Sopa de Arroz with Vegetables and Lime Recipe
Sopa de arroz is a light rice soup that in Mexico is often served as a first course before the main meal. It’s delicate, but thanks to lime and herbs it has a fresh, distinct flavour that awakens the appetite. It’s a good option for a calm, home-cooked weekday lunch when you want something warm but not heavy.
Sopa de arroz is the essence of Mexican home cooking – a light rice soup meant to warm you up without filling you up before the main course. Delicate stock, the sweetness of carrot and tomatoes, and fresh lime create a flavour that is both soothing and appetite-stimulating. It’s a great example of how a few simple ingredients can become something that tastes like it came from a small cantina on a side street.
Chef's tips
Add the rice dry and sauté it briefly until it turns glassy – this makes the soup more aromatic and helps the grains keep their shape. Be careful not to overcook the rice; start checking it after 15 minutes, as different varieties have different cooking times. Add the lime juice at the end, after taking the soup off the heat – if it boils, it will lose its freshness and some of its citrus aroma.
How to serve
Serve in small bowls as a first course before tacos, enchiladas or roast chicken – just as it’s done in Mexican homes. The soup pairs well with water infused with cucumber and lime or a light agua fresca made from seasonal fruit. It’s a great idea for a calm midweek dinner after work when you need something warming but want to be on the sofa with a book after 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- rice - 150 g
- carrot - 2 piece
- celery stalks - 2 stalks
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- canned tomatoes - 200 g
- vegetable stock - 1 l
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- fresh coriander chopped - 10 g
- lime - 1 piece
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- salt - 0.75 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Peel the carrot and dice it finely. Slice the celery stalks into thin pieces. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the carrot, celery and garlic. Fry for another 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly but do not brown.
- Add the dry rice to the pot and stir for about 1 minute, until each grain is coated with a thin layer of fat and looks slightly glassy.
- Add the canned tomatoes, bay leaf and pour in the stock. Mix thoroughly, scraping up anything that may have caught on the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15–18 minutes, until the rice is tender but not overcooked. Stir from time to time so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Finally, season the soup with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf. Add the juice of half a lime, stir and taste – if you like a more sour flavour, add the remaining juice.
- Finely chop the coriander. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Storage
Store leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid, so when reheating, add a little water or stock to bring it back to a soup-like consistency. Reheat gently on the stove, without boiling vigorously.
