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This wild rice mushroom soup is the definition of cozy: it’s packed with creamy, savory flavor! Enjoy it with crusty bread.
Here’s a soup recipe that’s the definition of cozy…we think. Wild rice mushroom soup! What’s better than a steaming cup of wild rice soup to warm your insides on a gray day? This one delivers with flavor: the gentle smokiness of the rice, umami of the mushrooms, and savory Parmesan cheese make absolute magic. We could eat it for every meal! This one’s a variation on our fan favorite wild rice soup, and it’s every bit as satisfying.
Ingredients in wild rice and mushroom soup
This wild rice mushroom soup has a lightly creamy broth, made creamy with Parmesan cheese and milk: and it’s got a bit of the soup itself blended back in to give it the perfect body. There’s no heavy cream, so you feel a lightness after you eat it. Here’s what to know when you’re hunting for the ingredients for wild rice and mushroom soup:
- Wild rice: Don’t use a wild rice blend! You’ll need 100% wild rice for this soup.
- Mushrooms: Using a mix of mushroom types is nice: we used a mix of baby bella (cremini) and shiitake, but you can use all white mushroom or baby bella if you’d like.
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Olive oil and butter
- Vegetable broth
- Spices: Garlic powder, thyme, oregano and dill
- Salt and pepper
- Milk
- Parmesan cheese
- Cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- Soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
Did you know wild rice isn’t really…rice?
Did you know that wild rice is not actually rice? (Mind blown, right?) This whole grain is actually the seed from a native grass that grows in lakes and streams in the Northern US and Canada. Since it looks and tastes like rice, it’s treated as rice in most cuisines.
Wild rice was an important staple in the diet of the indigenous peoples in the Northern US. I’m from Minnesota originally, so wild rice is part of the heritage and history of this region. We often ate wild rice growing up, and I love grabbing bags of Minnesota wild rice when we’re home.
Use a mix of mushrooms
This wild rice mushroom soup is great with any type of mushroom! But we like it with a mix of mushrooms to have maximum variety in flavor and texture. Here are the types of mushrooms we recommend: and the differences between them:
- Baby bella (aka cremini) mushrooms are a more mature version of a white button mushroom, so it has a more robust flavor. It’s also a baby version of a portobello mushroom, which has the most meaty flavor!
- White button mushrooms: Substitute white button mushrooms if you can’t find baby bella! They taste and look very similar.
- Portobello mushrooms: You can use these too! Just chop them fairly small. They have a great meaty flavor!
- Shiitake mushrooms: A Japanese variety of mushroom with great flavor. Make sure to remove the tough stems before slicing them.
How to make wild rice mushroom soup
It takes about 1 hour to make, but this healthy soup is absolutely worth it. Most of the time is hands-off, since rice takes quite a while to simmer. Other than that, all you’ve got to do is chop some veggies! Here’s the main method for this wild rice and mushroom soup (or jump down to the recipe):
- Chop those veggies. It takes about 15 minutes to chop all the veg. If you need some pointers, head to our Knife Skills page.
- Simmer until the rice pops. Wild rice notoriously takes quite a while to cook: upwards of 50 minutes. Cook this soup until most of the rice grains burst and are tender. It might feel like a long time, but it’s important that the rice is perfectly tender.
- Blend 2 cups of the soup to create a creamy body. This is the key to this soup: blending a few cups of the soup makes it thicker and creamier. Add everything to the blender: veggies, broth and rice, then whiz it up!
What to serve with wild rice mushroom soup
Want to make it a meal? There are lots of great sides to serve with soup: here are a few of our top ideas:
- Garlic toast or garlic bread. Try this easy garlic toast or this classic easy garlic bread.
- Crusty bread. Buy an artisan style bread or make your own no knead bread.
- Salad. Try this Easy Arugula Salad for a quick salad, or Arugula Beet Salad, Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula or Fennel Orange Salad for a little fancier spin.
Vegan variations!
Looking for a vegan wild rice mushroom soup? Head over to our famous Creamy Wild Rice Soup or Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup! They’re both ultra creamy with no dairy to speak of. The secret? Cashews add a rich creaminess to the broth. But no one will ever know it’s plant based! Got an Instant Pot? Try our Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup.
Is wild rice healthier than standard rice?
Though they’re not truly related, wild rice is often compared to brown rice. Wondering how they stack up? Here’s what to know:
- Wild rice has less calories than brown rice, about 66% less! 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 166 calories and 1 cup brown rice has 248 calories. (Source)
- Wild rice has slightly more protein than brown rice. 1 cup cooked wild rice has 6.5 grams protein vs 5.5 grams in brown rice. (Source)
- Both wild and brown rice have the same amount of fiber, about 3 grams per 1 cup cooked.
More ways to use wild rice? Try Wild Rice Salad or Wild Rice Casserole.
This wild rice and mushroom soup recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, dairy-free and vegan, go to Creamy Wild Rice Soup.
Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
This wild rice mushroom soup is the definition of cozy: it’s packed with creamy, savory flavor! Enjoy it with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 celery ribs
- 3 medium carrots
- 12 ounces mushrooms: cremini* (aka baby bella) or a mix of baby bella and shiitake
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cups or 7 ounces wild rice (not a wild rice blend)
- 1 tablespoon each dried thyme, dried oregano and dried dill
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce, or more salt to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion. Thinly slice the celery. Dice the carrots into rounds. Clean the mushrooms and slice them (if you’re using shiitake, make sure to remove the tough stems). Mince the garlic.
- Add the olive oil and butter to a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, wild rice, spices, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until rice breaks open, stirring occasionally.
- When the wild rice is cooked, stir in the milk and Parmesan cheese. Remove 2 cups from the soup using a liquid measuring cup (including veggies, rice and broth) and place it in a blender. Add the cornstarch, then blend. Pour it back into the soup.
- Stir in the soy sauce, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Enjoy warm. Stores refrigerated for 3 days.
Notes
*Substitute button mushrooms if you can’t find cremini.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Soup
- Diet: Vegetarian
I am always looking for delicious, heart-healthy, plant-focused meals and this one is outstanding. Thank you for sharing your cooking talent.
Hi, I was wondering if I were to use brown rice would the cook time be about the same?
It would absorb much more liquid so i’m not sure it would work.
This soup is DELICIOUS! We’ve made it several times and have passed on to many people. Tastes like liquid Thanksgiving. Sometimes only wild rice blend is available, so I cut the cooking time in about half (follow package instructions). Orrington Farms vegetable or vegan chicken broth is the best base, too.
I loved the soup. I did make it with a wild rice blend as that’s what I had available and it turned out delicious. I would probably skip the cornstarch next time, it made the soup a little bitter. I liked the comment regarding worcester sauce and added that as well…good tip!
Amazing recipe! I skipped the milk and corn starch and used a bit less water for thicker consistency and was delicious.
This soup was AMAZING. I left out the parm and the cream, as I don’t eat either, and it was delicious. Used dried shiitake mushrooms. Have passed this recipe on to many friends.
I made this and it was incredible! Didn’t have dried dill but the flavor was still amazing. Yum!’
Made this and it was GREAT! A little too thick so I woud reduce the cornstarch but otherwise excellent flavors. I used half fresh and half-dried cremini mushrooms and added a little Worchester sauce.