Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

This wild rice mushroom soup is the definition of cozy: it’s packed with creamy, savory flavor! Enjoy it with crusty bread.

Here’s a soup recipe that’s the definition of cozy…we think. Wild rice mushroom soup! What’s better than a steaming cup of wild rice soup to warm your insides on a gray day. This one absolutely delivers with flavor: the light smokiness of the rice, umami of the mushrooms and creamy Parmesan cheese make absolute magic. We could eat it for every meal! This one’s a variation on our fan favorite, our popular wild rice soup and it’s every bit as satisfying.

Ingredients in wild rice and mushroom soup

This wild rice mushroom soup has a lightly creamy broth, made creamy with Parmesan cheese and milk: and it’s got a bit of the soup itself blended back in to give it the perfect body. There’s no heavy cream, so you feel a lightness after you eat it. Here’s what to know when you’re hunting for the ingredients for wild rice and mushroom soup:

Wild rice: Don’t use a wild rice blend! You’ll need 100% wild rice for this soup.
Mushrooms: Using a mix of mushroom types is nice: we used a mix of baby bella (cremini) and shiitake, but you can use all white mushroom or baby bella if you’d like.
Onion
Celery
Carrots
Olive oil and butter
Vegetable broth
Spices: Garlic powder, thyme, oregano and dill
Salt and pepper
Milk
Parmesan cheese
Cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
Soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)

Did you know wild rice isn’t really…rice?

Did you know that wild rice is not actually rice? (Mind blown, right?) This whole grain is actually the seed from a native grass that grows in lakes and streams in the Northern US and Canada. Since it looks and tastes like rice, it’s treated as rice in most cuisines.

Wild rice was an important staple in the diet of the indigenous peoples in the Northern US. I’m from Minnesota originally, so wild rice is part of the heritage and history of this region. We often ate wild rice growing up, and I love grabbing bags of Minnesota wild rice when we’re home.

Use a mix of mushrooms

This wild rice mushroom soup is great with any type of mushroom! But we like it with a mix of mushrooms to have maximum variety in flavor and texture. Here are the types of mushrooms we recommend: and the differences between them:

Baby bella (cremini) mushrooms are a more mature version of a white button mushroom, so it has a more robust flavor. It’s also a baby version of a portobello mushroom, which has the most meaty flavor!
White button mushrooms: Substitute white button mushrooms if you can’t find baby bella! They taste and look very similar.
Portobello mushrooms: You can use these too! Just chop them fairly small. They have a great meaty flavor!
Shiitake mushrooms: A Japanese variety of mushroom with great flavor. Make sure to remove the tough stems before slicing them.

How to make wild rice mushroom soup

It takes about 1 hour to make, but this healthy soup is absolutely worth it. Most of the time is hands-off, since rice takes quite a while to simmer. Other than that, all you’ve got to do is chop some veggies! Here’s the main method for this wild rice and mushroom soup (or jump down to the recipe):

Chop those veggies. It takes about 15 minutes to chop all the veg. If you need some pointers, head to our Knife Skills page.
Simmer until the rice pops. Wild rice notoriously takes quite a while to cook: upwards of 50 minutes. Cook this soup until most of the rice grains burst and are tender. It might feel like a long time, but it’s important that the rice is perfectly tender.
Blend 2 cups of the soup to create a creamy body. This is the key to this soup: blending a few cups of the soup makes it thicker and creamier. Add everything to the blender: veggies, broth and rice, then whiz it up!

What to serve with wild rice mushroom soup

Want to make it a meal? There are lots of great sides to serve with soup: here are a few of our top ideas:

Garlic toast or garlic bread. Try this easy garlic toast or this classic easy garlic bread.
Crusty bread. Buy an artisan style bread or make your own no knead bread.
Salad. Try this Easy Arugula Salad for a quick salad, or Arugula Beet Salad or Fennel Orange Salad for a little fancier spin.

Vegan variation: go to Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Looking for a vegan wild rice mushroom soup? Head over to our famous Creamy Wild Rice Soup: it’s ultra creamy with no dairy to speak of. The secret? Cashews add a rich creaminess to the broth. But no one will ever know it’s plant based! Got an Instant Pot? Try our Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup.

Is wild rice healthier than standard rice?

Though they’re not truly related, wild rice is often compared to brown rice. Wondering how they stack up? Here’s what to know:

Wild rice has less calories than brown rice, about 66% less! 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 166 calories and 1 cup brown rice has 248 calories. (Source)
Wild rice has slightly more protein than brown rice. 1 cup cooked wild rice has 6.5 grams protein vs 5.5 grams in brown rice. (Source)
Both wild and brown rice have the same amount of fiber, about 3 grams per 1 cup cooked.

This wild rice and mushroom soup recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, dairy-free and vegan, go to Creamy Wild Rice Soup.