Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is a hearty, creamy, and delicious soup. Made with wild rice, fresh vegetables, and greens. This easy, comforting soup is packed with proteins and veggies! This recipe can be made vegan and gluten-free. 

 

 

WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is a thick and creamy soup, without any cream. Made with hearty wild rice, fresh vegetables, and herbs. Love how well the flavors come together in a bowl. Flavorful and easy to make, this is the perfect soup recipe to warm you up on a cold day!

I like fresh and the least processed ingredients. I believe the quality of ingredients does make a difference, the food tastes great and is healthy too.

The key ingredient or I must say the star of this recipe is wild rice. You can use wild rice, wild blend rice, or brown rice, works fine in this recipe. I used wild blend rice, as that’s what I had in hand.

I love to use fresh veggies in season. To add a medley of colors and flavors, I used some onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and my favorite mushrooms. I prefer cremini mushrooms, you can use mushrooms of your choice.

Fresh herbs are a great flavor buster. Feel free to use fresh or dried herbs to your liking.

Of all the spices, one spice I love is nutmeg. I think it adds a ton of flavor to this soup. Just a few grates of nutmeg are all you need to add that magical touch to this soup.

I have used vegetable broth for this recipe, as I would like to keep it vegetarian. You can use water or chicken broth, works just fine.

For the richness in the soup, you can use heavy cream, half and a half o,r milk,works great. I did not use any cream in my soup, I found this soup just creamy and delectable as is.

INGREDIENTS FOR WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

1 cup wild blend rice or wild rice, uncooked

8-ounce Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth

4-ounce kale leaves, roughly chopped; discard the woody, thick stems

3-4 sprigs of fresh Thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary

1 Bay leaf

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE ROUX

4 tablespoon butter; For vegan use oil or vegan butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

2 cups milk; the recipe uses whole milk; For vegan use plant-based milk

Pic Shown: Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

 

 

DIRECTIONS FOR WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

I always look for some quick and hearty recipes that are easy to make and can feed an army.

This wild rice mushroom soup is just one of those meals. This soup requires a minimum of prep and sautéing, making it one of my go-to rerecipesor a hearty meal. It tastes as if this soup has been simmered for hours and only gets better with time.

I love cooking in Instant Pot. The best part is it requires zero monitoring, just set it and forget it. How cool it is? Here’s how I make this cozy and delicious wild rice mushroom soup in Instant Pot.

INSTANT POT WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

Add all the ingredients except kale, to the inner pot. Add broth, and mix well.

Turn ON pressure cook (high) for 30 minutes. Followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release.

 

 

In a saucepan, melt butter over mmedium-highheat. Add flour and sauté for a minute, or the raw smell of flour is gone.

Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes, to slightly thicken.

 

 

Open the Instant Pot lid. Discard bay leaf, and sprigs of fresh herbs (if using).

Turn on sauté mode (normal). Add kale, roux mixture, and freshly grated nutmeg. 

Simmer the soup for 3-5 minutes, or to the desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Turn OFF sauté.

Note: The soup will thicken as it cools down.

Enjoy wild rice mushroom soup with some salad and some crusty bread!

 

 

Pic Shown: Instant Pot Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

 

 

STOVETOP WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add all the ingredients except kale. Add broth, and mix well.

Bring the soup to a boil, and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to low. Simmer the soup for 45-50 minutes, or the rice is tender.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and sauté for a minute, or the raw smell of flour is gone.

Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes, to slightly thicken.

Discard bay leaf, and sprigs of fresh herbs (if using).

Add kale, roux mixture, and freshly grated nutmeg. 

Simmer the soup for 3-5 minutes, or to the desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Turn OFF the heat.

Note: The soup will thicken as it cools down.

Enjoy wild rice mushroom soup with some salad and some crusty bread!

Pic Shown: Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

 

 

HOW TO MAKE WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP GLUTEN-FREE

The all-purpose flour helps give the soup a nice thick consistency. There are some other ways to thicken the soup without using all-purpose flour. Here are some gluten-free substitutes:

USE GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR

Arrowroot flour, Sorghum flour, Chickpea flour, and CCornflour(white or yellow) are all starch-based, gluten-free flours and can be used as a thickening agent. 

USE A POTATO

Another way you could make this gluten-free is by using a potato. Yes, a potato gives this soup a nice thick texture without actually using any flour. 

Take a medium-size potato, peel, chop, and add it to the soup. The starch from the potato acts as a thickening agent. It adds some creaminess to the soup as well. This is by far the easiest and the simplest way of making a gluten-free soup.

Does adding a potato make this soup taste like potato soup??- Not at all. As we are adding a small quantity of potato, it does not overpower the soup at all.

All it does is give a nice thick texture to the soup without any flour.

I sometimes even add some potato flakes or even some leftover potatoes to thicken the soup.

