Avocado Pesto

  • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Socials

Home » Lemon Rice Soup with Salmon and Watercress {GF, DF}

Lemon Rice Soup with Salmon and Watercress {GF, DF}

Last Updated on April 9, 2019 By Vicky 11 Comments

Print Recipe Jump to Recipe
Lemon rice soup comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires 4 ingredients + a secret ingredient to make a super flavorful quick home made broth. A healthy gluten-free and dairy-free lunch doesn't get easier than this

Lemon rice soup comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires 4 ingredients + a secret ingredient to make a super flavorful quick home made broth. A healthy gluten-free and dairy-free lunch doesn’t get easier than this. Lemon rice soup with canned salmon and fresh watercressLemon rice soup is frequently accompanied by chicken and traditionally hails from Greece. And while I have nothing against Greece nor chicken lemon rice soup, I felt like the classic was well covered on the world wide web. I wanted to throw a new ingredient into the mix.

Ok two new ingredients -> salmon and watercress.

Canned salmon to be exact – which when added to soups becomes super flaky and soft, creating the perfect texture and easy protein boost. The watercress was added last minute because the soup needed some crunchy greens.

Watercress is one of my favorite greens to add to soup because it’s both light, fluffy and hearty at the same time. It’s bouncy and soft, with quite a gentle flavor and ever so slight crisp stems. No need to cook the watercress in the soup – just add it as a garnish. If you have some halibut on hand I also highly recommend you get around to making my halibut watercress soup.

This lemon rice soup also has a secret ingredient that makes for an easy super flavorful broth.

That secret ingredient is shrimp shells. Not shrimp, just the shells. Whenever I purchase shrimp I always save the shells (when removed off of the raw shrimp) and freeze them in ziplock bags. Those shells are then used to create a super flavorful seafood infused broth. You essentially just boil the shrimp shells in a pot full of water for 10 to 15 minutes. That’s it. Home made seafood broth is ready for all the other ingredients.

Once you remove the shrimp shells you add the rice to the pot. Cook until the rice is cooked through and then add the canned salmon, lemon juice and lemon zest.

When serving add in a handful of watercress and that’s it. Lemon rice soup for lunch!

After spending 2 months traveling around Italy and Greece this summer I’ve started thinking a lot about Mediterranean flavors and cooking versus American or Asian cooking styles.

My take-away? Simplicity. Mediterranean cooking is all about simplicity. There aren’t dozens of ingredients in the recipes; just a few simple ones. The ingredient count is low but the quality of each ingredient is super high. That’s why a most basic Italian pasta can leave you completely surprised and impressed because everything from freshly made pasta to high quality fragrant olive oil and the ripest plumpest heirloom tomatoes are the best in their category.

Asian cooking on the other hand is all about a marriage of flavors created with a tiny quantity of a dozen different ingredients. The complexity of flavors is created by adding both sweet and savory elements to create a fusion of the two (even if you might think you’re canceling out your fish sauce with the addition of sugar – you in fact, are not).

A lot of my recipes on this blog tend to have lengthy ingredient lists because this is a way of cooking I have grown accustomed to, but I would also love to show you that simplicity also makes for excellent meals.

As long as you focus and hone in on buying high quality ingredients even the simplest sounding recipes can be truly exceptional.

So while this lemon rice soup strays from the traditional Greek chicken lemon rice soup, I was essentially inspired to make this recipe with the Greek Mediterranean simplified style of cooking in mind.

5 from 1 vote
Lemon rice soup comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires 4 ingredients + a secret ingredient to make a super flavorful quick home made broth. A healthy gluten-free and dairy-free lunch doesn't get easier than this.
Print
Lemon Rice Soup with Salmon and Watercress {GF, DF}
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Lemon rice soup comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires 4 ingredients + a secret ingredient to make a super flavorful quick home made broth. A healthy gluten-free and dairy-free lunch doesn't get easier than this.
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Healthy
Servings: 4
Calories: 136 kcal
Author: Vicky Berman
Ingredients
  • 2 handful raw shrimp shells
  • 2 liters water
  • 1/3 cup rice uncooked
  • 2 6 ounce cans salmon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 handfuls watercress
Instructions
  1. Combine shrimp shells with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Remove shrimp shells from pot and discard.
  3. Add 1/3 cup rice. Cook for 10-15 minutes until rice is cooked through.
  4. Add canned salmon, lemon juice and zest. Mix. Add salt/pepper to taste.
  5. Serve topped with fresh watercress.
Recipe Notes

Optional - prepare the rice separately and just add to the soup when serving (if you plan on making a big batch of soup this is better because the rice will continue to expand the longer it sits in the broth)

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Rice Soup with Salmon and Watercress {GF, DF}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 242mg11%
Potassium 216mg6%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 70IU1%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 180mg18%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

After Post

Get Healthy Recipes Sent To Your Inbox

authorbio

How would you like to have a meal plan sent to you every Sunday to help you plan out the week and stay healthy?

