This Vegetable Rice Soup is a delicious and nutritious one-pot winter warmer. Loaded with flavor from a rich, tomato based broth and crunchy veggies. Makes a great meal prep for the busy week.
This vegan rice soup is delicious and easy to make with just a few, budget friendly ingredients. Just like in this Carrot and sweet potato soup or this Sweet potato, coconut and chilli soup, the perfect warming bowl of soup for a chilly day.
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The Ingredients
This veggie rice soup only require a few ingredients that are listed below.
For the full ingredient measurements, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Onion, chopped
- Carrots, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces.
- Celery, thinly sliced or chopped.
- Zucchini, chopped in large chunks since it will cook faster than the other veggies.
- Garlic, minced
- Olive oil, or other oil of choice.
- Diced tomatoes, with their juices. Pasata or other canned tomatoes of choice also works.
- Long grain white rice, like basmati rice.
- Vegetable broth, or broth of choice.
- Spices: Sweet paprika, Italian seasoning blend, Red pepper flakes, Bay leaves, salt and pepper
- Fresh basil or parsley, for topping
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Making this vegetable soup with rice is easy and fast. Follow along with the step-by-step photos and instruction below.
For the full written instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Step 1: In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add the oil and sauté the onion, carrot, zucchini and celery for about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the garlic and spices and let cook with the veggies for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Step 3: Pour in the vegetable broth and add the diced tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil and add the rice. Stir well and reduce to a simmer until the rice and vegetables are tender. Add more vegetable broth or water if needed while the soup cooks. Stir often so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Step 4: Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with some fresh parsley or basil. Serve with some crunchy bread and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
- Onion – This recipe has a chopped yellow onion, but a red onion or a leek can be used.
- Grains – Instead of the long grained rice, brown rice or quinoa are other good options. Adjust the cook time according to the package instructions.
- Broth – Use a store-bought or homemade vegetable broth. This can also be replaced with any broth of choice, if not vegan or vegetarian. Water can also be used, but the soup won’t have the same depth of flavor.
- Carrots – They add a nice sweetness and lots of nutrients to this soup. Can also be replaced with either pumpkin, butternut squash or sweet potato.
- Protein – Add some protein to this vegetarian soup with rice. At the end of the cook time, add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, beans or lentils of choice. Just like in this Vegan Taco Soup or this Spiced carrot and lentil soup..
- Ad-ins – This soup has a lot of veggies, but add more or exchange the veggies for some of the following. Chopped red bell pepper, diced potato or sweet potato, sweet corn, chopped eggplant or veggies of choice.
- Spicy – The soup has a hint of heat from some added red pepper flakes. If you like it spicy, add more to taste or try this Sweet potato, coconut and chilli soup.
- Herbs – Top the soup with some chopped, fresh parsley. Another option is some fresh basil.
This Vegetable Rice Soup is a delicious and nutritious one-pot winter warmer. Loaded with flavor from a rich, tomato based broth and crunchy veggies. Makes a great meal prep for the busy week.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil,
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced in big chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups vegetable broth plus more if needed
- 2 (14 oz/ 400 g) cans diced tomatoes, with juices
- ¾ cup long grain white rice, rinsed
- To serve: fresh parsley or basil, chopped
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In a large dutch oven or pot, add the oil and sauté the onion, carrot, zucchini and celery for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and let cook with the veggies for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
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Pour in the vegetable broth and add the diced tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil and add the rice. Stir well and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice and vegetables are tender. Add more vegetable broth or water if needed while the soup cooks. Stir often so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
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Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with some fresh parsley or basil. Serve with some crunchy bread and enjoy!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze this soup for up to 2-3 months.
How to best store soup
Soups like this one-pot rice vegetable soup are great for meal prep! This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, to make lots of handy leftovers. Store the soup in the fridge for the week or freeze for later. Follow the instructions below for how to best store soup:
- Refrigerator: Cool down leftover soup fast and pour it into an airtight container, seal tight with the lid. The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: The soup can also be frozen. Follow the directions for the fridge, or add the cooled soup into freezer friendly ziplock bags. Carefully try to press out any air from the bag, and seal them tight so the soup won’t leak. The soup will expand a little when frozen so don’t overfill the container. Freeze the soup for 2–3 months.
- Reheat: The soup can be reheated in 2 different ways, in the microwave, or on the stove. The fastest and easiest way, is to reheat one bowl of soup in the microwave. Heat on high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until it is piping hot and bubbling. Stir well and let the soup sit for about 30 seconds before serving, this allows the heat to evenly distribute. Serve hot and do not save reheated leftovers.
- If reheating large amounts of soup, I recommend heating it on the stove. Add the soup to a large pot and heat on low to medium heat, stirring often until the soup comes to a simmer. Serve hot and do not save reheated leftovers.
Top Tip
The veggies in this rice soup still have a little bite to them. Cut the carrot into smaller pieces than the zucchini, since the carrot takes longer to cook. If you like softer vegetables, let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes before adding the rice. Add more vegetable broth or water as needed.
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