Easy, Creamy Tomato Rice Soup

by Ashleu Schuering on December 4, 2024 0 comments

My deliciously creamy, delightfully hearty Tomato Rice Soup is comfort food to the max. Best of all, it’s a snap to throw together with almost zero active prep time required!

No doubt about it—we’ve officially made it to soup season. After all, when the weather outside is chilly, what better way to get warm and cozy than with a bowl of homemade goodness? I mean, other than pairing said yumminess with some crispy slices of air fryer garlic bread? Nothing, I tell you!

Whether I go for protein-packed options like chicken meatball soup and creamy taco soup with ground beef, or opt for veggie-packed choices like vegetable gnocchi soup or my lightened-up broccoli cheddar soup, I’m never sad when I make a pot.

In my quest to add a little sunshine to this dreary, busy season, I wanted to make my bright, cheerful grilled cheese and tomato soup recipe, but tweak the soup part to be a little heartier so I didn’t have to dirty a sandwich pan. My first thought was rice, but then I’d still be dirtying a second pot.

Enter Success Rice! With no measuring or mess, I can make a fragrant batch of perfectly fluffy jasmine rice—ideal for adding deliciously carb-y bulk to my soup in just 10 minutes flat. Since the rice gets boiled in the bag, cleaning the extra pot takes mere seconds! Totally doable, even on my busiest days.

Want more clever ideas for how Success Rice can help you level up your dinner game? Try my cheesy buffalo chicken rice casserole, copycat Sweetgreen crispy rice bowl, and Mediterranean chicken rice bowl next!

Why You’ll Love This Rice & Tomato Soup Recipe

Quick & Easy – Aside from dicing an onion and mincing some garlic (both of which can be avoided by using store-bought shortcuts), there’s zero prep required. Just do a quick sauté, add a few ingredients, simmer for 30 minutes, and voila! Dinner is served.
Season’s Eatings – This old-fashioned tomato rice soup is rich, hearty, delightfully cozy, and full of fresh, Italian-inspired flavors. It’s the perfect meal for the dead of winter—it’s sure to remind you of sunnier days ahead!
Guaranteed Success – Before Success Rice, I hated having to cook rice. Do you rinse, or no? What’s the perfect water to rice ratio? How do you keep it from sticking to the pot? Should I keep it covered, and for how long? Do I have to use a special rice cooker? But with Success Rice, there’s no guesswork—it’s foolproof and fancy free!

Nutritional Deep Dive

Each bowl of this tomato and rice soup delivers an impressive 9 grams of protein alongside a perfectly respectable 33 grams of carbs and 14 grams of fat—all in just 280 calories! If you’re looking for a light n’ lovely meal, this is it.

Of course, there’s plenty of ways for you to customize your bowl to suit your dietary needs. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Need more protein? Add browned ground beef or ground turkey, or add moist shredded chicken breast. Using bone broth in place of chicken stock will also add a bit. For a vegetarian option, consider adding beans—when paired with rice, they make a perfect protein!
Craving more fiber? Swap in Success Rice boil-in-bag brown rice, or serve alongside multigrain toast for a quick boost. You can also amp up the veggies—I love adding greens like tender baby spinach, peppery arugula or watercress. Carrots and celery are always welcome too. If you’re adding beans for protein, bonus! They also bring plenty of fiber to the table.
On a low-carb journey? Use cauliflower rice instead.
Watching your fat intake? Swap in lighter half n’ half in place of the heavy cream to immediately cut calories. You’re also welcome to use less half n’ half, or omit the creamy addition altogether.

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: White rice sometimes gets overlooked when people discuss “healthy ingredients,” but it shouldn’t be! Aside from bringing a satisfying, carb-a-licious texture to our creamy tomato soup, it also adds a bevy of nutrients. Jasmine rice is an excellent source of iron and folate (a serving provides 11% & 23% of your recommended daily values, respectively!), both of which are particularly important for women. Additionally, it boasts some impressive antioxidant stats by bringing 37% of your daily recommended manganese to the table. So, next time you wave off rice as being an “empty carb,” think again!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, we’re keeping our list short and sweet:

Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice – Like I said earlier, these brilliant little packets make weeknight rice feel so much more attainable! Of course you are welcome to swap in 1 heaping cup of the cooked long-grain rice of your choice.
Butter – Because butter makes everything better, right? If possible, use organic butter from grass-fed cows for heart-healthy benefits. You can also use olive oil if you prefer!
Onion & Garlic – I tend to reach for yellow onions for this tomato rice soup recipe, as they’re a bit sweeter and become softer than white onions. That said, red or white onions can certainly be used, as can shallots.
Italian Seasoning – One bottle, a bunch of flavors. Premixed spice blends are a godsend on busy nights!
Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes – I like to think of this pantry staple as my secret gateway to summer. If possible, opt for Italian San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor.
Chicken Stock – Feel free to use store-bought or homemade chicken broth, or swap in vegetable broth or bouillon and water if you prefer. Note that some store-bought stocks are quite high in sodium, so hold off on seasoning too aggressively until after simmering.
Heavy Cream – For extra richness. You can also use half & half if you prefer to keep things lighter!
Fresh Basil – Fresh herbs add lovely brightness to everything they touch, and tomato basil is a spectacular pairing. In a pinch, use about 1 ¼ tablespoons of dried basil instead.
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese and/or Ricotta Cheese – Optional for garnishing, but recommended for maximum tastiness.
Salt & Black Pepper – Because every meal needs the basics! Use sea salt or kosher salt instead of iodized table salt to avoid any bitterness. Freshly ground pepper will always be more potent than the pre-ground kind that comes in a tin.

