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Get ready for a bowl of pure comfort. This is an impossibly creamy, hearty, and velvety wild rice soup recipe that will warm you from the inside out. I’ve developed this plant-based version to be every bit as satisfying as the classic, thanks to a few simple but game-changing tricks. It’s a deeply flavorful soup that’s surprisingly easy to make, perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner. I’ll walk you through every step, ensuring you get perfect, delicious results every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This isn’t just another soup; it’s a recipe I’ve perfected in my kitchen to deliver maximum flavor with wholesome, plant-based ingredients. Here’s what makes it so special.
A Unique Flavor-Boosting Twist: My secret to an unforgettable soup involves two key steps. First, we toast the wild rice in the pot before adding any liquid. This simple action unlocks a deep, nutty aroma. Then, we blend a tablespoon of white miso into the cashew cream, which adds an incredible savory, umami depth that makes the soup taste unbelievably rich and satisfying.
Richly Creamy & Dairy-Free: We achieve a luxurious, velvety texture without a drop of heavy cream, similar to an ultimate creamy potato soup recipe. A smart blend of soaked raw cashews and humble cannellini beans creates a beautiful cashew cream base that is both healthy and indulgent.
Research suggests that plant-based diets offer numerous health benefits including a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Hearty & Wholesome Comfort Food: This soup is packed with vegetables, protein-rich beans, and nutrient-dense wild rice. It’s a truly filling and wholesome meal that delivers all the cozy satisfaction of classic healthy comfort food.
One-Pot Wonder: Everything comes together in a single Dutch oven, which means deeper flavor development and, best of all, minimal cleanup. It’s the perfect recipe for a stress-free easy one-pot meal.
Flavor-Packed Foundation: We build flavor from the ground up with a classic mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrots, earthy baby bella mushrooms, and a savory blend of herbs like dried thyme, oregano, and sage.
Ingredients Needed
Here is the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious soup. Exact measurements are key for the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- 1/2 cup cashews*
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 celery ribs
- 3 medium carrots
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup wild rice (not a wild rice blend)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Wild Rice: For this recipe, it’s essential to use 100% pure wild rice, not a blend. Wild rice is actually a grass seed with a firm, chewy texture that holds up beautifully in soup. Blends often contain white or brown rice, which cook much faster and can turn mushy, altering the soup’s final texture.
- Cashews: Raw, unsalted cashews will give you the creamiest, most neutral-flavored result. If you only have roasted unsalted cashews, they will work in a pinch. For a nut-free option, see my tips in the alternative methods section below.
- Mushrooms: I love using baby bella mushrooms (also known as cremini mushrooms) for their deep, earthy flavor, which adds a wonderful savory note to the soup.
- Gluten-Free Option: This soup is easily made gluten-free! Simply use tamari or liquid aminos instead of traditional soy sauce to ensure the final dish is a delicious gluten-free soup.
How to Make Wild Rice Soup
Follow these simple steps to create a rich and creamy soup that will become a new family favorite.
Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients
First, place the cashews in a bowl and cover them completely with hot water. Let them soak while you prepare the other ingredients; this helps them blend into a silky-smooth cream later. Next, prep your vegetables. Dice the yellow onion, thinly slice the celery ribs, cut the carrots into rounds, slice the mushrooms, and mince the garlic cloves.
Step 2: Sauté the Veggies & Toast the Rice
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots (your mirepoix) and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes until they release their liquid. Finally, stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, and dried oregano, and cook for one minute more until fragrant. Now for the flavor twist: add the uncooked wild rice to the pot and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until it smells nutty and toasted.
Step 3: Simmer the Soup
Pour the vegetable broth into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of the kosher salt and the black pepper. Bring the soup to a lively simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Then, add the drained and rinsed white beans and continue to simmer for another 30 to 35 minutes. You’ll know the rice is perfectly cooked when most of the grains have popped open, revealing their lighter interior.
Wild rice is a nutritious ingredient, providing dietary fiber, protein, magnesium, and manganese.
Step 4: Create the Creamy Miso Base
Carefully ladle about 2 cups of the hot soup (including broth, veggies, and rice) into a high-speed blender. Drain the soaking water from the cashews and add them to the blender. Add the dried sage and 1 tablespoon of white miso paste. Blend on high for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety. Be cautious when blending hot liquids; ensure your blender lid is vented.
Step 5: Finish and Season the Soup
Pour the creamy blended mixture back into the soup pot. Stir well to combine everything. Add the soy sauce (or tamari) and the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Give it a final stir and taste the soup. This is your chance to adjust the seasonings to your preference—add more salt or pepper if it needs it. Serve hot and enjoy!
Alternative Cooking Methods & Tips
This recipe is versatile! Here’s how to adapt it for different appliances and needs.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Versions
- Slow Cooker (Crock-Pot): Sauté the vegetables and toast the rice on the stovetop as directed in Step 2. Transfer everything to your slow cooker. Add the broth, salt, pepper, and beans. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the rice is tender and popped. This method is great for making comforting dishes like Crock-Pot chicken noodle soup. Proceed with blending the cashews and 2 cups of soup (Step 4), then stir the cream back in and season.
