This creamy vegetable rice soup is nourishing, delicious, and incredibly easy to prepare! It’ll warm ya right to your toes. Serve with a hunk of buttery bread for one satisfying meal.
Bringing you another creamy vegetable soup today!
If you follow Girl Heart Food, you know how much I love soup, especially in the middle of winter.
Can’t stop. Won’t stop.
This one is so cozy, and I’ve already made it about 10 times so far this year!
It’s super thick, lush and belly warming. With all those vegetables, it’s bound to fill ya up.
Snow clearing? You’ll want this soup.
Feel like you just can’t anymore with the cold weather? You’ll want this soup.
Watching a romantic comedy in cozy clothes? You get the picture.
Why We Love Vegetable Rice Soup
- It’s chock-full of nutritious veggies.
- Made with humble ingredients, it’s pretty budget friendly.
- It’s made made in one pot for easy cleanup.
- It tastes absolutely delicious!
How to Make This Soup
Full details in recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- In a large pot, cook leeks and garlic in some olive oil.
- Add carrot, celery, and mushrooms and cook for a little.
- Mix in diced sweet potato, some salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Stir to combine. Then add bay leaves, rinsed rice, and veggie broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook. Remove and discard bay leaves.
- Stir in baby spinach. It will naturally wilt with the hot broth.
- Add cashew cream and a little more salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine. Now this vegetable rice soup is ready to serve and enjoy!
Can I Use Dairy Instead of Cashew Cream?
Absolutely!
Sub out the cashew cream with about ½ to 1 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream.
What Type of Rice Should I Use?
I like to use a long-grain and wild rice blend. My rice cook time was about 15 to 20 minutes.
Other delicious rice options are brown rice, jasmine or basmati.
Tip: If you use a rice with a longer cook time, you may want to delay adding the vegetables so you don’t overcook them.
I wouldn’t recommend using, say, a quick-cooking rice here.
Tips and Variations
- Serving with a hunk of homemade bread is a must, in my opinion!
- A little splash of vinegar in this soup upon serving is delicious! I love vinegar!
- Use another leafy green vegetable, if you like. Swiss chard or kale words lovely. You just have to cook these a little longer to break down.
- Herbes de Provence is used (which is a mixture of herbs). You can find where you would get other dried herbs at your grocery. If you don’t have that on hand (or prefer to use something else), just use a mixture of herbs. Thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary and tarragon are all yummy.
More Delicious Veggie Soup Recipes
If you make this vegetable rice soup, be sure to leave a comment below!
Vegetable Rice Soup
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- ½ cup unsalted cashews
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Vegetable Rice Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small leek, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly into half moons (white, light green and tender darker green parts only, not the tougher dark green part), about 1.5 cups). Rinse well and drain before using as leek can contain debris/dirt between the layers.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into about ¼-inch slices
- 3 ribs celery, sliced into about ¼-inch slices
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced (or about 227 grams)
- 1 small sweet potato, cut into small cubes (about size of a dice)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1.5 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup long grain and wild rice blend, rinsed (see "Notes" below)
- 7 cups low sodium vegetable broth, divided (more if you want a looser or thinner consistency)
- 4 handfuls baby spinach, about 3 or 4 loosely packed cups
Instructions
Cashew Cream
- To a small saucepan, add cashews and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until cashews have softened. Drain and rinse. In a blender, blend cashews with ½ cup of vegetable broth and nutritional yeast until smooth (stop to scrape sides of blender, as necessary). Set aside.Note: A high-powered blender works best here for the smoothest consistency. Note: If you'd rather not use the cashew cream, you can omit OR stir in 1 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream instead.
Vegetable Rice Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add leek and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often.
- Add sweet potato, ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Stir to combine.
- Add bay leaves, rice, and 7 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to about medium-low heat) to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until veggies and rice are cooked. Remove bay leaves and discard.Note: A par-boiled long grain and wild rice blend is used here. My rice cook time was about 15 to 20 minutes. If you use anything that takes a little longer, you may way to add the rice first and then add the vegetables during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cook time so you don't overcook them.
- Uncover and stir in baby spinach until wilted. It will wilt with the heat from the soup.
- Stir in the cashew cream (or half-and-half or heavy cream if you are using dairy), remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!Note: If you want a looser or thinner consistency, add a little more vegetable broth and heat through.
Notes
- I use a long-grain and wild rice blend. My rice cook time was about 15 to 20 minutes. If you use anything that takes a little longer, you may way to start cooking the rice and add the vegetables during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cook time so it doesn’t overcook.
- I wouldn’t recommend using, say, a quick-cooking rice here.
- A little splash of vinegar in this soup upon serving is delicious!
- Herbes de Provence is used (which is a mixture of herbs). You can find where you would get other herbs at your grocery. If you don’t have that on hand (or prefer to use something else), just use a mixture of herbs. Thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary and tarragon are all yummy.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
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I can’t get enough soup these days – and now you’ve made it even easier for me to eat it more!! 😉 I can’t believe you used casher cream to thicken. This is going on the menu stat! xoxo
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same here! Thank you Annie! Enjoy. 🙂 XOXO
David @ Spiced
What an interesting and fun idea to use cashew cream to thicken this soup, Dawn. I’m on board! I love a good creamy soup…especially during this time of the year. (Who am I kidding? I love creamy soup any time of the year!) This one sounds delicious, and I could go for a bowl at lunch today. Do you deliver? Say around 11:45am? 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Wish I could!! Thanks David 🙂
Kevin
Soup is definitely the ultimate go to warm up comfort food during the winter seasons, and you’re right, can’t get enough of it! This creamy, packed full of veggies is one to make, over and over again. Perfection!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Kevin!
Valentina
So many beautiful and fresh ingredients in such a comforting cozy dish. Wishing this was already read on in my bowl. 🙂 I’m ready to be warmed right to my toes! 😉 Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thank you Valentina 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
I love how healthy and nutritious this is, whilst still being full of flavour! Delicious 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Alexandra! It’s a yummy one for sure 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I looove warm and cozy soups like this one Dawn!! It’s so hearty! My kids would actually eat it too, I would just have to remove some of the liquid. They’re weird like that, haha! You definitely need soup with the weather you guys have been having! Stay warm and safe!! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Me too! Lol! Too funny! Thanks Katherine…back at ya. 😉 XO
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
You’re so right Dawn! This soup looks totally cozy. Hearty and stick to your bones delicious. Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thank you Mary Ann!
Marissa
I’m with you, Dawn! Can’t get enough soup right now. And this one has so much good stuff – hearty, creamy, comforting!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thank you Marissa!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
What a lovely bowl of soup and I love this creamy version of the classic. Looks perfectly filling and delicious 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thanks Jennifer 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
Oohhh I can’t wait to try this one! Nothing beats soup in the winter! I could definitely go for a big bowl of this today. Hope you’re staying warm!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you love it, Kelsie! Thank you 🙂
Leanne
Cashew cream is my favourite way to thicken soups! This one looks so hearty with all the rice. We could sure use all the soups this week! Comfort food on repeat! Can you believe we’re into day 7 of the state of emergency?! Hope you’re staying safe Dawn! Pinning!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Can’t believe it! Thanks Leanne! Same to you 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
This is comfort food in a bowl! THere’s nothing better than a bowl of soup on a cold day! I love that this is so yummy and good for you too! Double win!!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I agree…thank you Kathy!