Wild Rice Soup

Craving something that's comforting, but healthy? Make this creamy wild rice soup! Autumn veggies and herbs pack it with rich, savory flavor.

Wild rice soup

The next time you have a day when all you want to do is pull on your biggest sweater and curl up on the couch, make this creamy wild rice soup. If you ask me, it’s the best kind of comfort food. It’s creamy and cozy, but it’s nourishing too. Colorful autumn veggies like carrots, celery, and mushrooms fleck its surface, and nutty wild rice and white beans make it nice and hearty. And as for that creamy broth? Well, there’s actually no heavy cream or dairy hiding inside it. Instead, it’s a wholesome, flavorful blend of white beans, cashews, almond milk, and white miso paste. It’s not at all traditional, but you’ll be heading back for a second bowl before you know it.

Wild Rice mushroom Soup

Wild Rice Soup Recipe Ingredients

If you’ve gotten this far, you know that this isn’t your average wild rice soup recipe. Classic creamy chicken and wild rice soup is filled with ingredients that I don’t usually use – chicken, of course, chicken broth, and even heavy cream. At its core, though, traditional wild rice soup contains a base of delicious fall vegetables and rice, so it’s not hard to imagine a vegetarian version. Here’s what I use in mine:

  • Wild rice! I love its nutty flavor with the savory broth and hearty autumn veggies.
  • White beans – I blend some into the soup’s creamy base and leave the rest whole. They add plenty of plant-based protein to this nourishing soup. No chicken necessary!
  • Cashews and almond milk – They blend together with the white beans to create the soup’s delicious creamy texture.
  • Miso paste and Dijon mustard – They might be unconventional, but they make this recipe really exceptional, adding savory, umami flavor to the lightly creamy broth.
  • A whole lotta veggies – You’ll find scallions, mushrooms, celery, carrots, garlic, AND kale in this creamy wild rice soup! The kale adds a wonderful fresh pop of color, while the rest of the veggies deepen the soup’s rich, savory flavor.
  • Fresh rosemary and thyme – Their cozy flavors make this wild rice soup perfect for fall!
  • Lemon juice – To brighten it all up.

Finish it off with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete with measurements below.

Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Wild Rice Soup Serving Suggestions

Thanks to the rice, beans, cashews, and mushrooms, this wild rice mushroom soup is a satisfying vegetarian main course. We often pair it with a big hunk of crusty bread or rosemary focaccia and call it dinner, but if you’re in the mood for a larger meal, you have plenty of options. It’d be wonderful with a side of maple roasted acorn squash, roasted butternut squash, or my Delicata Squash with Apples and Sage. Pair it with a classic baked potato or baked sweet potato, or serve it with a hearty autumn salad like one of these:

For more salad ideas, check out this post!

If you have leftover wild rice soup, you’re in luck! This recipe tastes fantastic on days 2 and 3. It also freezes perfectly for up to 2 months. Check out this post for my best tips on freezing soups and stews!

creamy wild rice soup in a Dutch oven

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this recipe, try one of these nourishing soups next:

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Wild Rice Soup

rate this recipe:
4.95 from 60 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 4
This creamy wild rice soup recipe is hearty, cozy, and comforting. Filled with vegetables like carrots, celery, and mushrooms, it's the perfect nourishing meal for a cool fall night.

Ingredients

Creamy base

Soup

Instructions

  • Make the creamy base: Place the almond milk, cashews, white beans, miso paste, and Dijon mustard in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
  • Make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a medium-large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the scallions, celery, carrot, mushrooms, and salt and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cannellini beans, pepper, and water and stir. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the thyme bundle and stir in the cashew mixture, rice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and kale. Simmer over low heat until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve with more lemon juice, parsley and pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

Note: If you're not serving the soup right away, it'll thicken as it sits. If desired, stir in up to 1 cup additional water if it gets too thick.

 

This post is in partnership with Le Creuset. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep us cooking!

77 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. MJHarden
    09.24.2020

    5 stars
    Mmmmmmm.. Truly delicious. Will make it again..

  2. Dani Wilson
    12.17.2019

    Just made this soup, but used swiss chard and 2% milk as subs for kale and almond milk since that’s what I had on hand. OMGGGG so good! Would totally add even more mushrooms next time! Was a big hit with my 1.5 year old daughter…could not believe it!! Shared the recipe with my aunt who is a vegetarian and know she will def be making this. YUM, thanks!

  3. Kate
    11.25.2019

    5 stars
    This is definitely one of the best soups I’ve ever made! It reminds me of a certain restaurant chain’s cream of chicken and wild rice soup that I used to love before I was a vegetarian – but this one is better and healthier! Thanks for another great recipe!

