Creamy lemon rice soup

It's rich and creamy thanks to a secret ingredient: blended white beans. Whether you're feeling under the weather or just need a cozy, nourishing meal on a cold winter night, this soup is there when you need it most. To make it extra filling, we sometimes add shredded rotisserie chicken before serving. Keep in mind that the rice soaks up a lot of liquid, so if you have leftovers, you'll need to stir in more broth when reheating.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1½ cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• One 151oz (439g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable broth, divided
• ½ cup arborio rice
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach, packed
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill

Method:

1. To a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmers or slightly ripples, add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until translucent.
2. Stir in the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and celery are softened.
3. To a blender, add the beans and 1 cup of the vegetable broth and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended beans to the soup pot and add the remaining 5 cups vegetable broth, as well as the rice, bay leaves, salt, oregano, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, until the rice is al dente.
4. Stir in the spinach, lemon juice, parsley, and dill and cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Taste and add more of the lemon juice as desired. Remove the bay leaves, then serve hot.