How To Make Tomato Rice Soup

You’ll love how quickly this delicious meal comes together:

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics. Add the butter, onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Step 2: Simmer. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot. Combine and bring to a boil. Then cover, turn the heat to low, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Blend. Next remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth, thick consistency.

Step 4: Final Touches. Add the half & half, fresh basil, and cooked rice to the pot with the blended tomato soup. Stir to combine, seasoning as needed.

Step 5: Serve & Enjoy! I like to serve each bowl of soup with extra fresh basil, freshly grated parmesan, and a spoonful of ricotta cheese, but you do you.

sautéed onions, garlic, butter, and Italian seasoning in the bottom of a pot for making soup.

Optional Variations

Need to make some edits to this recipe for tomato soup with rice? You should feel empowered to do so! Here are a few adaptations to try:

Dairy-Free – Feel free to either swap out the butter for olive oil and omit the cream and cheesy toppings, or swap in your favorite vegan butter, cream, and cheese alternatives!
Vegan – Use the instructions above to make your rice tomato soup dairy-free, then use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. (Note that this will reduce the protein a bit.)
Chicken Tomato Rice Soup – Another classic favorite. If you go this route, you can either add in shredded leftover chicken, or go for a chicken parmesan vibe by adding slices of crusted chicken romano.
More Ideas – Hop back up to the nutritional deep dive for more ideas on how to customize this soup to fit your diet!

Expert Tips

Use Success Rice! Tomato soup and rice go together like peas and carrots, but nobody wants to make life unnecessarily complicated. Their genius boil-in-bag rice sachets have helped me make rice a constant on my menu!
Immersion Blender FTW – If you don’t yet have one, go get yourself an immersion blender. Making blended soups has never been easier or less messy! You can obviously use a regular blender if needed, but make sure to work in batches and use a clean kitchen towel to hold down the lid so the steam doesn’t cause any spatters.
Extra Shortcuts – Feeling lazy? I don’t blame you. Swap in frozen diced onions and jarred minced garlic to make your prep work nearly nonexistent.
Season to Taste – If you’ve ever watched any competition cooking show, you know salt can make or break a dish. I recommend seasoning the aromatics a bit in step 1 to encourage sweating and impart flavor right from the get-go, then taste and season again throughout the process.

Serving Suggestions

Tomato Rice Soup is a cozy, comforting dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of sides and serving ideas. Whether you’re planning a simple lunch or a hearty dinner, here are some creative ways to enjoy it:

Soup & Salad Lunch: Pair your tomato rice soup with a crisp green salad topped with a zesty vinaigrette for a light yet satisfying midday meal.
Classic Bread Bowl: Serve the soup in a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl for a rustic presentation. As a bonus, there won’t be bowls to clean afterwards!
Classic Sidekick: Match your soup with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, perfect for dipping and soaking up every flavorful bite.
Toppings Bar Fun: Hosting folks for dinner? Set up a bar with various yummy toppings like shredded cheese, fresh herbs, sour cream or greek yogurt, and croutons, then let everyone customize their perfect bowl.
Comfort Food Duo: Pair with garlic bread or cheesy breadsticks for a carb-loaded comfort food feast.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigeration: Leftover tomato rice soup will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Due to the addition of cream, freezing is not recommended—dairy-based soups tend to separate under extremely cold temps. If you omit the dairy, however, it will freeze well for up to 3 months!
Reheating: I recommend simmering leftover soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Make sure to not let it come to a boil, or the cream may separate. You can also use the microwave if you prefer, but go slowly to prevent overheating.

FAQs

Should you cook rice before adding it to soup? How do you add rice to soup without it getting soggy?

Yes! I recommend cooking your rice before adding it to soup. Why? Doing so gives you greater control over how cooked the rice is, thus helping prevent sogginess. Plus, cooking rice separately gives you the chance to perfect the consistency and thickness of your soup without soaking up too much liquid! In short, the best way to avoid soggy rice is to cook it separately and add it right before serving.

Can you put rice in tomato soup? Is it good?

Making tomato soup with rice is super yummy in my book. The rice adds a nice “bite,” plus helps it feel more filling.

Is tomato rice soup healthy?

“Healthy” is a relative term that means lots of different things to lots of different people, and I’m neither a medical nor dietary professional. That said, this soup is relatively low calorie (just 280 calories per serving) and has a nice balance of macros (9 grams protein, 33 grams carbs, and 14 grams fat), so I have no qualms about eating it with wild abandon!

Can I freeze tomato rice soup?

If you use cream or half n’ half, I don’t recommend it. Hop up to the Storage & Reheating section above for more details on when you can vs. when you shouldn’t freeze it.

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