- Instant Pot: Use the “Sauté” function to complete Step 2 directly in the Instant Pot. Cancel the Sauté function, add the broth, salt, pepper, and beans, and stir well. Secure the lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. Proceed with blending the cashews (Step 4), stir the cream back in using the Sauté function, and season to taste.
Achieving Creaminess Without a High-Speed Blender
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can still get a lovely creamy result. Here are a few options:
- Immersion Blender: After soaking the cashews for at least 4 hours (or boiling them for 15 minutes), drain them and add them to the soup. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend until as smooth as possible. The texture may be slightly less velvety but still delicious.
- Simple Roux: At the beginning of the recipe, after sautéing the vegetables, whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with the olive oil to form a paste. Cook for one minute, then slowly whisk in the broth. This will create a thicker, creamy-style soup without blending.
- Nut-Free Alternative: For a nut allergy-friendly version, omit the cashews. Instead, blend the 2 cups of soup with an extra can of white beans or use 1/2 cup of a store-bought, unsweetened plant-based cream (like oat or soy) when finishing the soup.
Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
Here are a few of my go-to tips and solutions to common problems to ensure your soup is perfect every time.
Pro Tips for the Best Soup
- Use Pure Wild Rice: I can’t stress this enough! A 100% wild rice product gives the best chewy texture and nutty flavor. Avoid blends, as they lead to unevenly cooked, mushy results.
- Don’t Skip the Soak: Soaking the cashews is the key to an ultra-smooth cashew cream. A quick soak in hot water works, but a longer soak (2+ hours) in cool water is even better if you have the time.
- Toast for Flavor: That quick minute of toasting the dry rice in the pot before adding broth is a small step with a huge flavor payoff. It deepens the entire soup’s character.
- Quality Broth Matters: Since vegetable broth is the foundation of this soup, use a good-quality, flavorful one. A low-sodium version allows you to control the final saltiness yourself.
Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
- Soup is too thin: If your soup isn’t as thick as you’d like, simply let it simmer with the lid off for another 10-15 minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. For a quicker fix, you can blend another half-can of white beans with a little broth and stir it in.
- Soup isn’t creamy: This usually comes down to the blend. Did you soak the cashews? Did you use a high-speed blender? Did you blend for long enough (at least a full minute)? Ensuring the cashews are soft and blended thoroughly is critical for a silky texture.
- Rice is still crunchy: Different brands of wild rice can have slightly different cooking times. If your rice is still firm after the specified time, just keep simmering! Add a splash more broth or water if the soup gets too thick, and cook until the grains have burst open.
Serving & Storage
This soup is a wonderful meal on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a few simple sides.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with a side of crusty artisan bread or warm cornbread for dipping into the creamy broth.
- Pair with a simple side salad with a bright vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
- Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, or a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Refrigerating: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Note that the soup will thicken considerably as it chills. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
- Freezing: This vegan soup is freezer-friendly! Let it cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. It will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Meal Prep: This is a fantastic recipe for meal prep. Make a big batch over the weekend and portion it into individual containers for easy, healthy lunches all week long.
I am so excited for you to try this creamy wild rice soup recipe. Its incredible creaminess and deep, savory flavor—all from wholesome, plant-based ingredients—never fail to impress. The special touches of toasted rice and miso create a truly memorable bowl of comfort food. I’m confident you’ll be able to achieve amazing results in your own kitchen. Let me know how you like it in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you make wild rice soup creamy without dairy?
Our method relies on a clever plant-based trick. We create a rich, velvety base by blending soaked raw cashews with some of the cooked soup and cannellini beans. This combination creates a luxurious texture that easily rivals any dairy-based cream soup.
What is the secret to a flavorful wild rice soup?
The secret lies in two key flavor-enhancing steps. First, we toast the wild rice in the pot to bring out its deep, nutty character. Second, we add white miso paste to our blended cashew cream base, which provides a powerful umami boost for an incredibly savory and satisfying soup.
Can I add chicken or other proteins to this recipe?
Yes, absolutely. While the recipe is designed to be vegan, you can easily add other proteins. For a non-vegan version, stir in 1-2 cups of pre-cooked, shredded chicken or turkey during the last 5-10 minutes of simmering, just long enough to heat it through.
What is the difference between wild rice and a wild rice blend for soup?
Pure wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass with a distinctively firm, chewy texture and nutty flavor that holds up well during cooking. Wild rice blends mix pure wild rice with other types of rice, like white or brown rice. These other grains cook much faster, often resulting in a mushy, inconsistent texture in a long-simmered soup.
How do I store, freeze, and reheat wild rice soup?
You can store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It is also freezer-friendly; let it cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What can I do if my soup is too thin or not creamy enough?
If your soup is too thin, allow it to simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to reduce and thicken. If it’s not creamy enough, the issue is likely with the blending step. Ensure your cashews were well-soaked and that you blended the creamy base in a high-speed blender for at least a full minute until perfectly smooth.
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