Quinoa Enchilada Soup is a healthy, protein-packed one-pot meal that is full of Mexican flavors!! It's a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free recipe that is extremely easy to make and freezer friendly. Serve it with a range of toppings for everyone to customize their own!
"Mumma this is the best soup!! Can I have it for my lunchbox too!!" - These were the words of my daughter after she tried the Quinoa Enchilada Soup for the very first time!!
I made this soup recipe for my cooking club and its meant to feed a crowd so I had some leftovers after my club. Was a bit skeptical if anyone at home would like it since the kids are just starting to like the soup concept and the hubby is not a big soup fan.
I on the contrary could live on soups so had planned to freeze and take it for lunch. But to my surprise, the kids and hubby wanted to try it and the leftovers were licked off clean.
This Enchilada Soup is
- vegan and gluten-free
- one pot, complete nutritious meal
- easy dump and go recipe
- loaded with veggies, beans, grain (quinoa)
- full of Mexican flavor
- hearty, healthy, and delicious
- perfect for cozy weeknight dinner
Enchilada is a popular Mexican dish. It comprises of filled and rolled tortilla (flatbread) topped with spicy enchilada sauce, lots of cheese, and baked until the cheese melts.
This recipe is a deconstructed version of an enchilada in soup form but instead of a tortilla, I've used quinoa here.
Quinoa is high in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants making it super nutritious. In addition to this, its gluten-free and an excellent source of protein making it a win-win grain over others.
You can make this soup either in a large heavy bottom pot on a stovetop or in the Instant Pot (my preferred way).
All you need to do is sauté some onions with garlic and cilanto, dump in the veggies, beans, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, vegetable broth, spices, and quinoa.
Stir to combine and cook until veggies and quinoa are cooked That's it! your delicious and hearty enchilada soup is ready!!
The soup on its own tastes amazing but the toppings make it even better and give everyone a chance to make it their own.
Without further ado, let's see how to make the best vegetarian enchilada soup.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beans - I prefer using canned black beans for this recipe but you can definitely add other beans like red kidney beans or pinto or even garbanzo beans.
- Veggies - I've used sweet potato, red bell pepper, frozen corn kernels and canned tomatoes for this soup. This combination along with beans tastes amazing but feel free to use any veggies you have on hand like carrots, celery, zucchini would be nice too!
- Grain/Carbs - I love Quinoa for this soup for the reason mentioned above. But you can swap quinoa with rice or pasta or even tortilla.
- Proteins - Quinoa and black beans double up as protein too so haven't added any meat as I wanted to keep it vegetarian. You can add tofu (vegan) or even chicken if you did like to make it more filling.
- Sauce - I've used red enchilada sauce for this recipe You could use store-bought or homemade sauce. Or replace with tomato sauce or puree.
- Aromatics - onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno optional.
- Seasonings - dry oregano, red chilli powder, cumin powder, black pepper, salt and lemon juice
- Veg Broth - I prefer using water mixed with better than bouillon vegetable base to create my broth. But you can use your favorite one or gluten-free option.
Instant Pot Step by Step Method
1 - Switch on the instant pot to sauté mode. Once it displays "HOT", add the olive oil followed by onions, garlic, and cilantro. Sauté until onions are translucent (approximately a minute).
2 to 4 - Next add in the veggies (red bell pepper, corn, sweet potato), black beans, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, spices (oregano, cumin, red chili powder/paprika, salt, and black pepper). Stir to combine and deglaze if needed.
5 and 6 - Add the quinoa and the vegetable broth and give it a goof stir so everything is well combined.
7 - Close the Instant Pot lid, vent in sealing position. Cook on Manual Or Pressure cook mode on High Pressure for 5 mins followed by a quick release. Natural pressure release works too.
8 - Press cancel. Open the lid and squeeze in some lemon juice, more cilantro and adjust seasoning if needed.
That's it easy, delicious and comforting Instant Pot enchilada soup is ready!
Note: To make this on the stovetop, follow the same steps as instant pot and bring the soup to boil and simmer until the veggies and quinoa is cooked. Please see the details in the recipe card below.
Serving and storage suggestion
Serve this vegetarian quinoa enchilada soup warm with a range of toppings so everyone can customize their own.
Some of my favorite topping choices for this soup are tortilla strips or chips, cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, jalapeños (optional), pico de gallo, green onions.
This soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days or frozen for longer usage. Just thaw, heat, and serve with toppings of choice on the side.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Instead of the canned bean, you can use pre-boiled beans of choice.
- I like the combination of veggies used as they go really well together but you can use veggies available to you.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes can be used instead of plain diced for additional flavor.
- Add cilantro during the cooking process really takes the soup to the next level. So highly recommend adding it.
- You can replace quinoa with rice or pasta.
