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This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is made with fresh seasonal vegetables and greens, hearty wild rice, and a deliciously zesty, creamy broth (made with either coconut milk or cream). Instant Pot and stovetop options included!
Who’s ready to warm up with a bowl of wild rice soup? ♡
This cozy autumn wild rice soup has become one of our readers’ favorite recipes here on Gimme Some Oven these past few winters and is also hands-down one of my personal all-time faves on the blog as well. It’s loaded up with lots of my favorite fresh seasonal produce, from sweet potatoes to kale, mushrooms, carrots, celery and onions. It’s made nice and hearty with the addition of wild rice, which just so happens to be lower in calories and higher in protein than many other rices. But best of all, it is made with the most irresistible broth, seasoned with garlic and “the bays,” as I call them, and made creamy with either the addition of coconut milk, cream or a roux-based cream sauce.
After having originally written this recipe with the cream sauce, I have to say that I — as well as so many of you readers — have become much more partial to the coconut version over the past few years, which I think adds the perfect hint of sweetness to the broth to balance out all of those savory flavors, and just so happens to make this recipe vegan too. So for any of you who haven’t tried that version yet, or this soup in general, I thought I would bump it back to the top of the blog today while we’re right in the heart of cozy comfort food season. I’ve included instructions below for how to make either the dairy or vegan versions, as well as instructions for how to make this soup in either the Instant Pot (my fave), Crock-Pot, or on the stovetop. And of course, if you’re craving some nostalgic chicken and wild rice soup, you’re always welcome to toss some shredded chicken in here as well.
More than anything, though, I just wanted to pop in and say how happy I am that so many of you have tried and loved this soup! It always means so much to me to read your comments and see photos of your dinner online. So cheers to the cozy recipes that keep us all warm this time of year…and now let’s make some soup!
Autumn Wild Rice Soup Recipe (Vegan Version) | 1-Minute Video
Wild Rice Soup Ingredients
Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this wild rice soup recipe:
Wild rice: I love using 100% wild rice in this recipe, which is different than a wild rice blend or black rice (which, look out, will turn your soup purple!). That said, though, you are welcome to use whatever type of rice you prefer in this soup. Just note that different varieties of rice will require different cooking times.
Vegetable stock: You could use either vegetable stock or chicken stock as the base for this soup.
Autumn veggies: A seasonal blend of sweet potato, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms and garlic.
The “bays”: I’m a big fan of using Old Bay seasoning and a bay leaf to season this soup. But if you don’t have Old Bay on hand, I have included some alternate seasoning options below.
Coconut milk or cream sauce: I prefer the vegan version of this soup made with coconut milk, which I believe adds the perfect touch of creamy sweetness to balance out all of those savory flavors. But alternately, you could choose to make a cream sauce (made from milk and thickened with a flour/butter roux), or you could just add in some half and half or heavy cream to taste.
Greens: I love adding lots of fresh kale to this soup, but baby spinach, collard greens, or any other soup-friendly greens that you have in the crisper drawer would do.
Salt & pepper: As always, for seasoning!
How To Make Wild Rice Soup
As mentioned, I have included detailed instructions below for how to make this wild rice soup recipe either in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) or on the stovetop. But in general, the method is to…
Cook the base of the soup. Whichever cooking method you choose, we will simmer the veggies and rice in the broth (sans cream) until the rice is completely tender.
(Optional) Make your cream sauce. If you choose to use the cream sauce method, you can prepare the cream sauce in a separate saucepan while the soup cooks by melting the butter, whisking in the flour, stirring in the milk and cooking the mixture until thickened. (Or you can skip this step and add in a can of coconut milk or some half and half instead.)
Add in the coconut milk (or cream sauce) and kale. Once the rice is ready to go, stir in the coconut milk (or cream sauce) and kale until combined. Then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve. And serve it up nice and warm! I love serving this soup with some crusty bread and a simple green salad. Also, note that the soup will continue to thicken as it cools. So if it gets too thick, feel free to add in extra broth and Old Bay, to taste.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is quite flexible, so feel free to experiment with whatever ingredient variations sound good! For example, you could…
Add chicken: To make chicken and wild rice soup, you can either add pre-cooked diced or shredded chicken to the soup. Or you can poach a raw chicken breast in the soup while the rice cooks, then remove, shred, and add it back into the soup before serving.
Use a different seasoning: This soup would taste delicious with a variety of different seasoning blends (in place of Old Bay), such as Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence.
Make it milder. Old Bay seasoning is mildly spicy, so if you prefer your soup with less heat, I would begin with just 2 teaspoons of Old Bay. Then you can always add more to taste later, if you would like.
Make it gluten-free: The vegan version of this soup is naturally gluten-free. But if you are making the dairy version and would like to thicken the broth a bit, I would recommend adding a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cold water and cornstarch mixed together) to the soup until it reaches your desired consistency.
