Wild Rice Mushroom Cream Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Rich and creamy wild rice soup with earthy mushrooms and aromatic herbs

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables & Herbs

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped plus extra for garnish

→ Mushrooms

10 - 14 ounces mixed wild mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, or oyster, cleaned and sliced

→ Rice

11 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream or plant-based cream for vegan option

→ Thickeners & Seasoning

14 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
15 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and their liquid is mostly evaporated.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
05 - Gradually add the vegetable broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
06 - Add wild rice and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cream and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
08 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust thickness with extra broth or cream if desired. Ladle into bowls, garnish with extra parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The wild rice adds a nutty texture that keeps this from feeling like every other creamy soup you've made.
  • You can make it entirely vegetarian or vegan without sacrificing that satisfying, almost meaty richness from the mushrooms.
  • It reheats beautifully, which means one pot feeds you for days without tasting tired.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the wild rice, or you'll end up with a cloudy, starchy soup instead of a clear, clean one.
  • The mushrooms release so much liquid that waiting for it to mostly evaporate is essential—if you skip this, your soup becomes watery and one-dimensional.
03 -
  • Make this soup a day ahead and refrigerate it—the flavors deepen overnight, and you'll have one less thing to worry about when people are coming over.
  • If your soup breaks and the cream curdles (which happens when it gets too hot too fast), gently whisk in a splash of cold broth to bring it back together.
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