- To replace quinoa with rice, wash rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Soak for 10-30mins mins until you prep the ingredients and then when ready, drain the water and add rice.
- You can also swap quinoa with pasta variety like penne or macaroni (elbows) or farfalle or shells, the cooking time will remain the same.
- To make it spicy, you can add a diced jalapeno while sauteing onions.
Frequently asked questions
I prefer this soup as is but you can thicken it using cornflour and water mixture at the end once the soup is cooked. Mix 1 teaspoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoon of water and mix well. Add this mixture to the soup while stirring constantly. Add more flour/water mix if it is not the consistency you desire. Keep stirring until it thickens.
Toppings like tortilla strips or chips, cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, jalapeños (optional), pico de gallo, green onions. To make it more filling, serve with some grilled cheese sandwich or side of vegetable quesadilla.
More delicious Mexican recipes
Hope you enjoy this vegan Quinoa Enchilada Soup!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Quinoa Enchilada Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen
- 1 15oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup sweet potato chopped in small cubes
- ½ cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 1 10 oz can enchilada sauce using mild, store bought or homemade
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes fire-roasted can be used too
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or paprika, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder adjust to taste
- 4 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- toppings: tortilla strips ,diced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, green onions.
Instructions
Using Instant Pot:
- Switch on the Instant pot to sauté mode.
- Once it displays “HOT”, add the olive oil followed by onions, garlic and cilantro. Sauté until onions are translucent (approximately a minute).
- Add the veggies (red bell pepper, corn, sweet potato), diced tomatoes, black beans, enchilada sauce, spices (oregano, cumin, red chili powder/paprika, salt and black pepper). Stir to combine and deglaze if needed.
- Add the quinoa the vegetable stock and give it one more stir so everything is well combined.
- Close the Instant Pot with lid, vent in sealing position.
- Cook on Manual (pressure cook) High Pressure for 5 mins and do a quick release when done (natural release will work as well). Press cancel.
- Open the lid, squeeze in some lemon juice and give it a stir. Enchilada soup is ready!!
- Serve warm with your choice of toppings - all or a combination of tortilla strips, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, jalapeños (optional), pico de gallo, lime and cilantro.
Using Stove top:
- Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven and once its hot, add onions, garlic and cilantro and sauté until onions are translucent (approximately a minute).
- Add the veggies (red bell pepper, corn, sweet potato), diced tomatoes, black beans, enchilada sauce, spices (oregano, cumin, red chili powder/paprika, salt and black pepper) quinoa and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and deglaze if needed.
- Bring it to boil and then reduce it to low-medium heat. Cover and cook until the quinoa is cooked and the veggies are fork tender.
- Lastly squeeze in some lemon juice and give it a good stir. Enchilada soup is ready!!
- Serve warm with your choice of toppings - all or a combination of tortilla strips, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, jalapeños (optional), pico de gallo, lime and cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Instead of the canned bean, you can use pre-boiled beans of choice.
- I like the combination of veggies used as they go really well together but you can use veggies available to you.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes can be used instead of plain diced for additional flavor.
- Add cilantro during the cooking process really takes the soup to the next level. So highly recommend adding it.
- You can replace quinoa with rice or pasta.
- To replace quinoa with rice, wash rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Soak for 10-30mins mins until you prep the ingredients and then when ready, drain the water and add rice.
- You can also swap quinoa with pasta variety like penne or macaroni (elbows) or farfalle or shells, the cooking time will remain the same.
- To make it spicy, you can add a diced jalapeno while sauteing onions.
In video you don’t show adding enchilada sauce. Do we need to add the full cab of sauce ?
Great catch:) Yes, please add 1 (10 oz) can of enchilada sauce as mentioned in the recipe. Thanks
Can’t wait to try Shwet- don’t cook much quinoa typically ( never know how to cook it) but I love soups. So the combo. sounds heavenly!
This recipe was a hit in my house. Well balanced meal. We paired it with crispy chilli cheese quesadillas and it was perfect! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Can't wait to try your other creations.
Hi Megha, Thank you for trying and so glad you liked it!! Its one of my favorite soups!! Loved the pairing with chilli cheese quesadillas.
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Hi Michele, Yes this can be made in a crockpot too. Add all ingredients (except spinach and broccoli) and cover and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours. Add spinach and broccoli toward the end.
So yummy and super easy to make. We followed your enchilada sauce recipe also and it’s so delicious!! We ended up making extra and freezing it to use later. Thank you for sharing this recipe and making our lives easy! It so hard to find healthy, yummy and quick to make recipes for working parents with kids! We’re going to try the teriyaki noodles next 😉
Thank you for such wonderful feedback!Makes me super happy to know you loved the recipe. These are some of my family favorites too! I am a working parent as well so my aim is to create nutritious easy meals that we all can enjoy. Again thank you 🙏 and looking forward to you trying the teriyaki noodles 😊