Description
This Spicy Peanut and Wild Rice Soup is a comforting, flavorful dish combining hearty wild rice, sweet potatoes, and a creamy, spicy peanut sauce base. Slow-cooked to perfection in a crock pot, it delivers a rich texture with balanced heat and depth from garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and hot sauce. Garnished with fresh cilantro and crunchy peanuts, it makes for a satisfying vegan and gluten-free meal perfect for cozy days.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 large sweet potato
- ½ yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 5 cloves garlic
Grains & Legumes
- 1 cup wild rice
Liquids & Sauces
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (creamy)
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (like Sriracha)
Seasonings & Garnishes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Peanuts, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Peel and chop the sweet potato into cubes. Chop the yellow onion finely. Mince the garlic cloves and grate the fresh ginger. This prep ensures that all ingredients cook evenly and infuse maximum flavor.
- Combine ingredients in crock pot: In a large crock pot, add the chopped sweet potato, onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, wild rice, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine. This slow cooking method will allow the rice and vegetables to soften and meld flavors over time.
- Cook the soup: Set the crock pot to high and cook uncovered for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the wild rice is fully tender and the sweet potatoes are soft. This slow, gentle heat brings out the natural sweetness and depth in the soup.
- Blend part of the soup: Carefully remove about one third of the soup mixture and transfer it to a blender. Adding the peanut butter, tomato paste, and hot sauce to this portion, blend thoroughly until smooth. This step thickens the soup and creates the creamy, spicy peanut base.
- Incorporate blended mixture: Pour the blended peanut and tomato mixture back into the crock pot with the remaining soup. Stir well to combine all flavors evenly. Allow the soup to warm through for several minutes so the peanut butter and spices integrate fully.
- Season to taste: Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as desired. Adjust the hot sauce if more heat is preferred.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts for added texture and fresh herbal notes. Serve warm and enjoy the comforting layers of flavor.
Notes
- This soup is naturally vegan and gluten-free, making it suitable for those dietary needs.
- You can substitute the wild rice with a different grain like brown rice, but keep cooking times in mind.
- To reduce sodium, use low-sodium vegetable stock and adjust salt accordingly.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of hot sauce or omit entirely.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and reheat nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