  4. stacey
    10.06.2019

    5 stars
    A+. I’ve made this several times and it’s amazing. I’ve used non fat dairy milk instead of almond milk and I’ve also subbed homemade chicken broth. This soup freezes well.

    I grew up eating cream of wild rice soup at the Boundary Waters restaurant in Mpls. This is a cleaner and more delicious version! My mind is blown that you can use cashews and miso instead of heavy cream.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.07.2019

      Hi Stacey, I’m so glad you’ve loved the soup so much!

  5. Gil
    10.02.2019

    5 stars
    *****
    This dish is fabulous. Requires some prep work but sooooo good.
    Didn’t want to waste the white beans and put the entire can in the blender.
    Remember, do NOT boil the miso or it will kill it’s enzymes.
    Used a wild rice blend cooked in vegetable broth.
    Yum…

  6. Teresa
    03.22.2019

    5 stars
    This is an amazing soup! Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.26.2019

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  7. stacey
    02.25.2019

    5 stars
    WOW. This was amazing. I used homemade chicken stock instead of almond milk, subbed scallions for a leek and used red miso instead of white. Oh, and used flageolet beans.

    I love the cashew sauce to thicken instead of cream: this is a great trick.

    I’ll definitely make this again and keep playing with the ingredients (more mushrooms next time!)

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.01.2019

      Hi Stacey, I’m so glad you loved the soup! Let me know what other combos you come up with!

  8. Sarah
    02.23.2019

    5 stars
    How long will this keep in the fridge?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.01.2019

      Hi Sarah – about 4 days – it also freezes well.

  9. Ashley
    02.12.2019

    5 stars
    This was a much heartier meal than it looked! The flavors are wonderful and it made enough for lunches the next day. Highly recommend giving this a go!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.01.2019

      Hi Ashley, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!

  10. Holly
    02.10.2019

    5 stars
    I’ve been obsessing over your blog ever since I found your grillable veggie burgers 😋 I just made this soup and it’s delicious! I’m currently sick so it’s a perfect soothing soup that’s not too heavy. Thank you 🙂

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.01.2019

      Hi Holly! I’m so glad you loved the soup (and the veggie burgers). Welcome!!

  11. Angela Ruth
    01.05.2019

    Hi! I have some hacho miso but no white miso. May I use this instead?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.05.2019

      yep, that should be fine!

  12. Sarah
    12.09.2018

    This soup has amazing flavors that keep you thinking about how delicious it was a days later. I did not have miso but looked up substitutes and molasses was a low sodium option. I will make this recipe again…so good.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.11.2018

      Hi Sarah, I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!

  13. Cindy
    12.03.2018

    Sorry, used voice to text ….hopefully you got the drift!

  14. Cindy
    12.03.2018

    5 stars
    This was incredibly delicious! I made beans from scratch in my Insta pot, cooked the rice and worked on the veggies in it all came together well! I love the almond milk bass, and we’ll try that technique in other recipes that call for a “cream of…”
    This will be a family favorite for sure!

  15. Kiara
    11.25.2018

    5 stars
    Just made this and it was so delicious! Such a creative recipe, and all the flavors come together beautifully. I’ll definitely make this again!

  16. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    11.21.2018

    great recipe, this has all (almost, might have to nix the rice or not since it’s only a cup) of the stuff I’m eating these days, love these ingredients in a soup, so thank you for this recipe

  17. Gaby Dalkin
    11.20.2018

    Adding this to my soup arsenal!

  18. Eha
    11.20.2018

    5 stars
    Well, writing from Down Under we neither celebrate Thanksgiving nor are having to heat our homes 🙂 ! Absolutely moreish soup and a clear video to make certain we know how to toe the line . . . Le Creuset – oh, fell in love with the brand forever ago and would rather use one of the wonderful pots on my stove for an aromatic ‘long cook’ than resort to modern ‘machinery’ cluttering up my kitchen benches . . . 🙂 !

  19. Rebecca Lietz
    11.20.2018

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh!!! It is a cold snowy afternoon in NH and I had to try this soup, it was absolutely delicious!!! I added the red pepper, parsley and scallions on top and the soup liked beautiful. Our belly’s are full and we are warm and grateful! Thank you for this recipe!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.24.2018

      Hi Rebecca, I’m so glad that you loved it! Happy snowy days to come 🙂

  20. Katherine Thousand
    11.19.2018

    I am allergic to tree nuts. Do you think this would have good texture if I subbed in 1 1/3 cup whole milk? It looks DELISH and I plan to make it after thanksgiving!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.20.2018

      Hi Katherine, I would try 1 cup of regular cream and then wait to add the lemon until the very end. The cashew blend is a bit thicker than whole milk, and it yields 1 cup. I hope that helps!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.