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes
Looking for some more simple, cozy, vegetarian soup recipes this season? Here are a few more of our faves… ♡
This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup features fresh seasonal produce, hearty wild rice, and a zesty creamy broth. The vegan version of the soup is listed here in this recipe, or see options below for the cream sauce version.
Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Stir briefly to combine.
Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes. Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes. Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure. Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.
Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
Stovetop Method:
Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine.
Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
Wild rice: I used 100% wild rice which I love and recommend for this soup. Cooking time may vary if you use a wild rice blend or a different type of rice.
Alternate cream sauce recipe: In place of the coconut milk, you can either add 1 1/2 cups half and half. Or you can make a cream sauce by melting 3 tablespoons of butter in a (separate) saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking in 1/4 cup flour for one minute, and then whisking in 1 1/2 cups milk until the mixture is smooth. Let the sauce cook until it nearly reaches a simmer, at which point it will thicken, then remove from heat and add the sauce to the soup once the rice has completely cooked.
Crock-Pot (Slow Cooker) Option: I decided to remove the Crock-Pot option from the recipe instructions because we have unfortunately found slow cookers to be too inconsistent in making this recipe. Different brands/models have proven to vary dramatically in terms of the cooking time required to fully soften the rice and vegetables, and too much of the broth can evaporate if the lid is not fully secure. I recommend the Instant Pot or stovetop options instead. But if you want to cook this soup in a slow cooker, just follow the Instant Pot method and slow cooker (instead of pressure cook) the soup as directed in Step 2 until the rice and veggies are tender.
I used the stovetop method to make this soup and it turned out AMAZING. Not to mention how easy it was to make. I used cajun seasoning instead of Old Bay seasoning and it worked very well. This is definitely being added to my recipe rotation.
This was delicious! We made the crock pot version, and it definitely needed at least another hour of cooking (might be our slow cooker). The flavors are great!
This recipe definitely doesn’t need any more glowing reviews, but I thought I’d add mine to the mix. Best soup ever! I’ll be making it again and again.
Discovered this recipe on Pinterest and made it for dinner last night. I added chopped red pepper to the veggies at the beginning and a chopped, cooked chicken breast at the end with the kale. We loved it! The nutty flavor of the wild rice along with the Old Bay seasoning made this soup a definite keeper! Thank you!!!
I made this recipe… spinach instead of kale, I added a red pepper and added the coconut milk to keep it gluten free. OMG! My family loved it! I was told to write down exactly what I did… they thought it was perfect. It was! Thanks for the great idea, I never would have thought to add coconut milk, nor would I have guessed it would be the secret amazing ingredient!
Such a simple yet tasty soup! I made it with quinoa because I had no rice on hand, and cashew milk instead of regular milk and it still tasted amazing. I am definitely adding this one to my soup rotation. Thank you for a great recipe! :)
Made this last night in the instant pot. Easy and really quite wonderful. So tired of chicken soup, veggie soup etc. This really hit the spot and got rave reviews from friends! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this last night for dinner. Didn’t have mushrooms, so I added extra veggies – even snuck in some shaved brussel sprouts. Excellent soup! Had both of my kids asking for seconds!
I made this for my wife and we both loved it! It move into one of our top soups for this coming winter. I added spinach instead of kale. Just made it veggy this time but will throw in shrimp, scallops, or clams (or all the above) next time.
Love love this recipe. I used coconut cream by accident and loved it so much. Added a few brussel sprouts the next time that I cooked it. Thank you so much. Yumm!!!!
Sara —
I had been wanting to make this for awhile and finally did the stove top method tonight. It was perfect! Did exactly as the recipe called except added more Old Bay at the end. So good.
This was a delicious soup. I used 4 cups of veggie. stock and 1 cups of chicken stock.I didn’t have coconut milk or half and half so I used heavy cream. This is a very forgiving recipe. It tasted amazing. I used spinach instead of kale. This will be a go to soup recipe for the instant pot.
This is the most amazing soup! I have made it several times using the stovetop method. I don’t change a thing, and in a pinch you can even use canned chicken.. Yum, yum, yum!
Very tasty, BUT would recommend NOT using the “slow cooker” version. The slow cooker takes at least twice as long as this recipe states. That wasn’t a fun surprise at 8:30 pm, hungry and still hours away from dinner being done…
I’m a pretty good cook and I am disappointed to say this soup was gross. Bland, even it adding extra seasoning, and o followed it to the letter except for making the rice on the side as many people suggested.
This soup was excellent!! I cooked it via the stove top method, and it didn’t take long at all. I also added a drained small can of baby clams. I will definitely make this again.
Yum! Second time making it. It’s very tasty. I used spinach in place of kale and added asparagus and fresh broccoli. Also only had 11 oz of sweet potato so used butternut squash to make it 1 lb. It’s a very nice hearty soup.
