Creamy Winter Vegetable Soup’s beautiful golden-colored centerpiece is rice, making for a comfort food soup infused with the mild and mellow flavors of roots and squash, and the slightly citrusy flavor of marjoram.

Rice is used to thicken as well as to enrich this warming winter soup. Very soft rice works best, so if your cooked rice is quite firm, add it to the pot as the vegetables are simmering to cook it a little longer.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size onion, diced
1 carrot, chopped
¼ cup minced celery
1 Yukon Gold or other potato, peeled and diced
1 cup diced butternut squash
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
5 cups water
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 cup cooked white beans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Minced fresh Italian parsley or chives, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the potato, squash, garlic, marjoram, and water, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the cooked rice and remove from heat.

2. Puree the soup mixture, in batches, in a food processor until smooth and return to the saucepan. Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with the parsley or chives.

Serves 4.