Chickpea Wild Rice Soup (for the slow cooker!)

September 20, 2011 by Jessica

Have I ever mentioned that my CrockPot is my best kitchen friend?

My mom gifted me with one a few years ago & it was one of those things where at first I was thinking, “What the hell is a vegan going to do with a CrockPot?” I had always associated slow cookers with pot roasts, BBQ, chicken stews, and other meaty dishes. But then once I started using it, I fell in love & now I use it ALL THE TIME. It is seriously the best invention ever; what is cooler than tossing in a bunch of ingredients, pressing a button, leaving for work, then coming home to a delicious dinner? (Answer: Nothing.)

This really isn’t a sales pitch for slow cookers . It is just an (unsponsored, unsolicited) ode to one of my favorite kitchen appliances; I just love it, especially when the comfy cozy weather of autumn rolls around. And as for what a vegan can cook in the ol’ CrockPot? Well, for starters:

Chickpeas (seriously, try this method that involves no soaking – it will change your life)
Fat-free refried beans
Seitan pot roasts (there are several recipes in Julie Hasson‘s amazing cookbook, Vegan Diner)
Red Lentil Dhal
Apple Butter (planing on making this over the weekend!)
Overnight Oatmeal (substitute nondairy milk/cream for the half-and-half)

And… Chickpea Wild Rice Soup! (Recipe below, and adapted from here.) This is my new favorite meal & I already know that I will be making it a lot over the coming months. I even have local wild rice to use up from our trip to Duluth earlier this year!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks of celery (leaves included – they’re great for flavor), sliced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (approx 2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup wild rice, dry/uncooked
¾ cup flour
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp dry rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp curry powder
Lots of fresh black pepper
8 cups broth (I use 8 cups water + 3 not-chick’n bouillon cubes)
2 Tbsp Earth Balance nondairy butter (can be omitted but adds a nice richness)
2 generous cups cooked chickpeas
½ cup slivered almonds
1-2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk

Directions:

Add all ingredients, except nondairy milk, to slow cooker. Cover & cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in milk & let warm through. (Depending on how much water has soaked into the rice & evaporated during cooking, you will have to add the amount of milk you like for desired soupiness.)

Taste for seasoning, and add salt & pepper as desired. Garnish with fresh parsley & serve with your favorite crusty bread.

Yield: 6-8 servings (leftovers freeze very well)

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Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Recipes | Tagged beans, chickpeas, Dinner, Fall, Lunch, Minnesota, Recipes, rice, slow cooker, soup, soy-free, sugar-free, vegan, Winter | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on September 20, 2011 at 5:52 pm | Reply Heather (Where's the Beach)

This looks incredible – can almost smell it! Definitely need more crock pot recipes in my life.
on September 20, 2011 at 6:25 pm | Reply Mal

I’m going to make this right away, you had me at chickpeas plus I borrowed my mom’s crockpot well the hubby did to make some chicken concoction. He actually asked me like you were saying, what I could actually make in a crockpot : )
on September 20, 2011 at 7:06 pm | Reply Peggy

Yum!! Sounds great, Jessica! Thanks for sharing!!
on September 21, 2011 at 8:35 am | Reply Dena

This recipe came just in time! The weather here is rainy and damp, and this will definitely hit the spot!! Thanks so much.
on September 21, 2011 at 9:40 am | Reply Kari Lynn

I am so excited to make this!! You’re right- dinner doesn’t get much better than crock pot meals! I usually assemble everything in the crock the night before, so that the next morning I can just literally throw it on and go. Woo hoo!
on September 21, 2011 at 1:06 pm | Reply Maryann

Yummy – this is perfect for this weekend here in the Bay Area – it’s going to be so hot out. I can start in the morning and run all my errands and get gardening done – Yes!
on September 22, 2011 at 9:22 am | Reply Hannah (BitterSweet)

I have a slow cooker, but I’ve actually never used it. Can you believe that? Perhaps this is the year that I finally break it in. This sounds like such a perfectly comforting soup, it may be just the recipe to kick things off!
on September 22, 2011 at 2:38 pm | Reply Jesse @ Happy Go Lucky Vegan

This soup looks so hearty and perfect for the start of fall. Thanks for the recipe!
on September 23, 2011 at 2:06 pm | Reply Amy

I’ve been loving on my slow cooker lately too. This recipe looks great. I think I’ll make it on Sunday.
on September 23, 2011 at 6:54 pm | Reply M-A

I can’t wait to make this soup over the weekend. I made a vegetable barley soup in the crock pot last weekend. I hardly ever cook beans on the stove anymore, and we love, love, love, seitan roast in the slow cooker. My mom always used her crockpot for everything, so I get it honestly.
on September 24, 2011 at 7:09 pm | Reply Wynne

This looks awesome–thanks. I wonder why you start with cooked chickpeas; 8-10 hours seems long enough to do the job. But in your photo, it looks like they survive the extra cooking just fine.
- on September 24, 2011 at 9:25 pm | Reply Jessica
  
  Hi Wynne,
  
  The reason I use cooked chickpeas is because personally, I don’t like to use the soaking/cooking water from dried beans. I find that it tends to create bloating & digestive discomfort. You could certainly try the recipe with dried chickpeas if you like! Please let me know how it turns out if you do it that way.
  
  J-
on September 29, 2011 at 11:50 pm | Reply Friday already!? « Inside & Out

[...] Slow cooker Chickpea & Wild Rice Soup from The Domestic Vegan (looks incredible! Planning on leftovers from this [...]
on October 1, 2011 at 12:36 am | Reply Christina @ http://greytveganlife.wordpress.com/

I love fall simply because of the slow cooker. I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m with you on the cooked chickpeas. Never consume the liquid that the beans are cooked in…unless you live alone!
on October 7, 2011 at 9:46 am | Reply Uncomfortably Numb « Inside & Out

[...] The Domestic Vegan’s Chickpea Wild Rice Soup [...]
on November 7, 2011 at 3:15 pm | Reply Kris

Made this Saturday, with a few minor I’m-not-vegan changes, and just had my first bowl today for lunch (most things from a crock pot are better with at least one night in the fridge). I LOVE all of the textures – crunchy almonds (I chopped whole ones), chewy wild rice, creamy broth – that make for a satisfying meal. My husband wanted a little more kick so put a few dashes of Frank’s hot sauce in and said that the soup did very well standing up to and working with the hot sauce.
- on November 7, 2011 at 3:53 pm | Reply Jessica
  
  Awesome! So glad you & your husband enjoyed it! Hot sauce sounds like a great addition.
on January 17, 2012 at 5:45 pm | Reply Karen

Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it yesterday and it was delicious!!
on January 31, 2012 at 4:13 pm | Reply Slow Cooker Minnesota Wild Rice Soup (Vegan) |

[...] high and low for a healthy, vegan version and as luck would have it I found one on the blog The Domestic Vegan. Now you can certainly add chicken to this (if you must) or use regular butter, milk, etc. but I am [...]