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This easy vegetarian-friendly soup with escarole and brown rice is surprisingly filling thanks to the brown rice. And with less than 150 calories per serving, it’s guilt-free too!
Enjoy this soup with a simple side salad or warm crusty bread for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
Having finished with vegetables and fruits, our little group of bloggers working its way through Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (by Martha Stewart and the editors of Whole Living Magazine) move on to grains and legumes, beginning with Brown Rice.
Rice is a significant part of the diet for much of the world. Did you know that each day about half the world’s population gets as much as half of its daily calories from this grain? (I sure didn’t.)
Brown rice, considered a whole grain because it’s bran and germ is still present, is much more nutritious than white rice which has had it’s bran and germ polished away. Each cup of brown rice has about 3.5 grams of fiber and is an excellent source of manganese, as well as a good source of selenium, magnesium, vitamin E and the B vitamins.
Whole grains, like brown rice, are great for weight loss too. According to a long running Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women’s Hospital study, women who consume more whole grains consistently weigh less than those who eat less of these fiber-rich foods!
I chose a simple escarole and brown rice soup that is slightly adapted from The UltraMetabolism Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes that Will Turn on Your Fat-Burning DNA (affiliate link). It’s thick, hearty and satisfying, but with a delicate flavor. With just a few ingredients it’s easy to make.
While I made it on the stovetop, I think it would work well in the slow cooker too.
I made a few adjustments to this recipe, cutting back on the olive oil and using yellow onion instead of shallots to avoid having to make a trip to the grocery store.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Soup?
According to my calculations, each 1-cup serving has about 144 calories and:
3 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
3 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
3 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
4 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
More soups under 200 calories per serving you might also like: Skinny Slow Cooker Back-on-Track Soup, Potato Leek Soup, Crock Pot Potato Onion Soup, Easy Asparagus Minestrone and Crock Pot White Bean Soup with Fennel
If you’ve made this Brown Rice Soup with Escarole, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
{38 Power Foods} Escarole and Brown Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head escarole (about 1 pound)
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons minced shallot (I used onion instead)
- 3 tablespoons minced celery
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup brown rice
- 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth (affiliate link)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove any discolored or damaged outer leaves from the escarole. Wash the escarole thoroughly. The best way to do this is soak the leaves in a large bowl of water for several minutes and then gently remove them without disrupting any sand or dirt that may have settled in the bottom of the bowl.
- Cut the escarole leaves crosswise into 3/4-inch thick ribbons.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shallots and celery and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and rice and stir to coat with oil.
- Add the escarole and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until it wilts.
- Add the broth and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook covered, until the rice is tender, about 35 minutes.
- Stir in the black pepper.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sources:
- The UltraMetabolism Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes that Will Turn on Your Fat-Burning DNA (affiliate link)
- Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link)
- The World’s Healthiest Foods
More Weight Watchers Friendly Brown Rice Recipes…
- My post and recipe for Tomatoes, Basil and Brown Rice
- Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole – like a burrito in a bowl (Weight Watchers)
- Simple to make and very healthy Pineapple Brown Rice (Skinny Kitchen)
- How to make foolproof oven baked brown rice (A Veggie Venture)
- A skinny healthy recipe for Brown Fried Rice (SkinnyTaste)
I love escarole soup and can’t wait to try this version with some hearty brown rice.
Mmmm, this sounds so good! What a great winter soup. I love the celery in there too. I think you and I do have similar taste.
I have never had Escarole. I think the fact that it might be a little bitter gives me pause. this soups recipe makes me think I should try it soon!
Beautiful, quick soup, Martha. Sounds filling, too. WW loves brown rice! Have a great weekend.
I LOVE Escarole. You just don’t see too many recipes for it. Yum!
Martha, thanks so much for including my recipe for pineapple brown rice in your Weight Watchers friendly brown rice recipes!!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
With best wishes,
Nancy