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 along 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.
- 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 prepared cashew cream and a little more salt and pepper; stir to combine.
- Now this vegetable rice soup is ready 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 green, 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 (cozy and delicious!)
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 pot, add cashews, along with 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until cashews have softened. Drain & rinse. In a blender, blend cashews with ½ cup of veggie 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 (I use a Dutch oven) over medium heat.
- Add leek and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cook 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 (see note below), and 7 cups of veggie broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to about medium-low heat) to a simmer. Cover and cook 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.
- Stir in reserved 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. Add baby spinach and stir through. It will wilt with the heat from the soup. Serve and enjoy!Note: If you want a looser or thinner consistency, add a little more 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.
Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
