Cupboard Soup

I posted this on my other blog and thought other people might like a nice gluten-free, vegetarian soup recipe.

From Random Heather:

I tossed a bunch of canned food yesterday that had expired and it killed me. Ugh. I hate waste, but throwing away food is the worst. Especially since if I'd been a little more organized I could have avoided the spoilage.

Today I decided to use up a bunch of canned foods that were precariously close to their expiration point. I want to be sure nothing else goes to waste just because I forgot.

I decided to make Cupboard Soup, an idea of my own creation. (See also: Mulligan Stew and Stone Soup.) Since I'm such a dear I wrote everything down so I could share the recipe with you, my three readers.

Cupboard Soup

1 14.5 ounce can Stewed Tomatoes with Onion, Celery, and Bell Peppers (I think somebody gave this to me, I seriously don't remember buying this and I can't think of any recipe I wanted to try that uses it.)

1 14.5 ounce can Diced Tomatoes

2 cups Broth (I used a Gluten-Free, Vegan Chicken Broth powder)

1 15.5 ounce can Black Beans

1 15.5 ounce can Red Beans

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt (Regular and Sea Salt would probably work just as well, Kosher was just the first one I saw in my cupboard.)

4 cups Cooked Rice (I used Jasmine Rice that was left over and sitting in my fridge. If I'd had more or less then that's what would have gone in the pot!)

Over medium high heat add the tomatoes to a good sized stock pot. Bring them up to a heavy simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and the undrained beans. Turn down the heat to medium. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Mix the salt in well. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and leave it until the rice has absorbed as much liquid as you'd like. For us it was about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle it with grated Parmesan if that's the kind of thing you like.

This makes a big pot of Cupboard Soup, enough for our family of 5 to have seconds and some left over for Eric's lunch tomorrow.

That's with Parmesan on the right and without on the left.

To give credit where it's due, I based my soup on a recipe I got from Real Simple Magazine. I've added all kinds of things to that Minestrone, and I think you could do the same thing to this soup. Whatever veggies you've got, fresh, frozen, or canned. (Just be sure to add them last if it's a kind that gets mushy.) Pasta, brown rice, chopped potatoes, whatever. I've also added leftover chicken to the minestrone, and if I'd had some I would have added it this time.

Usually Eric isn't a big fan of  the Minestrone I make, he said this is his favorite version. As a matter of fact, he said I have to make it like this from now on. I am allowed to add chicken if I want!

As it stands this is a vegetarian (possibly Vegan) recipe, it makes a great meal. It's incredibly filling.

If you actually make this recipe I would love to hear about it in the comments. Let me know what you added or left out and how you and your family like it!