The Best Creamy Wild Rice Soup
Wild rice soup is an easy recipe to make for dinner. This hearty comfort food is filled with bacon, mushrooms, and vegetables. Use a Dutch oven on your stovetop to create the best creamy soup you'll have this fall.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 329kcal
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter reserve 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 ¼ cup celery chopped
- 1 ¼ cup carrot chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced (roughly 3 large cloves)
- 8 ounces mushrooms rubbed clean and sliced
- 7 slices low sodium bacon crumbled
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry wild rice rinsed
- 8 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add the mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrot) and stir until well mixed. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the spices and let them bloom for a minute while constantly stirring.
- While the mirepoix is cooking, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium high heat in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the mushrooms, stirring well to coat them in butter, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms are done when the liquid is evaporated and they start turning brown.
- Once the mirepoix is done, reduce the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour on the vegetables. Use a wooden spoon to mix the flour, then cook the flour for 3 minutes. This will form the roux to help thicken the soup.
- Add the wild rice, and keep stirring for a minute to toast it.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in the water, the crumbled bacon, and the mushrooms, then cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes to cook the wild rice and improve the flavor.
- During the last 15 minutes of cooking, taste it. If desired, add ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper and 1 ½ teaspoons more of fresh thyme leaves.
- After it's cooked, take it off the heat, if necessary, skim off any fat that rises to the top. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir until it is well incorporated. Tip: if you are planning on freezing some of this, only add cream to the part that you'll be eating before freezing it.
- Transfer it to individual serving bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and black pepper. Serve warm with a thick slice of crusty bread.
Crock Pot Instructions
- To build the layers of flavor, follow steps 1 to 5 for stove top.
- Pour in stock, water, wild rice, mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, crumbled bacon, and spices to the crock pot.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Rice should be tender and popped open.
- During last 10 minutes, add the cream. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Notes
- 100% wild black rice is the only rice to use.
- Toast the rice for additional flavor.
- Need a garnish? Try fresh thyme leaves or lemon zest.
- Want this low fat or dairy free? Try evaporated milk or full fat coconut milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3347IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
