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Creamy and cozy, this Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is just as thick, creamy, and flavorful as the traditional wild rice soup, but made entirely from healthy plant-based ingredients. Vegan, Gluten-free.
This Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is packed with a variety of meaty mushrooms, nutty wild rice, fresh herbs, and a creamy broth you won’t be able to resist! It’s the perfect weeknight meal when you’re craving something wholesome and nourishing.
Table of Contents
A Cozy, Hearty Soup for the Soul
There’s almost nothing I love more than cozying up with a big bowl of a hearty, nourishing soup that’s both good for you and good for the soul. And while I have many delicious vegan soup recipes for you to choose from, there’s something really nostalgic about a creamy wild rice soup.
Chewy wild rice simmered in a savory soup broth with hearty mushrooms, tender veggies, and a miso cashew cream for an umami flavor punch. True bliss. Now break out your favorite soup pot and dutch oven and get ready to take soup season to a new level.
What You Need for Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
This classic soup requires just 12 wholesome ingredients and 15 minutes of prep. Here are the basics:
- Mirepoix: A simple mixture of diced onions, carrots and celery is the flavor base that adds an aromatic depth of flavor. You definitely won’t want to skip this starting trio.
- Mushrooms: For the best flavor, I suggest using a mix of at least two kinds of mushrooms. I used a mix of cremini, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms but any sliced assorted mushrooms will do.
- Wild rice: Make sure to pick up a pure wild rice, not a wild rice blend or rice mix. Blends contain other types of rice, including white, brown, and red rice.
- Broth: Since this soup is also made with a miso cashew cream, I recommend using low-sodium broth. A full-sodium broth will likely be too salty.
- Cashews: Soaked, blended raw cashews make a dairy-free cream that replaces the traditional heavy cream or common coconut milk.
- Miso paste: Mellow white or yellow miso paste is rich in umami and adds depth of flavor. You can find it in most grocery stores nowadays in the refrigerated section. However, if you cannot find miso, substitute it with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium tamari instead for a similar effect.
How to Make Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Sauté the mirepoix until beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and spices, and cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms have reduced.
- Add the rice, broth, and water. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the wild rice has split ad the soup has thickened.
- While the soup simmers, blend the cashew miso cream until smooth and creamy.
- When the soup is thickened, add the miso cream to the soup and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Serve immediately while warm and creamy, as desired. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Don’t overcook the rice! Wild rice is hearty, but it can be overcooked. Simmer the soup until the rice has split open, yet is still firm and chewy. If the rice becomes mushy or loses its texture, it’s overdone!
- Try making homemade vegetable broth. If you’ve never tried making your own veggie broth, I highly recommend it! Not only is it free, but it is so much more rich and flavorful than store-bought because the flavor is more concentrated (no dilution!).
- Skip the white mushrooms. Although I recommend using a variety of mushrooms, white mushrooms won’t add much flavor to the soup due to their early harvest and mildness.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from serving this creamy soup with a piece of crusty bread, this hearty soup also pairs well with several simple sides. Serve it as a main alongside a light green salad such as this Winter Kale Salad or this Everyday Kale Salad Recipe. Or, pair it with a heartier side, such as Dijon Garlic Roasted Potatoes or Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms.
If you’re looking for more hearty soup recipes, you’ll also love this Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup, this Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup, and this Cozy White Bean Stew!
How to Store Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Leftover soup will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
As the wild rice mushroom soup sits, the rice will continue to absorb the broth and thicken. When reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop, you may want to add extra water or vegetable broth until your desired consistency is reached.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This recipe was developed to allow the rice to cook through until tender directly in the soup pot. Simply rinse, drain, and add the rice to the broth!
In addition to allowing the mirepoix, mushrooms, and aromatics to sauté sufficiently for a flavor infusion, this soup can be made more flavorful with additional salt and seasonings. Don’t be afraid to season to taste!
Generally speaking, soups will thicken best with the lid off. This allows moisture to evaporate, and leads to a deeper, greater concentration of flavors and thicker consistency.
I wouldn’t recommend using any kind of rice, except wild rice. Wild rice has a unique chewy, slightly crunchy texture that simply can’t be substituted.
I have not tested a slow cooker version of this soup and cannot recommend. If you prefer to make a slow cooker recipe, you might like this Slow Cooker Bean Quinoa Chili or this Vegan Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Tempeh.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or plant-based butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 8 ounces sliced assorted mushrooms* (about 4 cups)
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 cup wild rice rinsed (not a blend; see notes)
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 4 cups water divided
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 tablespoon mellow miso paste*
Instructions
- Aromatics: Warm the butter or oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms, garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have reduced to about half their size.
- Add the Rice: Add the wild rice, vegetable broth, and 3 cups of the water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stop cooking when the majority of the wild rice has split open to look like a hot dog bun (do not overcook!). The soup should get pretty thick at this point, but if it looks too thick you can thin it out with additional water.
- Make the Miso Cream: In the meantime, add the cashews, miso paste, and remaining 1 cup of water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds.
- Finishing Touches: Add the miso cream to the soup and mix well; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until warm. Adjust the soup as necessary here (more liquid, salt, pepper, etc).
- Serve & Store: Serve warm; store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The rice will absorb some of the soup’s liquid as it sits, so you may want to add extra water or vegetable broth when reheating.
Recipe Notes
- Mushrooms: I suggest using a mix of at least two mushrooms for the best flavor; I used a mix of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms when testing.
- Miso Paste: Miso paste adds depth of flavor to the recipe; you can find it in most grocery stores nowadays in the refrigerated section. If you cannot find miso, substitute it with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium tamari instead for a similar effect.
Even though I couldn’t find a bag of just wild rice, I used a blend of wild rice and long grain and it still worked out really well!! Was a big hit at my family thanksgiving!
So glad everyone enjoyed! 🙂
I made this today and it tastes good but it looks like it has curdled. It doesn’t look as creamy as Caitlin’s. Any ideas ? Thank you for the recipe.
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! If your Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup looks like it has curdled or isn’t as creamy as expected, here are a few tips to troubleshoot and improve the creaminess:
Blending the Cashew Mixture:
Ensure that you blend the soaked cashews, miso paste, and water thoroughly until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. A high-speed blender works best for this, but if you don’t have one, blend for a longer duration in a regular blender.
Adjusting Liquid Levels:
If the soup appears too thick or has separated, you can adjust the consistency by adding a bit more water or vegetable broth until you reach your desired thickness. Start with small amounts and adjust gradually.
Temperature Control:
When adding the miso cream to the soup, make sure the soup is not boiling vigorously. High heat can sometimes cause separation. Reduce the heat to medium-low before adding the cashew-miso mixture, and simmer gently.
Additional Blending:
If you find that the soup is not as creamy as you’d like, you can try blending a portion of the soup (excluding the rice) in the blender and then adding it back to the pot. This can help to emulsify the ingredients and create a smoother texture.
This is a really flavorful soup, even prior to the cashew cream. I doubled all the spices except black pepper for a more pungent flavor. I also added 1 tbsp of seas salt because I used my homemade unsalted veggie broth. Tossed in some spinach for added greens. I really liked the assorted shiitake and oyster combo suggestion. I paired this with your roasted Dijon potatoes and some sour dough. This was such an amazing fall filling dinner. I would definitely make again.
Yum! Thanks for the review 🙂
this turned out really well! I used rosemary in place of thyme I really liked it! and I used tahini and miso in place of cashews it turned out really well! thank you
Yum! Thanks for the review, Morgan!