This rich and creamy quinoa soup is the perfect cozy comfort food and it’s completely plant-based. A rainbow of vegetables are simmered with quinoa and cannellini beans, and a rich homemade cashew cream takes this soup to the next level.

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I’ve been loving creamy soups lately but I wanted to start adding more creamy soups that were also vegan-friendly. After making my vegan wild rice soup with coconut milk, I wanted to think of other creamy substitutes. This time, I turned to cashews and I was pleasantly surprised and how they transformed this soup into a hearty, creamy dish.

The best part is, the only thing you need to make the cashew cream is cashews! Yep, that’s it! No fancy ingredients are required. It helps if you have a little time to soak your cashews in advance, but I also have tips for a quick soak method so you can make this soup in minutes! If you like this soup, be sure to try my vegan gnocchi soup or my curried chickpea soup, next!

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Olive oil– I used a little olive oil to help soften the vegetables, but if you wanted to make this an oil-free recipe, just use a splash of vegetable broth instead.
  • Onion– I used a yellow onion, but a white onion works fine too.
  • Carrots– I used pre-shredded carrots to save me some chopping but regular carrots are great, too!
  • Celery– This helps add a savory flavor to the soup and it’s an easy way to add more fiber.
  • Garlic– I buy pre-peeled garlic to make things easier. I don’t recommend pre-minced garlic, but you can use it if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Italian seasoning – I used an Italian seasoning blend, but I’ve included instructions to make your own if you don’t have that in your pantry.
  • Cannellini beans– These creamy white beans add protein and fiber. You can substitute with great northern beans or even chickpeas.
  • Quinoa– The quinoa simmers in the pot until it’s nice and fluffy. I used white quinoa, but red or tricolor quinoa will work the same.
  • Diced tomatoes– I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a little more flavor, but any diced tomatoes are fine.
  • Broth– I used Edward & Son’s “Not-chicken” broth which has a nice savory flavor. Feel free to use low-sodium broth if you’re watching your salt intake.
  • Cashews– You can use raw or roasted cashews, it really doesn’t matter. If you don’t want to make this recipe vegan, you can substitute the cashews for 2oz of cream cheese instead.
  • Kale- I added a little kale at the end because it’s an easy way to add some greens. You can substitute with spinach if you prefer.

How to Make Creamy Quinoa Soup