1 ½cupsuncooked long-grain white rice(white or brown)
Salt & pepperto taste
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and use a spoon to break up the meat. Cook until no longer pink while breaking into small pieces, about 5 minutes.
Add frozen pepper & onion blend. Stir together and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in 1 jar pasta sauce and 2 cups vegetable broth. Stir everything together. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low temp and cover pot. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While soup is cooking, bring 2 cups water and 1 cup vegetable broth to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Add uncooked rice. Cover and reduce to low temp. Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat.
Add rice to soup and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I usually add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and go from there.)
Portion into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you prefer to use brown rice, you absolutely can. You'll need 3 cups cooked rice total for this recipe.
With 3 cups of rice, this soup comes out hearty and thick. If you want a thinner soup, add 2 cups cooked rice (2 cups liquid + 1 cup uncooked rice) instead.