Thyme-Scented Tomato Brown Rice Soup

Tomato brown rice soup features a classic pair of ingredients that are made for each other, enhanced by the fragrance of thyme. Swapping in brown rice for the usual white rice makes a comfort soup classic even heartier and more wholesome.

You can use any variety of brown rice you might have on hand — long, medium, short grain, or Basmati. That said, I like medium or short grain for soup, as these cook to a more tender texture.

What to serve with Tomato Brown Rice Soup

• The simplest way to round out the meal is with fresh whole grain bread. A fresh sourdough bread is fantastic with this, as is Jalapeño Cornbread. A simple slaw is the perfect kind of salad to serve with this soup; try Easy Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Fresh Dill.
• Serve with simple wraps like Easy Creamy Coleslaw & Portobello Wraps.
• Make it a winter soup-and-salad meal with Mixed Greens and Pear Salad with Maple Glazed Pecans.

Choosing sun-dried tomatoes

This is a soup filled with mild ingredients, so do take advantage of the one “flavor bomb” in the list — the sun-dried tomatoes. Oil-cured dried tomatoes have the most intense flavor, but fresh, moist oil-free version works well.

Don’t use dried tomatoes that are really dried out, as they won’t add much flavor; even with the slow cooking time, desiccated tomatoes may contribute a leathery texture that doesn’t do much for the mouth feel or taste of the soup.

Explore more …

• Southern-Style Okra Rice Soup
• Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Vegan rice recipes from around the world

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Yield: 8

Thyme-Scented Tomato Brown Rice Soup

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Tomato brown rice soup features a classic pair of ingredients that are made for each other, enhanced with the fragrance of thyme.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large celery stalks, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (see note)
• 3/4 cup raw brown rice, any variety, rinsed
• 1 large or 2 regular vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning blend (like Mrs. Dash)
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or leaves from several sprigs fresh thyme (reserve sprigs for garnish)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer gently for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the rice is tender.
3. If the soup is too thick, adjust the consistency with more water as needed, and return to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, or if time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so then heat through before serving. This soup thickens quite a bit as it stands. Add water and adjust the seasonings as needed.
4. If using fresh thyme, garnish each serving with a sprig or two.

Here are lots more vegan soups & stews.