And add me on social media!

« Vegan Broccoli Soup {Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30}
Frozen Key Lime Yogurt Alternative Treat {GF, Vegan} »

Comments

  1. Amy @ The Cook Report says

    August 22, 2017 at 4:47 pm

    Salmon and watercress is such a great combo, this soup sounds great

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:47 am

      Thanks! Couldn’t agree more!

      Reply
  2. Lisa | Garlic & Zest says

    August 22, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    This sounds like a really simple and delicious soup. I’ve never tried canned salmon before, but I’ve seen it in the market, so I’ll have to pick some up. Love the shrimp shells, they add so much flavor!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:48 am

      Thanks! Canned salmon is great to have on hand for a super quick recipe like this one! And yes shrimp shells are the BEST!

      Reply
  3. Debi at Life Currents says

    August 22, 2017 at 6:34 pm

    This soup sounds healthy and lovely! A great winter dinner, for sure!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:48 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  4. michele says

    August 22, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    my favorite soup is chicken lemon rice soup… this is such a fun twist… And how convenient that I happen to have some great salmon available!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:48 am

      Perfect timing!

      Reply
  5. Kate Thibodeaux says

    September 11, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Do you think a substitution with boxed seafood stock would give the same flavor?

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      September 11, 2017 at 4:28 pm

      Yes I think that would definitely work!

      Reply
  6. Allison says

    February 27, 2018 at 1:49 pm

    5 stars
    YUM – would love to try making this!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Featured and Popular

Quick Mexican Tuna Salad & Avocado Bowl Recipe {GF, DF}

Thai Veggie Quinoa Bowls {Gluten-Free, Vegan}

Raw Vegan Collard Wraps Recipe

Hi, I’m Vicky!

VICKY

About Avocado Pesto

I love to create unique, healthy recipes for people who want to maintain a variety of diets, like Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, etc. Read more about how I can help you plan your meals!

Check out these other delicious recipes from my blog!

Chilean sea bass FG_
Chickpea Flatbread
roasted potato wedges
Avocado Chickpea Salad with vegan pesto makes for the perfect lunch recipe that is ready in minutes. Super simple 5 ingredient recipe packed full of flavor and protein. Lunch or grill day appetizers don't get easier than this!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Garlic - Gluten Free and Vegan
This Caribbean Fish Curry recipe is a one pot meal ready in 30 minutes that is a creamy blend of coconut milk, tomatoes, curry spices and tender red snapper. Both Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
Vegan Quinoa Power Bowls with Roasted Veggies and Avocado Sauce Gluten-Free
Vegan-Creamy-Pumpkin-Pasta-with-Sage-Recipe
Quinoa Black Bean Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad Recipe
Tofu burger recipe made with sweet potatoes is the perfect healthy summer vegan lunch. Soft, and tender on the inside while lightly crispy on the outside, and full of flavor. Gluten-Free too. |avocadopesto.com
Lemon Rice makes for the perfect healthy side dish. With a flair of Indian flavors this lemon rice is made with turmeric, ginger, chili, lemon and Indian spices. Gluten Free and Vegan | avocadopesto.com
Baked pork chops make for the easiest 4 ingredient dinner ever. A classic family recipe passed down from my grandmother and the only way I ever make pork chops. Gluten Free too. You only need pork chops, onions, mayo and sharp cheddar (regular or vegan, for a dairy free recipe).
  • Dairy Free
    • Dairy Free Breakfast
    • Dairy Free Lunch
    • Dairy Free Dinner
    • Dairy Free Dessert
  • Gluten Free
    • Gluten Free Breakfast
    • Gluten Free Lunch
    • Gluten Free Dinner
    • Gluten Free Dessert
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Search
  • Vegan
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Lunch
    • Vegan Dinner
    • Vegan Dessert
  • Vegetarian
    • Vegetarian Breakfast
    • Vegetarian Lunch
    • Vegetarian Dinner
    • Vegetarian Dessert
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Work With Me
  • Shop
  • Privacy Policy
  • 30 mins or less

Copyright © 2023

285 shares
  • 2