has been so yummy, even to my 8 and 12 year old! This soup has so many great ingredients in it! It feels good to be eating things that are so good for us! Thank you again so much for sharing this with us!
Aw Im so happy to hear that Jacquie!
What a hit! This soup was the star of a special going-away dinner i made for some dear friends last night. Easy peasy to make and the spices were so distinctive. Added kale, omitted the coriander because I didn’t have any ground; topped with grape tomatoes, avocado, fresh lime slivers, cilantro and tortilla strips. My husband really liked the tomatoes uncut (more contrast with hot soup/cold tomatoes) and the chips uncrumbled so they didn’t get soggy. Thanks so much! I make soups a lot and this one got absolute rave reviews.
Hi Angela,
I stumbled across your page today, saw this recipe, and had to try it! I’m eating it as I type this, but I couldn’t wait to tell you how spectacular this recipe is. I used regular quinoa instead of red and it’s still delicious. I also made mine a little extra spicy, which is absolutely perfect for my tastes on a cold day like today. This definitely fits the bill for comfort food, but it’s packed with nutrients — I love it! I’m looking forward to recreating more of your recipes soon.
Thanks,
Jacob
Hey Jacob, I’m so happy to hear this, thanks for letting me know!
Will be giving this recipe a try this weekend, Ill be earning big points with my vegan wife.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great New Year!
Hope you enjoy :)
Just made it! DELICIOUS. Thank you!
Made this last night for our New Year’s Eve dinner! It was wonderful! Thank you!
I accidentally added the cayenne in before bringing to a boil and now the soup is too spicy. Suggestions? I’m serving it to guests tomorrow and don’t want to burn them!
Can you thin it out with more broth?
Amazing crazy delicious! I made this last night and everyone was happy. The soup is flavorful enough, with nothing too overpowering (always a concern when using cumin) so that even my 3 year old gobbled all hers right up. The most fun part (for kids…and for grownups too truth be told) was that we each got to decorate our own bowl with the fixins! We added diced red pepper as an additional topping to the ones you suggested, and instead of corn chips, I added cubes of polenta to the soup (we had some to use up). The only downside to that is that the polenta seemed to suck up all the liquid so leftovers today were more like stew than soup…but still completely yum. Thank you! Can’t wait to make it again.
Angela, I made this tonight and it was INCREDIBLE!!! My 2 and 6 year old boys loved it too. Thank you!
just made this soup! It’s so delicious, i used red chili flakes instead of a jalapeno pepper. YUMMY!!! Thanks for sharing.
I tried this soup tonight and it was fabulous! I added tomato, green onion, cilantro and some fresh lime juice on top, which really added more color and flavor. Absolutely lovely!
O.M.G. This was SO good and satisfying!
I just made this soup for my sick husband and I, and it was even better than I hoped for. Thanks!
Thank you, feel better soon!
I made this yesterday. So good! Thanks for the recipe.
I love this soup and so did my family but (they said) it was too spicy; is there a way to tone down the spice without losing the flavor?? I live in FL where it is HOT! now and I had the soup cold…just as good as when heated (to me).
I love, love, love this soup! It was my first recipe with quinoa and it worked out great. Instead of sweet potato, I used butternut squash and it was so incredibly good. Thanks!
I made this last night for dinner, and then for lunch AND dinner again today. It’s just that amazing. I think it’s my new favorite soup.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a HIT. Awesomely delicious, tasty and filling. I left out the jalapeño and the cayenne, figured I could add a little kick later on if needed. Didn’t need it – was so flavorful on its own. Angela, I’m new to your site and can’t wait to try your other recipes!
This was so good! Definitely exceeded our (particularly my husbands) expectations :) I wasn’t so sure I’d care for sweet potato like this, usually I’d prefer butternut squash in soup and my husband wasn’t so sure he’d care for it at all. He kept looking into the pot with this look on his face like “I work hard all day and come home and THIS is what you’re feeding me?” ;) but he actually LOVED it and couldn’t believe how filling it was. All that to say thanks for another great recipe!
Your husband sounds like an unappreciative jerk.
That’s so funny :) I can definitely assure you that he is not!! Lol :) I was kidding. We’re new to vegan that’s all…
I made this soup last night and the whole family loved it!!! Thanks you for sharing the recipe!!
made this soup tonight. I love all the add in options! I forgot cumin and coriander but soup was great with a squeeze of lime juice. amazing!