Rice and Vegetable Soup for a Sensitive Stomach — Gentle, Nourishing and Gut-Friendly
A soothing, easy-to-digest soup for sensitive guts — no garlic or onion, packed with well-tolerated vegetables and gentle on the digestive system.
Ingredients
- 80g round-grain white rice (such as risotto rice)
- 2 medium carrots (approx. 200g), peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 medium courgette (approx. 200g), cut into small dice
- 150g red kuri squash or butternut squash, peeled and cut into small dice
- 2 fresh chive stalks, finely snipped
- 1 litre vegetable stock, homemade or shop-bought (check the label: no garlic or onion in the ingredients)
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil (see tip within the recipe) or plain olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Fine salt, adjusted to tolerance
- Freshly ground white pepper, in small quantity (optional)
- A few fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve (optional)
Instructions
Preparation Steps
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Prepare your stock and vegetables. If using shop-bought stock, check the ingredients list carefully: avoid any stock containing onion or garlic extract, as these are sources of FODMAPs that can irritate a sensitive gut. A homemade stock made with carrots, a small amount of celery, thyme and a bay leaf is ideal. Peel and dice the carrots, courgette and squash into small, even pieces of approximately 1 cm — a uniform size ensures even cooking and better digestibility.
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Prepare the garlic-infused oil (optional but recommended for flavour). In a small saucepan or frying pan, gently warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a very low heat. Add 1 whole, lightly crushed garlic clove. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes, making sure the garlic never browns. Remove the clove before continuing. The infused oil carries all the flavour of garlic without the fructans, which remain in the clove and do not pass into the oil — a technique well supported by low-FODMAP approaches.
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Sauté the root vegetables. In a large saucepan, heat the infused (or plain) olive oil over a medium heat. Add the diced carrots and squash. Gently sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly, without allowing them to colour. This step helps release their aromas and improves the absorption of beta-carotenes, which are fat-soluble.
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Add the courgette and aromatics. Add the diced courgette to the pan and stir well. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Continue to sauté for a further 2 minutes.
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Rinse the rice before adding it. Place the white rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl with your fingers and drain. Repeat 2 to 3 times until the water runs almost clear. This rinsing removes excess surface starch, resulting in a cleaner, less starchy broth and a neater texture.
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Add the stock and start cooking. Add the rinsed rice to the pan with the vegetables. Pour in the litre of hot stock. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a low heat. Partially cover with a lid left slightly ajar.
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Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes. Leave to simmer until the rice is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are completely tender. Well-cooked vegetables are always better tolerated by a sensitive gut than those left with any bite. Stir from time to time to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. If the soup becomes too thick, add a little hot water.
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Remove the aromatics and adjust the seasoning. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust the salt sparingly — excess salt can, in some individuals, worsen digestive discomfort. Add a small pinch of white pepper if you wish (white pepper is generally better tolerated than black pepper when the gut is reactive).
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Serve and garnish. Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Scatter over the freshly snipped chives and a few parsley leaves. Serve immediately, piping hot. A warm bowl encourages the digestive tract to relax and supports comfort after eating.
💡 Gut-Friendly Tips & Adaptations
Strictly low-FODMAP version: Replace the squash with ordinary potato (well tolerated) or limit squash to 65g per portion. Always check your shop-bought stock — many brands contain onion or garlic extract, even so-called "natural" varieties.
Even gentler texture: Partially blend the soup using a stick blender to achieve a half-smooth, half-chunky consistency. This texture is particularly suitable during symptomatic phases or when gradually reintroducing foods.
Gently boost the prebiotic content: If you tolerate the soup well, add 1 spring onion green (the green part only, which is low-FODMAP) or a small handful of fresh spinach towards the end of cooking.
Storage: This soup keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently over a low heat, adding a splash of water if needed. Note: the rice will continue to absorb the stock as it sits, so the soup will thicken over time.
For the microbiome: If you'd like to take advantage of resistant starch, prepare the soup the day before, allow it to cool in the fridge and reheat gently. Cooling transforms a portion of the rice starch into resistant starch, which acts as a substrate for certain bacteria in the colon. Introduce this gradually if your gut is still particularly reactive.
🔎 Why This Soup Works for Sensitive Guts
| Ingredient | Digestive benefit | Point to watch | Alternative if needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| White rice | Very well tolerated, gentle energy, low fermentability | Low prebiotic content | Wholegrain rice if well tolerated |
| Cooked carrot | Excellent tolerance, gentle fibre, beta-carotene | None at standard quantities | — |
| Courgette | Light, low in FODMAPs, well tolerated | None at standard quantities | Well-cooked green beans |
| Squash | Gentle, energising, rich in carotenoids | Limit to ~65g/portion on low-FODMAP | Potato |
| Garlic-infused olive oil | Flavour without fructans | Avoid if garlic pieces remain in the oil | Plain olive oil |
| Chives / spring onion greens | Flavour, low-FODMAP | None | Parsley |
| Homemade stock without onion or garlic | Hydration, palatability | High salt content in shop-bought stock | Water with fresh herbs |