Minestra di Riso
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.
Servings: 6 servings
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1743IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
