This hearty tomato and rice soup is an easy and budget-friendly dinner idea! With just a few pantry staples, this recipe comes together quickly.

tomato and rice soup
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This tomato and rice soup is super filling and packed with healthy ingredients. It sticks to your ribs a little more than a bowl of standard tomato soup, but it doesn’t require any crazy ingredients. I kept it super simple with just pantry staples but if you want to take it to the next level, I recommend blending in a few ounces of cream cheese or adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

How to Make Tomato and Rice Soup

I’ve made lots of variations of tomato soup over the past year or two, but the addition of brown rice takes it from a side dish to the main dish. This is also a very economical soup as all of the ingredients are quite inexpensive. If you’re making a large batch for a group and you’re on a budget, try this one out.

Just a few pantry staples can be transformed into delicious tomato soup while your rice cooks at the same time.

brown rice
Prepare the rice and set aside.
Tomato and Rice Soup
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil.
Tomato and Rice Soup
Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, oregano, and vegetable broth.
Tomato and Rice Soup
Add the cooked rice, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.

Substitutions & Variations

  • For a richer, creamier flavor, add 2oz of cream cheese to the soup just before adding the brown rice. Stir until the cream cheese melts into the soup.
  • You can use white or brown rice, but I used brown rice because it has more protein and fiber than white rice. I like the slightly chewier texture in this soup.
  • If you want the soup to be smooth, blend it slightly before adding the rice. See below for tips on blending hot soup.
  • If you enjoy this simple tomato soup, try this tomato and corn soup, next!

How to Blend Hot Tomato Soup

  • When blending soup, I use an immersion blender because it’s less messy and it’s easier to achieve the perfect consistency. I like my soup a little chunky so an immersion blender lets me combine all the ingredients without making it perfectly smooth.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can still blend this soup in a blender. I recommend working in batches and letting the soup cool slightly before transferring, just so you don’t burn yourself. Remember to allow steam to escape from the blender so the soup doesn’t explode.
  • Do NOT try to blend the hot soup in a bullet-style blender like a Nutribullet or Magic Bullet. The steam must escape or you risk an explosion!
tomato and rice soup

How to Store Leftovers

You can keep leftover soup in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to one month. To reheat it, microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until evenly heated. If the soup is frozen, first defrost the soup in the microwave then continue to heat until warm. If you don’t have a microwave, you can reheat it on the stovetop. Add the soup to a saucepan and cook over low-medium heat until warm.

What to Serve with Tomato and Rice Soup

Grilled cheese is a classic pairing, but there are plenty of variations to try! To switch things up, try this sweet potato grilled cheese with kale and gruyere. If you’re like me and you love a crusty loaf of bread with your soup, consider a Wildgrain subscription! They deliver sourdough bread straight to your door and you can keep it in your freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it. If you need a gluten free option, try this gluten free focaccia recipe. You could also pair this tomato soup with this spicy kale salad for an easy way to add more greens to your plate!

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Tomato and Rice Soup

Tomato and Rice Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 17 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vegan & gluten free
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Description

This hearty tomato and rice soup is an easy and budget-friendly dinner idea! With just a few pantry staples, this recipe comes together quickly.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3/4 cup brown rice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt to taste
  • 2oz cream cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
  3. Add in the diced onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.
  4. Add the tomato paste and oregano and stir until the onion is coated, continuing to cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the vegetable broth and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
  6. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  7. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to blend the soup.
  8. Transfer the soup back to the pot and add the brown rice. Cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
  9. If using the cream cheese, stir the cream cheese into the soup at the end of cooking.

Notes

For a richer, creamier flavor, add 2oz of cream cheese just before adding the brown rice. Stir until the cream cheese melts into the soup.

This recipe was originally published December 2013. Updated August 2022.