Creamy Chickpea and Rice Soup (Vegan)
A simple creamy chickpea and rice soup that's vegan and gluten-free. This quick and easy soup is done in under 30 minutes with basic ingredients. It's the perfect vegan lunch or dinner for busy weeks and cold winter days.
Servings 5
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 1 cup white basmati rice, uncooked
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon summer savory
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups vegetable broth, no salt added (see notes)
- 1 cup oat milk, plain and unsweetened
- 1 can (19oz/540ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by preparing your ingredients.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the carrots and celery. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and let it toast for 1-2 minutes, then add the thyme, summer savory and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the vegetable broth and oat milk. Stir everything together, then bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, reduce heat to low-medium and let it simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and the rice is cooked. Stir in the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.
- Taste and add more salt if desired. Season with more pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
I love making this soup with white basmati rice. If you use brown basmati rice, you will need to cook the soup longer. Follow the package's instructions and let the soup simmer until the rice is completely cooked. The vegetables will be softer this way.
If you can't find summer savory, you could try making the soup with oregano, though I highly recommend making it with savory if you can find it.
If you use regular vegetable broth or low-sodium vegetable broth, you will need less added salt. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and increase the amount to taste.
Don't have oat milk? You could try making this soup with canned light coconut milk or plain and unsweetened almond milk. Coconut milk can add a light coconut flavor, so don't use it if you don't like coconut.
This soup will thicken as it sits and the rice will become softer. For this reason, if you're eating leftovers, you can thin the soup with a splash of broth. This soup is best eaten fresh, but it's still delicious eaten as leftovers.