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A really simple and delicious Italian Rice Soup (Minestra di Riso) made with vegetables, arborio rice, fresh parsley and topped with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano. A soothing soup to keep you warm and cosy.
Minestra di riso just means ‘rice soup’ in Italian and has many different variations.
This is a base recipe that we love because it’s so simple and comforting just as it is but it can be adapted in so many different ways depending on what you feel like or what you have on hand.
Why not add shredded chicken, extra veggies or even swap the rice for pasta. The list is endless and it’s so cosy and comforting on a chilly day.
Best of all this soup is made with very basic store-cupboard ingredients so even if you don’t want to venture out in the cold you’ll likely have everything you need to make this.
Top tip – chop double the amount of veg and freeze it so you can make this soup anytime.
Ingredients
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Pin ItIngredient notes and substitutions
- Soffritto (carrot, celery and onion) – try to use an even amount of each vegetable and chop them a similar size so they all cook evenly.
- Garlic – keep it whole but peeled.
- Stock – we use chicken stock but you can use vegetable stock too. Use low sodium if possible and add salt to taste.
- Arborio rice – any risotto rice will do for this recipe such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano.
Step by step photos and instructions
- Prep and saute veg – finely chop the soffritto (carrot, celery and onion) and peel the garlic clove but keep it whole. Add 1-2 tablespoons fo olive oil to a large pot on a medium heat. Saute the veg and garlic until soft but not browned (about 10 minutes) (photo 1).
- Add stock – once the veg is soft, add the stock and bring to a boil (photo 2).
- Add rice – once the stock is boiling, add the rice and cook until al dente and cooked through (about 20 minutes) (photo 3).
- Finish and serve – when the rice is done, check for seasoning and add any salt if needed along with some black pepper. Stir in the finely chopped fresh parsley and serve in bowls topped with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (photo 4).
What to do with leftovers
Adding rice or pasta to soup can make leftovers tricky because the rice or pasta absorbs a lot of liquid and turns soft or mushy.
It’s also very important not to reheat cooked rice more than once so if you don’t plan on eating all of the soup straight away I recommend cooking the rice separately. Use a separate pot (you can do this in salted water or stock) add the rice to your bowl and ladle over the soup.
It’s fine to reheat any leftover soup you have (only reheat once if the rice has been added and make sure it’s piping hot) but the rice will be a lot softer.
Recipe Tips
- Good quality stock – using good quality stock makes all the difference here (either chicken or vegetable). If it’s store-bought, try to buy low-sodium stock so you can adjust the salt to taste. Some store-bought stocks can be way to salty.
- Cook your soffritto slowly – carrot, celery and onion is used as a base for lots of soups, sauces and stews. It can add so much depth of flavour but it’s important to cook it slowly on a medium/low heat until the vegetables soften but don’t brown. If they start to brown turn down the heat and add a touch more olive oil to stop it catching. Cook the veg for at least 10 minutes for the best flavour.
- Other herbs to add – if you don’t like or have parsley you can add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme at the same time as the veg. Remove it along with the garlic when the soup is done. You could also try fresh basil.
- Add chicken – shredded roast chicken is a really nice addition. If you have some, add it in a few minutes before the end to heat through.
- Leftovers – see my note above on how to prepare the soup in advance and/or reheat leftovers.
More delicious soup recipes to try
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Step By Step Photos Above
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Minestra di Riso
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot , or 2 small, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery , finely chopped
- 1 brown onion , finely chopped
- 1 whole clove garlic
- 1 cup (200g) arborio rice
- 8.5 cups (2 litres) low-sodium chicken stock, or veg stock
- 1 small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot and heat on a medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables with 1 whole, peeled clove of garlic and saute the veg for 10-15 minutes until soft but not browned.
- Tip: if you are using low sodium stock you can sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt as the saute.
- When the veg has softened add the stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiling add the rice and cook uncovered until cooked through (about 20 minutes).
- When the rice is done turn off the heat and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the chopped fresh parsley and stir into the soup. Serve in bowls topped with a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Chop double the veg – if you prep double the amount of vegetables you can freeze half for another day. It makes this soup even quicker and easier to make.
- Good quality stock – using good quality stock makes all the difference here (either chicken or vegetable). If it’s store-bought, try to buy low-sodium stock so you can adjust the salt to taste. Some store-bought stocks can be way to salty.
- Other herbs to add – if you don’t like or have parsley you can add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme at the same time as the veg. Remove it along with the garlic when the soup is done. You could also try fresh basil.
- Add chicken – shredded roast chicken is a really nice addition. If you have some, add it in a few minutes before the end to heat through.
- Leftovers – don’t reheat leftovers more than once. If you don’t plan on eating all of the soup right away I recommend cooking the rice separately in either salted water or stock as the rice will get softer the longer it is left in liquid.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious delicious! Perfect and easy to prepare. Reminded me of cold Sundays when my mom would make soup instead of pasta which is funny because we always got upset! What?? No macaroni?? But the soup was always delicious.
This is my comfort food! Nothing like a bowl of chicken soup to warm and comfort me in the Autumn. I make my own chicken broth(stock) with the slow cooker (2 to 3 days). Thank you for sharing this simple and delicious recipe.
Yum! This is my comfort food. So simple but yet no warming and tasty. Light yet incredibly satisfying. It may sound heretical but I find this is a great way to recycle leftover Chinese takeout rice.
Thanks so much Frank, I love this kind of wholesome cooking too, just so simple and delicious! I’m too cautious to reheat takeout rice though lol