Vegetarian Wild Rice Chowder
Meat Free and Dairy Free, Easy Vegan Soup Recipe
Delicious first course soup recipe. Hearty and satisfying vegetarian chowder will make the meat and potato lovers happy. Make it the day before and save time.
Holiday Dinners, Vegetarian Style
Thanksgiving and Christmas are traditionally known for pigging-out on turkey, sausage stuffing and all the dairy laden things vegans can't or won't eat. Whatever the reason - dietary or animal rights - these are hard holidays to cook for if you have a vegetarian guest coming for dinner. It is especially difficult if you have no idea what to make or how to make it. There are alternatives out there, and your guest will be appreciative that you took the time to care.
Time Saving Tips:
Vegetarian Wild Rice Chowder takes a little time to prepare, mostly chopping and dicing vegetables. However, it does make a large amount and can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated for the holiday. The wild rice takes an hour to cook and can also be cooked and refrigerated until ready to add to the chowder. Add a chopped red and green pepper and make it festive. For dairy-free chowder, soy or rice milk can be found in a Health Food store, or in the aisle of your favorite grocery store. It has the same shelf life regular dairy milk does and needs to be refrigerated once opened. Make sure the "milk" is plain and not flavored. This chowder makes great leftovers three days after Christmas when you can't stand to eat any more turkey!
The Recipe: Vegetarian Wild Rice Chowder
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice, the real kind, not instant
- 3 1/2 cups Water
- 6 Carrots, diced
- 3 cups Water
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- 2 tsp thyme, ground
- 3 cups water
- 8 Tbsp vegetable broth powder or 8 bouillon cubes
- 2 cups soy or rice "milk"
- 3 cups whole kernel corn
Directions:
- Cook rice in 3 1/2 cups water for 1 hour. Set aside or refrigerate for later.
- Cook carrots in 3 cups water until crisp tender. DO NOT drain. Set aside, reserving cooking water.
- In a large stock pot, saute garlic, onion and peppers in oil until golden.
- Add flour, salt, pepper, and thyme and stir to make a roux.
- Whisk in 3 cups water and broth powder or bouillon a little at a time
- Cook on low heat until thick, stirring often. Do Not boil.
- Stir in "milk" and add corn, rice, carrots and reserved carrot water.
- Serve with a big loaf of crusty bread, corn bread or beer bread.
- Serves 12-16
The recipe can be divided in half.
Meat Lovers Alternative:
Feel free to add sausage, beef, bacon or the dreaded leftover turkey!
If you liked this recipe, try these hearty soups and chowders:
Award Winning Vegetarian Chili
Vegetarian Pea Soup with Barley
