Happy Eats!

Looking for an easy way to add creaminess to pureed soups without adding high fat dairy products like whole milk or heavy cream? Simply add plain white rice near the begnning of the cooking time. By the time the soup is done, the rice will be very soft. So when you puree the soup, the rice will break down and give the soup a creamy white texture.

I like this method for a number of reasons. First, it’s easy - how hard is it to throw a handful of rice into a pot of soup?

Second, the rice adds a little extra texture, so the soup has plenty of body and “heft” to it, even though you haven’t added any fat.

Third, rice adds a clean neutral taste, which doesn’t fight with the flavor of vegetables, meats, or fish. This makes the rice method extra nice for soups that feature a single outstanding vegetable, such as hearty roasted red peppers or delicate asparagus.

And finally, you don’t have to go on a hunting expedition for special “health food” ingredients. Don’t get me wrong, I often use soy milk or other non-dairy substitutes whenever they add extra nutrition or make a significant difference in flavor or texture. But face it, sometimes you just don’t have those special ingredients on hand - and you’re in no mood to make a special trip to the store. But you’re bound to have some white rice in your cupboard!

Thickening with cooked rice even works for non-pureed soups, like cream of chicken. Cook the rice separately, the way you would cook pasta, in an ample amount of boiling water. When it’s very, very tender, drain it in a colander. Then puree however much rice you need in a blender, using some of the broth from the soup to help the blending process along. Stir this “rice cream” into the soup, and wah lah - instant creaminess with zero added fat!