In the last 5 minutes of simmering, I stir in the cooked rice. This just warms it through. If you add it too early, it disintegrates and makes the soup too thick. I then give the soup a final taste and adjust the seasoning—it often needs another pinch of salt to make all the flavors pop. I ladle the steaming soup into bowls and top it with a generous handful of shredded cheese. The heat from the soup melts it into a gooey, perfect blanket. A sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a lovely fresh note.
Pro Tips for Best Results
For a richer, deeper flavor, take an extra minute to properly brown the ground beef. Don’t just gray it—let it sit in the hot pot until you get crispy, caramelized edges. I also sometimes swap half the beef broth for a cup of a good red wine (like a Cabernet Sauvignon) added after the veggies, letting it reduce for a minute before adding the tomatoes. It adds a fantastic layer of complexity.
I’ve tested the rice method three different ways: uncooked rice simmered in the soup (too thick), cooked rice added at the end (perfect), and serving plain cooked rice in the bowl and ladling soup over it (great for leftovers). Adding cooked rice at the end is the winner for the right texture. It keeps its shape and doesn’t turn the soup into sludge.
To make this soup truly hands-off and deepen the flavors, use a slow cooker. After browning the beef and sautéing the onions and peppers (this step is still important for flavor!), transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except the rice. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Stir in the cooked rice during the last 30 minutes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
My biggest first-time mistake was adding uncooked rice directly to the soup. I thought it would cook in the broth like in a stew. An hour later, I had a thick, gloppy, rice-heavy mush where the rice had absorbed nearly all the liquid. Don’t do what I did! Always add cooked rice at the very end, just to warm through.(See the next page below to continue…)