Creamy Wild Rice Soup

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This homemade Creamy Wild Rice Soup is one of my all-time favorite soups and the best way to warm up on a cold winter night! It's a simple recipe made with everyday pantry staples prepared to release as much flavor as possible. The mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and yellow potatoes offer a variety of textures and flavors, while a generous swirl of heavy cream adds the perfect finishing touch. It's the ultimate choice for soup season, especially with a chunk of crusty bread.

This homemade Creamy Wild Rice Soup is a simple recipe made with mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and yellow potatoes to offer a variety of textures and flavors. | aheadofthyme.com

The secret to a great soup is patience, but that doesn't mean this wild rice soup recipe will take all day. In fact, this wild rice mushroom soup is ready from start to finish in less than an hour. It's all about allowing the flavors to bloom and build and giving each ingredient time to soften up before adding the next one. Just be sure to make a batch of these quick skillet dinner rolls to sop up every last drop!

Why You'll Love This Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Easy to make. This creamy soup comes together with just a little effort, mostly from prepping the veggies. Just follow the simple step-by-step instructions below, and you'll get delicious results every time.
Rich and creamy. There's something about cream-based soups this time of year! They really stick to your ribs, and this hearty wild rice soup is no exception. The mushrooms offer a meaty flavor and texture, and the rice and potatoes make it so hearty and filling. A little goes a long way!
Perfect for a cold day. Creamy soups are a heavier, more satisfying option during the coldest stretches of the year. This is the perfect soup to shake off the frost and warm up after a long day outside.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious creamy wild rice soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - start by melting the butter to release the flavor from the aromatics. Feel free to use olive oil.
aromatics - prepare the onion, carrots, celery sticks, and garlic and allow them to cook until tender.
Italian seasoning - as you cook the vegetables, the dried herbs will rehydrate and add an herby flavor.
mushrooms - thinly slice white or brown mushrooms.
wild rice - start with raw, uncooked wild rice. You can use a wild rice blend if you prefer.
vegetable stock - this will hydrate the rice, mushrooms, and potatoes. Feel free to use chicken broth instead.
yellow potatoes - starchy potatoes, like yellow potatoes, will become soft and tender without falling apart.
heavy cream - this will be added right at the end for a creamy broth.
salt and pepper - season to taste throughout the cooking process.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board, knife, vegetable peeler, and a stockpot or Dutch oven.

How to Make the Best Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Sauté aromatics. Melt butter in a large stockpot or 5.5 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the melted butter bubbles, about 2 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and Italian seasoning. Sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Add mushrooms and rice. Add mushrooms and wild rice. Stir well and cook until the mushrooms soften a bit, about 3-5 minutes.
Add liquid and simmer. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover with the lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add potatoes. Add potatoes and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until tender.

Add cream. Add heavy cream and stir well to combine. Cook for another 3 minutes until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.

Recipe Variations

Add meat. Either cook some chicken breasts or use leftover shredded chicken to give your soup some extra protein. You can also use chicken stock as the liquid. Cooked ground sausage would taste great, too.
Adjust the cream. Look for a neutral-tasting, non-dairy cream for a dairy-free version.
Use the slow cooker. Either follow the first four steps in a large soup pot on the stove or use the saute function for your Instant Pot. Once you add the potatoes, set it to slow cook and let the soup gently cook until the potatoes are tender. This will also keep it warm for hours, great for a long day playing in the snow or skiing.
Add fresh herbs. Some fresh thyme or parsley would taste wonderful in this delicious soup.

How to Serve

This creamy wild rice soup is delicious served on its own, but it's especially great paired with some freshly baked bread including:

For more recipe ideas, see our 50 Best Bread Recipes or 25 Side Dishes for Soup.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Be patient. It's really important to let the veggies cook down at the beginning, as this releases a lot of delicious flavors that will infuse into the other ingredients.
Add the cream at the end. If you're in a rush, it might be tempting to add the cream earlier, but it will likely separate from the heat. Add it just at the end for the best results.
Season well. Rice and potatoes usually don't have a ton of flavor on their own. If you want your homemade soup to be really delicious, taste it several times while cooking and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Allow the leftover wild rice soup to cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

Either microwave your bowl of soup, stirring every minute, or reheat it gently in a pan on the stove.

How to Freeze

It's not recommended to freeze cream-based soup recipes, as the cream will separate when you reheat it. If you want to make this soup to freeze, don't add the cream. Freeze like normal, then add the cream after you reheat it.

FAQ

Why is my traditional wild rice soup bland?

One of the most important skills in soup making is learning to season as you go. You want to give the salt time to work its way into the ingredients and release their full flavors. If your soup feels bland, it needs some more. The right amount of salt can make even the most simplistic soup recipes taste delicious.

Does wild rice get mushy in soup?

Wild rice is a fantastic option for soups because it tends to hold its texture much longer than regular white rice or brown rice. If it's cooked at a high temperature for too long, it can become soft, but it typically keeps its slightly chewy texture.

Do you need to thicken creamy wild rice soup?

Although most creamy soups require you to make a roux out of butter and all purpose flour, this simple recipe does not. The potatoes will soften as they cook, adding starch to thicken the soup naturally, and the cream will help, too.

More Soup Recipes

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