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
Yield
4-6 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This hearty soup is filled with sweet potato chunks, fluffy red quinoa, black beans, and is seasoned with cumin, coriander, and chili powder. While it’s a good soup on it’s 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. Inspired by: Sprouted Kitchen & Coconut & Quinoa.
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
For the toppings
- avocado
- corn chips
- cilantro
- cashew cream
- lime juice
- tomatoes or salsa
- green onion
Directions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Garnish soup with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, corn chips, avocado, and/or cashew cream.
- Feast on tasty, vibrant comfort food!
Tip:
Note: Feel free to use butternut squash in place of sweet potato.
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!
This is great and even though it is the end of January in AZ, this is still a great lunch or dinner. Chardonnay or a nice Merlot would be nice!
Wow! This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this!
This recipe makes such a great hearty and tastey soup.
This looks amazing! I am making this tomorrow! :)
I tried out this soup recipe last night and was blown away! Absolutely amazing– super easy to make and very satisfying! Red quinoa is my favorite. :)
Hi Angela, I just made the soup and loved it! My husband ate two bowls. I used the Williams Sonoma Ancho-Chili salt free seasonings, along with the roasted onion and garlic powders for additional flavor. I added the fresh cilantro and lime afterwards…delicious! I try to cook with no salt and found the WS salt free brands flavor savers! Thank you ans I live on Happy Trail cookies!
Made this tonight. Used both sweet potatoes and butternut squash and turned out very good. Had the right kick for such a chilly day, thanks for the recipe!
Hey Angela,
just wondering do you make your own vegetable broth? If so, how?
Made this yesterday. The only disappointing thing was that I didn’t double the batch! So delicious! I enjoyed using my new dutch oven for the first time too. Thank you Angela! I’m really looking forward to your cookbook!
OMG, I made this tonight and it was amazing! I used white quinoa and used 1 tsp cumin (no coriander). Seriously, so good!
Made this recipe the other night–it was a hit. I’m eating the leftovers as I type! (Well, in between typing.) Fiance snarfed it down, but not until after he’d declared it smelled like B.O. He of course recounts that last bit, and has changed the party line since he liked the soup, appreciated how healthy it was, and is afraid I just might stop making good things for him to eat. :) Owning the kitchen is a powerful position. Thanks for the great recipe! :)
My husband made this tonight! It was delicious, I couldn’t stop eating it.
Love your blog! Finally, someone who doesn’t faux meat and tofu everything!
Made this with tomatoes and avocados and LIME juice, squeezed fresh on it. So amazing, reminds me of the chili/lime flavor you get at Thai restaurants. This is a favorite soup, a sort of Mexican/Thai mash up.
Thank you and keep it coming! Your dishes are taking me through my pregnancy…
This is one of the greatest kitchen successes I have had in a while! Thanks!
I made this soup today but had to make a few minor adjustments.. I used water instead of broth and probably as a result the soup tasted too plain. So I blended a fresh tomato and a handful of cilantro with a few ladles of the soup, This added a nice zest that my soup was lacking. Also, I’d never used sweet potatoes in soup before and found they got a little too soft after the soup sat for a little bit… Not too bad, but next time I won’t boil as long.
A tasty and healthy soup, I’ll surely make again!
I made this and it was fantastic!!!!
I made this today in Ecuador with leftover black beans and camote (Ecuador’s sweet potato equivalent with a brilliant purple color) and Swiss chard. Delicious! I linked your recipe from my blog, homelessvagabonds.wordpress.com. Thanks for the healthy inspiration!
This is my new favorite soup! I didn’t add much of the chili pepper and used a small red hot pepper, not sure what kind, it is delicious! Oh and I used less water/broth about 4 cups instead of 6.
Soup is the perfect thing for those cold winter days and the chilly fall ones as well. It’s starting to get cold where I am and I’m definitely excited to open up my soup cookbooks and start working on some warm meals. I think this would be a great addition to my recipes and definitely something I’d like to try because it’s so full of healthy (and yummy) ingredients.
Could I substitute regular quinoa?
yes, for sure!