TIPS FOR THE BEST WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

WILD RICE OR WILD BLEND RICE

You can use wild rice, or wild blend rice (which is what I used for this recipe). Cooking requirements remain the same for both varieties of rice. I have tried this recipe with brown rice and it tastes amazing. The cooking time for brown rice is 22 minutes. Use rice of your choice.

CREMINI, BUTTON OR PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS

Cremini, button, or portabella mushrooms work fine in this recipe. You can use one or a combination of mushrooms to your liking. I like cremini, as they add a lot of depth to this simple soup.  Use any combination of your favorite mushrooms.

OTHER VEGGIES

You can use mirepoix (a pre-made mixture of onions, carrots, celery) as well. Mirepoix around 3 cups would be good for this recipe.

Garlic adds lots of flavors to this soup, I prefer fresh garlic in this soup. You can use fresh, or around a teaspoon of garlic powder, works just fine.

White or yellow onions work best in this recipe, as they are mild in flavor.

FRESH OR FROZEN GREENS

Fresh or frozen kale can be used in this recipe. You can use greens of your choice. Spinach, kale, and beet greens are some of my favorite greens, I use one or a combination of greens.

NATURALLY THICKEN THE SOUP

Potatoes are naturally starchy and can be used in soup as a thickening agent. They release their starches, as they get cooked, making the soup naturally thick and creamy.

HERBS OF CHOICE

I like a combination of herbs, thyme, and rosemary. You can use fresh or dried herbs in this recipe.

One spice I love having in this soup is nutmeg. Nutmeg is a great flavor enhancing spice. Just a pinch of nutmeg goes a long way.

I like to use fresh nutmeg, over the powdered one. I use a cheese grater and grate the nutmeg straight into the pot, just a few grates are all you need to add flavor buster. 

You can use fresh parsley, chives, and green onions to garnish and for added flavor.

BROTH OR WATER

Broth or water both can be used in the recipe. I prefer broth for added flavor and nutrients value. To balance the sodium level in the soup and to keep it vegetarian, I prefer low-sodium vegetable stock. 

Pic Shown: Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT VARIETY OF RICE TO USE

You can use wild rice, or wild blend rice (which is what I used for this recipe). Cooking requirements remain the same for both varieties of rice.

I have tried this recipe with brown rice and it tastes amazing. The cooking time for brown rice is 22 minutes. Use rice of your choice.

IS IT REQUIRED TO SOAK WILD RICE 

Soaking the rice does help reduce the cooking time. If you are using a pressure cooker, soaking the rice is not required. 

I use Instant pot to cook the rice and it does an amazing job! The rice is cooked to perfection for this wild rice mushroom soup.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK WILD RICE

If you are using a pressure cooker, it takes around 30 minutes of cooking with complete natural pressure release for a perfectly cooked wild rice.

On a stovetop, it takes around 45-50 minutes for wild rice to get cooked.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF WILD RICE IS COOKED

Wild rice is tender with a little bite to it. Similar to what we refer to as al dente pasta.

Cooked wild rice is no longer hard or chewy. You will notice some of the kernels have burst open, indicating the doneness of the rice.

HOW TO NATURALLY THICKEN THE SOUP

There are many ways to thicken the soup naturally without using any flour or cornstarch. Here are some of the ways that I find very convenient to use these basic pantry ingredients.

USE POTATO

For best results, use Russet or baking potatoes. They release their starches, as they get cooked, making the soup naturally thick and creamy.

USE POTATO FLAKES

Potatoes are naturally gluten-free and are high in natural starch. Adding potato flakes helps thicken the soup without actually using any flour or cornstarch, keeping the soup gluten-free.

The starch from the potato flakes acts as a thickening agent. This is by far the easiest and the simplest way of making a gluten-free soup. Add 1/3 cup of potato flakes, in place of roux. 

You can use some mashed potatoes to thicken the soup as well.

ADD COOKED RICE

To thicken the soup without roux, add some cooked white rice. The starch from the rice acts as a thickening agent, adding thickness and creaminess to the soup, and keeping it gluten-free.

BLEND SOUP

You don’t need any thickening agent, simply blend the soup to the desired consistency. Potatoes add thickness and creaminess to the soup.

HOW TO SERVE WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

I like to serve this soup piping hot, and top it with some freshly crushed black pepper. You can serve it classically, with some crusty bread or with some crackers as my kids love it. Or serve it in a Homemade Bread Bowls for a café style dining experience and impress your loved ones.

HOW TO STORE WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP

The wild rice mushroom soup stays good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The soup thickens as it sits. Add a splash of broth or milk, reheat well in a microwave or on low heat on a stovetop.

DOES WILD RICE MUSHROOM SOUP FREEZE WELL

Yes, wild rice mushroom soup freezes well. If planning on freezing wild rice mushroom soup, do not add the roux.

Cool wild rice mushroom soup at room temperature. Divide it into freezer-safe containers and store it into freezer for up to a month. Thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Add roux mixture to the soup.  Simmer the soup to the desired consistency. Serve hot!!

 

★ If you tried this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback. Please rate the recipe and/or leave a comment below.

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