Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Recipe

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Recipe

I was going through pictures from the trip I took to  Missouri last spring and came across this picture of portobello mushrooms. I took while we were at the farmers market downtown. One look at it and I was craving one of my favorite things to eat, mushrooms.

A few days later Etsy Fort Worth posted a mushroom soup recipe however it calls for butter and heavy cream. Between my diet and lactose intolerance, I knew it was not going to work for me despite looking very tasty. Suddenly though I remembered a wonderful soup I had made years and years ago.  It has a tasty broth and is full of mushrooms and wild rice. Since at the time I was the only one that would eat it I made it a few times and filed the recipe away.

  • Wild Rice: Technically, wild rice is not a rice, but rather a semi-aquatic grass native to North America. You can typically find it in the bulk bin section or grain aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores. Cooked wild rice has a cream-colored interior and deliciously nutty flavor. It’s fantastic in pilafs, stuffings, and casseroles, and also gives heft to chowders and soups.
  • Mushrooms: I use baby bella (or cremini) mushrooms, however the options are endless here. You can use a mix of shiitakes, white button, or a more exotic blend. I don’t suggest using only white button, though–they lack the umami and “oomph” factor compared to other varieties.
  • Aromatics: All good homemade soups start with a mirepoix as the flavor base. I like using a traditional mix of onion, carrots, and celery, plus some minced garlic cloves.
  • Spice blend: You want lots of earthy dried spices here to add a rustic backbone to the dish. I suggest using either Herbes de Provence or poultry seasoning, which include similar herb blends.
  • Cream: To achieve a rich, creamy consistency, this soup requires either heavy cream or cashew cream. If making dairy free/vegan, use homemade or store-bought cashew cream. Otherwise, just ½ cup of heavy cream adds plenty of richness.
    • To make homemade cashew cream, simply soak ⅓ cup raw cashews in ⅔ cup of hot/boiling water for 30 minutes (or longer). Once the cashews soften, transfer mixture to a high power blender and blend until smooth.

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT AND FREEZE:

  • To Store. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • To Reheat. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until warm throughout. You can also reheat this soup in the microwave, however be sure to stop and stir it every 30 to 45 seconds. This helps promote even reheating so the top layer isn’t scolding and bottom is still cold.
  • To Freeze. Store cooked and cooled leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon sea salt

⅓ cup uncooked wild rice, well rinsed

2 tbs olive oil

3 medium cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbs chopped fresh thyme or 4 teaspoon dried

1 pound mixed mushrooms

6 cups vegetable broth

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup of water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the wild rice and return to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30-50 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes,

4. Add mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion in tender, about 7 minutes.

5. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and blend until almost pureed.

7. Return to the saucepan and stir in wild rice and pepper.

8. Return to a simmer over medium heat high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Adjust seasoning to taste.

This is a tasty and healthy recipe sure to please any time of the year. Do you have a favorite mushroom or soup recipe? Feel free to post a link to it or the recipe so we can all give it a try.

MORE HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES TO TRY:

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