The trick to making a rice soup without having bloated rice
Every once in a while I have cooking related nightmares. One real nightmare occurred while we were preparing a New Yearâs dinner at the restaurant. The theme centered around American cooking and since wild rice is a grain indigenous to the Americas I thought it would be appropriate to use it in one of our courses. I decided to prepare a wild mushroom soup with wild rice.
The day before the event we prepared all the components for the soup. We had pre-cooked the wild rice to al dente and were going to add that on New Years Eve as the base was heating.
We added the rice the recipe called for as the soup began to warm and went about other preparations as it was heating. Now Iâve had plenty of experience working with regular rice and I know how rice, especially when added to soups can bloat beyond belief. For some reason I thought that wild rice would be less inclined to do that. I was wrong. When I went to check on the soup the grains had completely absorbed most of the liquid and the contents resembled more a casserole than a soup. To make a long story short, we scrambled and did a recovery job but the results were far from perfect.
If you are ever inclined to make a soup with rice, resist the urge and ignore directions that tell you to add the rice to the broth. Cook the rice separately and warm the grains gently in the microwave right before serving. Spoon the rice into the soup bowl and then ladle the prepared soup around it. No matter what the recipe says do it like that. And this applies to any type of rice; heat the base of the soup independent of the rice and add the rice by spoonfuls to each bowl as it is being served.
I canât repair that New Yearâs dinner but I might keep you from making a similar mistake.
When to Add Rice to Soup, Stew or Gumbo even in a Crock Pot!
FAQ
When should I add uncooked rice to soup?
How do you keep rice from getting mushy in soup?
How do you add rice to soup without overcooking it?
Can cooked rice be added to soup?
Should you cook rice before cooking soup?
Undercooked grains can make the soup gritty and unpleasant to eat, while overcooked rice can become mushy and make the soup unappetizing. To avoid these issues, it’s best to cook rice separately and then add it to the soup near the end of cooking time.
What should I use to mix in boiled rice?
Adding veggies like carrots is a good way to vary it up. In addition to making the dish more beautiful and colorful, you enjoy the benefits of vegetables.
How to cook rice for Soup?
Cover the pot and let the rice cook for about 18-20 minutes or until it’s tender and has absorbed all of the liquid. Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly before adding it to your soup. Now that you know how to prepare rice for soup, you can easily add this delicious ingredient to your favorite soup recipes.
Can you add uncooked rice to soup?
You can add rice already cooked, or uncooked, to soup, but it does affect the recipe. Uncooked rice soaks up liquid, so you’ll need a lot more broth or water, and it may extend your soup’s cooking time. Adding uncooked rice to soup allows your rice to soak up the flavors of your recipe. However, it also requires a greater rice-to-liquid ratio.