What’s better than a bowl of thick and hearty soup to warm your insides and soothe your soul? This Rice, Bean and Vegetable Soup is full of some of my favourite winter vegetables, including carrots, sweet potato and leeks. Cremini mushrooms add a deep rich, earthy flavour and rice and beans make the soup thick and hearty.
I haven’t made anything with rice in a while so that was my inspiration for this Rice, Bean and Vegetable Soup. That and the fact that we’re down to just one container of soup left in the freezer, and my guy LOVES to take soup for lunch, especially in the colder months.
I’m doing a personal challenge this month to be outside every day for 28 minutes (#28minutesfor28days) regardless of the weather, and the day after I began this challenge, we had a huge blustery snowstorm. I went outside anyway, and since the 60km wind gusts made going for a walk not fun at all, I shoveled the driveway instead to maintain my commitment to myself. As I was shoveling and being pelted by icy, wet snow I kept thinking about how amazing this soup was going to be when I went back inside. A bowl of piping hot homemade soup after shoveling snow warms the insides like nothing else, but that is not the only reason I was thinking about this Rice, Bean and Vegetable Soup. I was also thinking about how health supportive it is, and how it makes my body better prepared for activities like shovelling snow.
Rice and beans are a nutrient rich combination with numerous health benefits
Together, rice and beans provide all of the essential amino acids to form a complete source of protein.
Rice blend:
- is a good source of selenium, which is important in thyroid functions, cancer prevention (particularly colon cancer) and immune function.
- Choose wholegrain rice, as the milling process which creates white rice removes significant vital minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, including 90% of calcium, 75% of phosphorous, 70% of B vitamins and 15% of protein.
- Whole grain brown rice helps to reduce glucose and insulin response.
- Intake of whole grains is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease
Cannellini beans:
- are an excellent source of B vitamins, including folate to support brain health and cognition throughout life.
- help to lower blood pressure and improve heart health
- support blood sugar management
- contain soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber absorbs water and becomes gel-like in the digestive tract to remove bile, while insoluble fiber provides bulk to improve bowel regularity.
- are a good source of manganese, which is needed to produce the enzyme that combats free radicals.
Leeks and mushrooms are foundations and add unique flavour to this soup, so shouldn’t be swapped out. If you don’t have sweet potatoes though you can use butternut squash or double up the carrots. The more kinds of vegetables in the soup the more nutrients, phytonutrients and antioxidants, and the more flavour.
For other soups made with beans, try:
If you try this soup, I’d love to hear what you think or, if you make any changes, what you do differently. Leave a comment and rate it below.
Be sure to tag me on Facebook or Instagram so I can see your creations.
Rice, Bean and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small leeks (about 3 cups sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 medium carrots sliced
- 1 sweet potato 2 cups chopped
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 8 cups vegetable stock (or 4 cups stock and 4 cups water)
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ tsp dried turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- ½ cup parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cut all vegetables.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.
- Add leeks and sweat for 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, vegetable stock, wild rice, turmeric and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add beans, parsley, thyme and coconut milk to soup. Using an immersion blender, puree soup to desired consistency.
