Winter Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas & Wild Rice [Vegan & Gluten-free]

Chickpeas and rice add a healthy dose of protein to this simple and satisfying winter vegetable soup. Moreover, parsnips and celery seed create a subtle earthy sweetness to the broth which makes this winter soup taste divine. Top with loads of fresh parsley and serve with a good slice of rye bread for hearty comfort food on any cold day. This vegetable soup recipe is vegan and gluten free.

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Winter vegetable Soup for an easy and satisfying meal

It’s no question that soup is one of my all time favourite things to make. I bet it ranks pretty high with other home cooks as well!  Soup is  an excellent recipe when you need to use up leftover fresh vegetables. Moreover, there’s nothing better than sitting down to an aromatic and savory bowl of warmth on a chilly day.

I made this winter vegetable soup for my mom last week while she was visiting. And, I don’t plan to ramble on too much as she’s been patiently waiting for this recipe to go live!

This winter vegetable soup is:

• Full of fiber and protein
• Vegan-friendly
• Gluten-free
• Easy to prepare
• Hearty, delicious and satisfying

Why I love this Winter Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas and Wild Rice

Parsnips and whole celery seed add subtle and earthy sweetness to this broth-based soup. You can easily reduce the amount of broth by a cup for a more stew like consistency.  Rice and chickpeas add protein and fiber which, in turn, makes this soup quite substantial along with all the root vegetables.

You can also opt to use brown rice or any rice you like, but you may have to reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes or so- wild rice blends tend to need longer cooking times in general. I used a big handful of fresh parsley on top simply because it’s what we had in the garden, but spinach or chopped chard would also be excellent here.

Reduce the amount of broth for a stew consistency

You can easily reduce the amount of broth by a ½ a cup for a more stew-like consistency.  Rice and chickpeas add protein and fiber which, in turn, makes this soup quite substantial already, along with all the root vegetables.

Easy substitutions for this recipe

Wild Rice – You can use brown rice or any rice you like, but you may have to reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes or so- wild rice blends tend to need longer cooking times in general.  Use the package instructions for directions on estimating the cooking time for your particular type of rice.

Chickpeas – if you prefer, you can use navy beans or white kidney beans in a 1:1 ratio. Black beans, pinto, or kidney beans would also work here.

Winter Vegetables – if you don’t enjoy parsnips, add more carrot to the recipe. Moreover, you could substitute parsnip for new potatoes in equal measure. Because potatoes contain more starch, you may want to add more broth to keep it from getting too thick.

Garnishes – I used a big handful of fresh parsley on top simply because it’s what we had in the garden, but spinach or chopped chard would also be excellent here.

Storing Winter Vegetable Soup

When it comes to winter meal prep, I love to make big batches and freeze some for later.  As such, you can double this recipe and cook it in a large pot. Let the soup cool to room temperature and portion some in freezer safe containers or bags.  The soups will last about 2-3 months frozen.

Defrost the soup overnight in the fridge and then place it in a soup pot, stirring occasionally, to reheat it. Moreover, you can skip the fridge defrosting and simply place the frozen soup directly into a soup pot. Reheat it over low until defrosted, stirring occasionally. Always bring the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally, to ensure it’s thoroughly heated.

5 from 8 votes

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Winter Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas & Wild Rice (vegan & gluten-free)

Wild rice and chickpeas add a healthy dose of protein to this simple and satisfying winter vegetable soup. Top with loads of fresh parsley, spinach or kale. This is a vegan soup recipe which also happens to be gluten free.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword vegetable soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 316 kcal

Author Heidi Richter

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 large carrot diced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 medium parsnip diced
• 1 medium leek sliced, white part only
• good splash of sherry cooking wine or white wine
• ½ cup wild rice uncooked
• ½ tsp whole celery seed
• 1 bay leaf
• sea salt & fresh black pepper to taste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Add the diced onion, garlic, carrot, celery, parsnip and leek and cook, stirring frequently, over medium high heat, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned (about 5 minutes).
   

2. De-glaze the pot with a splash of sherry cooking wine. Stir in the wild rice, celery seed and bay leaf. Add the vegetable broth and stir to combine.

3. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked. Stir in the chickpeas and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve with a generous helping of chopped fresh parsley, spinach or kale.

Recipe Notes

Parsnip can be exchanged for either additional carrot or diced new potatoes. WIld rice can be substituted for white or brown rice, however, cooking times will need to be adjusted to compensate. Use the package instructions for directions to estimate cooking times for your particular type of rice.

Nutrition Facts

Winter Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas & Wild Rice (vegan & gluten-free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 316 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1437mg62%

Potassium 548mg16%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 3686IU74%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 81mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.

Need more comfort food this season?

For more gluten-free and vegan soup recipes like this one, visit the below links:

Sweet Potato Soup with Red Lentils and Hemp Hearts

Moroccan Chickpea and Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Leek Potato and White Bean Soup

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