Packed full of vegetables and fiber, this wild rice and vegetable soup is a hearty one-pot meal that is perfect for a rainy day or cold winter night. Enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or an easy and healthy meal prep idea.
Everyone knows that it’s important to eat vegetables but, as the seasons change and the weather cools down, salads and raw vegetables tend to become less and less appealing. Fortunately, that’s where soup comes to the rescue! Essentially the warm version of a salad, soup (especially vegetable soup) is packed full of all of the goodness of a salad, it’s just heated up. Not only is vegetable soup rich in fiber, dense in nutrients, and a heart-warming way to get your veggies, but it makes a ton of servings in one batch and can, therefore, save you a ton of time in the kitchen.
This wild rice and vegetable soup calls for wild rice because I think it gives the best texture and provides some plant-based protein, however, you could use long-brain white or brown rice if you prefer, just be sure to adjust the cooking time. Once cooked, this soup stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months, making it a great meal prep idea the whole family is sure to love.
PrintWild Rice & Vegetable Soup
Packed full of colour, fibre and fresh vegetables, this wild rice and vegetable soup is a hearty one-pot meal that is vegetarian and gluten-free. This recipe calls for wild rice, but any long-grain rice would work equally well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soups
- Cuisine: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 4 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 14oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup wild rice, dry
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme or Italian seasoning, dried
- 1 pinch crushed chili flakes (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Parmesan, grated, to serve
Instructions
- In a large pot on medium heat, warm the olive oil.
- Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften.
- Add carrots, celery, and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender.
- Add salt, pepper, thyme, and chili flakes (optional) and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Pour in broth, water and tomatoes, add rice and bay leaf, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes until rice is tender.
- Once the rice is tender, add spinach, stir to combine, and cook for another 4-5 minutes until wilted.
- Once complete, give the soup a good stir to ensure that everything is well combined, remove the bay leaf and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. (You may need to add a bit more broth/water for desired consistency.)
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan.
- The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 206 calories
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Fat: 6 grams
- Carbohydrates: 36 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
Justine says
I’m going to make this! Just curious why freeze up to only 3 months? Do you think it would still be okay if kept frozen for 6 months?
Stephanie Kay says
Absolutely! Just make sure it’s an airtight container and it should be fine.
Rhona luck says
Great cold day treat.
Kelly Dettle says
Could this be thrown all together in a crock pot?
Stephanie Kay says
Most certainly! I have not tested it, however, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Cooking it on low for 4-5 hours should be more than enough time to cook the rice and the veggies.
Heather says
A delicious hearty soup. Will definitely make again!
Suzanne says
Hi Kay. This recipe looks really good. Would love to try. However I have heart issues and need to know sodium count and not just fats but sat fats that are important. Do you have those listed anywhere. I see grams of fat but no dat fats or sodium. Am I looking incorrectly? Let me know your recipes are really good!
Stephanie Kay says
The sodium content will vary based on the brand of broth you use and how much salt you season the soup with, so you will need to calculate that yourself. As for the saturated fat, this recipe contains 0.8 grams per serving.
Joanne says
Delicious & healthy soup! My husband even liked it & he is not a soup guy! I used fresh kale instead of spinach & it was the best!
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you for sharing, Joanne!
Jennett says
I love this hearty, satisfying soup. It freezes very well so I often take it to work. I plan to make it again this weekend. Excellent flavor!
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you for sharing, I’m so happy you enjoy it! 🙂
Tina says
The trifecta: easy(making and cleaning),quick,and delicious! I’m on a low,low sodium diet, but never sacrifice deliciousness. Omitted salt and parmesan. Used low sodium broth and no added sugar diced tomatoes, and a mix of wild and brown rice. Used 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tsp Italian spices. Two cups of soup was about 300 mg of sodium according to cronometer.com when I entered all my ingredients.Too delicious to have just a cup! So it came out to 4 servings. I had extra spinach I needed to use and am so happy I came across your website. Looking forward to exploring more deliciousness!!
Stephanie Kay says
Thanks for sharing, Tina! Just a note that the sodium content will vary based on the type of canned tomatoes, broth, and amount of seasoning added. 🙂