Soups

Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

At Thanksgiving time, I start craving warm, comforting soups like this one — made with earthy mushrooms and nutty wild rice that slowly softens and soaks up the savory broth. A splash of coconut milk adds creaminess, while a hint of lemon keeps it bright. It’s simple, satisfying, and perfect for a chilly autumn evening.
DietaryGluten-Free · Vegan · Soy-Free · Nut-Free · Sesame-Free
Yield6 cups
Serves4 (12 oz bowls)
TimeActive 35m · Inactive 25m · Total 1h

Ingredients

½ cup Wild Ricerinsed and drained
2 cups Water
1 sprig Thyme
½ tsp Sea Salt
1 cup Onionsfinely
3 cloves Garlic
2 stalks Celerysliced
1 cup Butternut Squash or Carrotspeeled & diced
½ tsp Rosemary
Sea Salt, to taste (~1 tsp)
1 Tbsp Arrowrootcool, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water
1 tsp Lemonszested
¼ cup Parsleychopped

Sourcing Tips

Arrowroot is a gluten-free thickener made from tropical tubers — that gives this soup its silky texture. Always dissolve it in cool water first (a “slurry”), then stir it into hot liquid at the end of cooking to avoid clumps. You can substitute 1 Tbsp cornstarch or 2 Tbsp flour, if needed.

Instructions

COOK THE WILD RICE (55 MIN): In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil wild rice, water, thyme, bay leaf, and salt. Turn to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, or until wild rice is tender. Turn off heat. Let sit for 15 minutes with lid on to continue steaming. Discard thyme and bay leaf before adding to soup.
MEANWHILE, SAUTÉ THE AROMATICS (~25 MIN): Chop all the veggies. Heat large soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and pinch of salt, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, celery, carrots or squash, rosemary. Sauté about 5 minutes more, lowering heat if needed to prevent burning.
BUILD THE SOUP BASE (~20 MIN): Add broth, coconut aminos or tamari, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer 10 minutes on low.
FINISH & SERVE: Add cooked wild rice, dissolved arrowroot, and coconut milk, stirring constantly until arrowroot becomes translucent. Turn off heat and add lemon zest. Serve in individual bowls garnished with parsley.
Finished cooking?

Serving & Keeping

Serve: Warm
Keeps: Store in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Surplus Ingredients: You can juice the lemon that you zested for the soup to make a vinaigrette for a side salad. Extra coconut milk can be used in curries or smoothies.
Serve with: roasted root vegetables, herbed focaccia, or a bright green salad to round out a cozy fall meal.