Wild Rice Soup

Wild Rice Soup 

This wild rice soup has become one of my favorites when I want something warm and satisfying. With wild rice, chunky veggies, and a creamy broth, it’s the kind of meal that hits all the right notes. If I’m in the mood for a little comfort food, this one is perfect.

It takes just ten minutes to prep, and after about thirty minutes on the stove, dinner’s ready. You can even add some chicken or sausage if you’re looking to up the protein.

Why I Love This Recipe

• I love how quick it is—ready in about 40 minutes.
• The flavors are incredible with wild rice, veggies, and that creamy broth.
• It’s so easy to customize—I often add chicken or sausage for extra protein.

Ingredients

This soup is built on the bits and bobs you likely already have in the kitchen: a few banged-up carrots, some limp celery, a partial bag of rice. The resulting soup is nourishing, full tender vegetables and rice that creates a creamy thickness without any real cream.

• Olive oil: Any neutral cooking oil will work, or you can substitute with unsalted butter.
• Carrots: Two medium carrots equal about ⅔ cup sliced.
• Celery: Medium-sized ribs are perfect for this recipe.
• Yellow onion: You’ll need about ⅓ cup diced onion.
• Butternut squash: About 1 cup of diced squash comes from half a regular-sized squash, but you can also buy it pre-cubed for convenience.
• Minced garlic
• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth is a good substitute, but will no longer be vegetarian.
• Wild rice blend: Any brand will do, but cooking times may change.
• Bay leaves, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika
• Coconut milk: Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk for creaminess, not refrigerated or sweetened varieties like cream of coconut.
• Dried thyme leaves: Fresh thyme can also work well.
• Dried rosemary leaves: Fresh rosemary is a great substitute too.

How I Make Wild Rice Soup

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Step 1: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat up some olive oil over medium heat. Toss in sliced carrots, celery, onion, and squash, sautéing until the onion turns translucent and the veggies start to soften—this usually takes about 6–7 minutes. Then add minced garlic and let it cook for another minute until it smells amazing.
• Step 2: Next, pour in the vegetable broth along with wild rice, bay leaves, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika, giving it a good stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let it cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice and veggies are nice and tender.
• Step 3: Finally, stir in the coconut milk, thyme, and rosemary. Before serving, make sure to remove the bay leaves and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.

Recipe Tips

A few recipe tips to consider when putting your soup together:

• At its base, this soup is vegetarian. If you’d like to add some meat, try shredded turkey or chicken, a few strips of meaty bacon, cooked ground turkey or beef, even cooked ground sausage or my personal favorite, diced pieces of leftover ham.
• Add the cooked meat after the rice and vegetables have been cooked and cook just until warmed through. If you’re looking for more heartiness, but want to keep meat out of the soup, add sliced mushrooms (baby bellas are my first choice or chanterelles) or other vegetables.
• Remember to taste the rice blend as it cooks to ensure it’s tender, since cooking times can vary between different brands. This way, you’ll get that perfect texture.
• If you want to switch things up, try adding extra veggies like spinach or kale for some added nutrients and color.
• This soup stores well, so consider making a big batch for leftovers—it’s even better the next day.

Storage and Freezing

Once you’ve made this wild rice soup, here are some tips for storing and saving the leftovers:

• Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep well for about 3-4 days—just give it a good stir before reheating!
• If you want to save some for later, make sure to let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It can be kept for up to 3 months.
• Consider saving individual portions for quick meals later on. Just thaw and reheat whenever you’re ready for a bowl.

More Comfort Soup Recipes 

If you’re looking for more yummy bowls of goodness, these comfort soup recipes are for you.

• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
• Gingery Pork Ramen
• Creamy Tomato Chipotle Soup
• Carrot-Parsnip Ginger Lime Soup
• Cool Ranch Doritos Cheese Soup
• Olive Garden Zuppa Toscano Recipe
• Skinny Italian Vegetable Soup

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Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Wild Rice Soup

This Wild Rice Soup delivers hearty flavor and perfect texture, striking a balance between satisfying and a little fancy. It’s the kind of thrifty luxury that’s worth mastering in the kitchen.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Wild Rice Soup

Servings: 6

Calories: 331kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons
• Knife
• Cutting board
• large pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 4 tbsps (60 ml) olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup (150 g) diced butternut squash
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable stock
• 1 cup (176 g) wild rice blend
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 14 oz can (397 g) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

Instructions

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the sliced carrots, celery, onion, and squash until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables start to soften, about 6–7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  4 tbsps (60 ml) olive oil, 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins, 2 ribs celery, sliced, 1 small yellow onion, diced, 1 cup (150 g) diced butternut squash, 1 tbsp minced garlic
• Add vegetable broth, wild rice, bay leaves, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika, then stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice and vegetables are tender.
  6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable stock, 1 cup (176 g) wild rice blend, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Stir in the coconut milk, thyme, and rosemary. Remove the bay leaves before serving, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  1 14 oz can (397 g) full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

Notes

For optimal outcomes when making this wild rice soup, I recommend referring to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Wild Rice Soup

Amount Per Serving (245 g)

Calories 331 Calories from Fat 166

% Daily Value*

Fat 18.4g28%

Saturated Fat 8.7g54%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6.6g

Sodium 638.9mg28%

Potassium 194.3mg6%

Carbohydrates 37.5g13%

Fiber 3.8g16%

Sugar 5.5g6%

Protein 3.8g8%

Vitamin A 217.2IU4%

Vitamin C 10.9mg13%

Calcium 15.4mg2%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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