Wild Rice Soup Recipe (Vegan Version!) (2024)

FAQs

What rice doesn t get mushy in soup? ›

The Best Rice Varieties For Your Soup

If you prefer to cook rice in your soup broth anyway, long-grain rice varieties like Basmati or Jasmine work best as they have an easier time retaining their shape. Be prepared to make more broth or stock since the rice will absorb quite a bit of the liquid.

Sometimes creamy and oftentimes brothy, chicken and wild rice soup originated in the Midwest, where the rice grows abundantly. Wild rice used to be considered a luxury ingredient, but it quickly found its way into hearty, flavorsome soups like this one.

Unwashed rice

Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. You can also place rice and water in a bowl and change the water several times. Soaking rice before cooking helps the grains absorb water better, resulting in fluffy rice with an even texture.

Rinse the Rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. This helps prevent the rice from becoming sticky as it cooks. 2. Use the Right Ratio of Water to Rice: Use the appropriate water-to-rice ratio for the type of rice you are cooking.

Wild rice is a type of grain derived from grasses in the Zizania genus of plants. Compared with other types of rice, wild rice is significantly lower in carbs, with 32 grams of net carbs in each 1 cup (164 gram) serving of cooked wild rice ( 18 ). Plus, wild rice is brimming with health-promoting antioxidants.

Research has shown that wild rice has powerful antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. It's also a rich source of dietary fiber. Getting sufficient dietary fiber is essential for keeping cholesterol low. Wild rice is a good source of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA).

Nutrition Facts

Containing more than 12% protein uncooked, wild rice is significantly more rich in protein than common white rice or most other grains. It is high in complex carbohydrates and is a good source of fiber. In contrast, its sodium content is refreshingly low. Wild rice also offers exquisite flavor.

You'll need 1-2 tbsp of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cool water. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add a little bit of the cornstarch slurry to the bubbly soup a few minutes before serving. Stir and allow it to come to a simmer, and watch it thicken.

Brown rice: You can substitute the wild rice with brown rice and cook for about the same amount of time. White rice: You can add long grain white rice to the soup after you remove the chicken and cook for about 10-12 minutes (add the cauliflower after the rice has been cooking 6 minutes).

What wine goes with wild rice soup? ›

Suggested pairing

Pair creamy soups with full-bodied, unoaked white wines like Chenin Blanc from South Africa.

Any variety of rice can easily become oversaturated with liquids in a soup, and the same can happen with pasta like orzo, too. Cooking grains and pasta separately before adding them to soup becomes especially useful when it's time to store leftovers. Rice will become mushy if you leave it in broth overnight.

Best rice for soup

Most types of rice is great for soup. White, brown, wild rice, black rice, sushi rice, basmati and jasmine rice are all great. Even risotto rice and paella rice work! For brown and wild rice, these take longer to cook than the simmer time for the soup.

The rice will cook in the hot chicken stock, soaking up all the tasty flavors as it softens. That said, if you have leftover cooked rice you want to use instead, you may do that, but know that you won't need as much stock or broth since the cooked rice won't soak as much of it up.

If you are ever inclined to make a soup with rice, resist the urge and ignore directions that tell you to add the rice to the broth. Cook the rice separately and warm the grains gently in the microwave right before serving.