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Leek, Turnip and Rice Soup
![Leek, Turnip and Rice Soup](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2011/12/13/science/14recipehealth/14recipehealth-articleLarge-v2.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced
- 1pound turnips, cut in ½-inch dice
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 2quarts vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
- Salt to taste
- 1bay leaf
- ½cup rice, preferably arborio
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
- Garlic croutons for serving (optional)
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the leeks. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the turnips and continue to cook, stirring often, until the turnips are translucent and the leeks thoroughly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the stock or water, salt, bay leaf and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If serving as is, add pepper, stir in the parsley and serve, over croutons if desired, passing Parmesan at the table for sprinkling.
- For a pureed soup, use an immersion blender (or a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until the mixture is very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through and adjust salt. Stir in the pepper and parsley and serve, passing Parmesan at the table for sprinkling.
- Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead, but omit the rice. About 30 minutes before serving, bring back to a simmer, add the rice and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If you let the soup sit with the rice, it will continue to absorb the broth.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
This soup is quick and easy and is surprisingly rich and tasty. I have made it several times, and have added turnip greens or baby kale near the end of cooking, plus a juice of one lemon (the lemon really finishes the soup). I advise using broth and not water--makes the soup much richer. Some grated parmesan on top and this soup is sublime.
With regards to the puree or not to puree... I tried a halfway measure: That is I used a stick blender, and gave it a few whizzes. It kept the majority of the rice intact, but added a gentle creaminess and body to the broth. It may not be necessary if you've cooked the arborio rice through, and it's released it's silky starch. But if you're using a lower starch rice (like I do on occasion, when you just make do with what you have), you could blitz the soup a little more.
I needed to make a dent in the winter CSA collection and did not expect it to be as wonderful as it is. Did not puree and find that the texture is part of the appeal; used broth and agree that this probably lifts the flavors. Topped with coarse garlicky bread crumbs from my fridge (my Vitamix solution to stale bread) and pecorino. I suspect that my teens will love it, particularly if I offer bacon or sausage alongside.
This is a lovely quick and easy soup. I added some fresh thyme, but otherwise cooked it to the recipe. Don't skip the parsley and Parmesan at the end.
I've made this a few times and what stands out is including a small parmesan rind in the broth which enhances the flavors. I added a little chicken breast too and it turned out wonderful. The lemon squeeze at the end is also recommended.
I followed the recipe as written, but substituted RUTABAGA (aka yellow turnip) for more color + flavor. A real hit with my family :)
Cannot get enough of this terrific light soup. The turnips just melt into it.
Very yummy, can add pre-cooked rice part way through boiling the leeks. I tried it with a lemon as Mel D suggested, but found it overwhelmed the flavors. Just a squeeze would be sufficient! Might try with a slice of ginger next time too.
I swapped in riced cauliflower for the rice to lighten the carbs and it's still delicious! I also threw in a couple of fennel bulbs I had on hand. Added the lemon juice at the end and pureed about half of it. So good, so light, will make a lot in the future.
Just made double recipe for a church soup supper - is now all gone. As one reviewer suggested, I added a mix of super greens (kale, spinach, etc) at the end since that's what I had on hand. Not only adds color and nutrition but enhances flavor as well. Parmesan cheese is a must. Everyone loved it.
This was good but can be great with a few small tweaks -- butter instead of oil, definitely use stock, the parm rind, and grated parm on the top with a squeeze of lemon. I used basmati rice but I think that made it feel a little thin—arborio is probably best as it has more heft. But overall this is a supremely easy recipe with few ingredients and it tasted pretty great.
I made this last night and my DH loved it. I substituted quinoa for rice and added kale at the end. I also endorse the lemon juice. I added the juice of half a Meyer lemon, which really brightened it up. My husband LOVES turnips, I'm not such a fan. But I really enjoyed this soup!
This was Delicious! I felt like making the soup early in the day, but other cooks had scared me about the rice getting weird, so I used only ¼ cup of rice. The texture was excellent by dinnertime.
Benefits greatly from an acid. I chose sherry vinegar and it fit wonderfully.
Enough to feed a small army! I would half the leeks and double the turnips.
My husband hates turnips. But we received some from a neighbor, so this soup was on the docket. It is delicious! Added a parmesan rind, thyme, and doubled the parsley. Rice only needed to cook for 20 minutes.
Good. Needs a lot of salt. Agree with comment below about acid - I added Bermuda Sherry Pepper Sauce and drank a dry Finger Lakes Riesling. Definitely zhuzh it with the stick blender, and absolutely make the garlic croutons.
The turnips did not get translucent; they do need to be diced small, a bit too much work.
Made this to use up items from the winter farm box; used chicken broth(I like Pacific low sodium or no salt added) and put a parmesan rind in, as suggested. Made two modifications: added the turnip greens and a little Russian kale, shredded (about 1 cup), and switched the rice for cannellini beans--I want to eat thus during the week and the rice will make it super soggy; also beans are good for you and this type is compatible with turnips. It's delicious!!!
I added an extra 1/4 cup of rice. It made for a thicker, heartier soup.
Took some tips from others here. Added fresh thyme and lemon juice. Next time I’ll only had a bit of lemon juice to taste. A single lemon was too much. Soup was still good, but it overpowered everything else.
This is indeed an easy, fantastic, spring soup! I added some green garlic I had in the fridge. Yes, to a parm rind and a squirt of lemon, too. I can see white beans for protein, as well. Keeper!
Delish! Followed the suggestion of a lemon squeeze, and added white beans for some protein. The Parmesan brings it all together.
This was a great soup for March! I did take other reviewers advice and added a Parmesan rind while simmering, and finished with lemon zest and a little lemon juice. The broth was rich and flavorful, but the overall dish is light. I added a can of cannelloni beans for some protein and dandelion greens at the end (after puréeing) which were great. Instead of an immersion blender I puréed 2 cups of finished soup in the blender till smooth and stirred that back into the pot. It was perfect.
This is great, lemon juice and grated ginger, chicken stock. Delicious
Great recipe! I swapped the leeks for fennel, and added lemon juice at the end.
So delicious! I added a cops all sprig of thyme with the bay leaf and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Will make this again!
Let’s make this one!!
Made pretty much as-is, this light, simple soup is pure comfort food. Great relief from rich holiday food or when feeling funky. I’ve been making it for years. We get wonderful Tokyo turnips - baby turnips w/greens attached - so I definitely use those greens, but also often make it w/none. Using butter (w/olive oil)/some w.wine is good. I see some folks find it bland, others are wild about all sorts of additions. Much like stracciatella, this is meant to be simple, light. I love it like that
This soup was amazing. I used carrots instead of turnips, wild rice and added another quart of broth with 2 cans of garbanzo beans. The lemon was clutch.
Riiight, and … you made a completely different soup. “Carrot, Wild Rice (which technically isn’t rice), Garbanzo soup” … what does that have to do with this recipe? …. you just wanted us all to know that you found your own recipe amazing …
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