I am not a lover of soup. I pretty much am your basic chicken noodle soup in a can kind of soup eater. This soup came across my Pinterest feed and I thought it looked so good and it’s cold here in Minnesota, so why not give it a try. I had a vegetarian friend over for dinner, so I made the vegan version. OMG it was so good! I loved the touch of sweetness that the coconut milk and sweet potatoes give it to balance with the Old Bay seasoning. I loved this soup so much I have made it twice in the last month.
The first time I made it, the sweet potatoes were a little mushy, so I cut them in bigger chunks the second time and they turned out perfect! I also doubled the mushrooms the second time because I can never get enough mushrooms. I have recommended this soup to so many of my friends. It’s definitely my new winter weather go to!
Second time I’ve made this in two months (by request). This time, instead of making the roux, I just used half-and-half. Also, this time I added 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as suggested. It was deemed BETTER than the first time! And that was a high bar!! Followed up with pumpkin pie from TJ’s (surprisingly good and easy on the chef). A super delicious meal on a Sunday night.
Made a stovetop version and it turned out great. Instead of Old Bay, I used paprika, blend of white and red peppercorns and a bit of rosemary. Delicious.
Nice soup. We used the InstaPot and coconut milk option. We added some fresh lemon juice and a little white wine vinegar before serving, which gave it a little zing.
I made the instant pot version with coconut as written, no added milk. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe! It was quick, easy, and healthy.
I love soup season. But this year I became a vegetarian. So soup is different this year. So I made this soup. Loved the flavors. So good. I added butternut squash to the mix. I don’t think mine was as creamy as the video looks. But the flavors were there. I cooked it in my slow cooker. I like that the vegetables were still crunchy and not overly soft. Thanks for a great soup to kick off my soup season.
This was a favorite recipe and then I made it with coconut milk. Now it’s super favorite! Sometimes I add protein. Sometimes I sub butternut squash for the sweet potato. Next time we will use shrimp and straw mushrooms with the coconut milk. Maybe a little curry powder too. Thank you so much for this healthy versatile recipe!!
This recipe is to die for!! I made it with some half and half (the cream sauce directions) instead of the coconut milk just because sometimes I don’t like the after taste coconut milk leaves, but I would try it now. I also added chicken for some protein, and I used cajun seasoning in place of the old bay seasoning because I didn’t have any, and I saw some others had made that sub as well. It was delish :)
Just made this amazing soup (Stove Top). I roasted the carrots and sweet potato in the oven for about 12 minutes bc I’m always afraid they won’t get soft enough. Left out the celery bc yuck, but this soup was sooo yummy!! I did the alternate cream sauce and this soup was so thick and filling. My husband and I loved it.
Yummy. Thankyou. I used black wild rice, because that’s all I could find at my heb bulk section. I was scared the soup was going to turn purple like your notes had mentioned. And it never happened. Only thing I did different was add 4 cups of chicken stock (a box) and 4 cups of vegetable stock and shredded chicken breast into a bowl before I poured the soup over for my husband (I’m a vegetarian) he doesnt like coconut milk in dishes and not a fan of sweet potatoes , but funny thing is he ate two huge bowls. (On the second he added a few crunched up tortilla chips to) Delicious. Will be making for my elderly parents soon. Hope you are doing well in your pregnancy I will pray for you and your family.
I have made this twice, once in Crockpot and once stove top. I prefer stove top because it was too mushy in Crockpot. This may have been because, in both cases, I used long grain and wild rice combo. The second time I used my own combo of favorite seasoning, and the first I used Old Bay. Once again, the first method was much better.
This was so hearty, full of flavor and the perfect fall soup recipe. I followed the instant pot instructions and it came out perfectly. The leftovers were even better as the flavor got better the next day. I did extra old bay seasoning because I love a lot of flavor. It did have a little kick, so probably not the best if small children are going to be eating it.
I used the stove top method and this soup is unbelievably delicious! Cannot wait to make it again. I used a food processor to chop the veggies very small and used 2 more cups of broth. This one is a keeper!
I really loved this soup. It got better and better esch day! I followed the recipe for the slow cooker. Though I’m a mushroom lover, I didn’t think they were a good fit for this soup, and would leave them out next time. Otherwise, spot on! Thanks.
Followed the instant pot recipe, adding 1# frozen chicken tenders. SO YUMMY! Will be making this again. Thanks for a great, simple, healthy recipe.
I used the stovetop method to make this soup and it turned out AMAZING. Not to mention how easy it was to make. I used cajun seasoning instead of Old Bay seasoning and it worked very well. This is definitely being added to my recipe rotation.
I made this recipe tonight and it is so easy and delicious. My carnivore daughter loved it too. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
This was delicious! We made the crock pot version, and it definitely needed at least another hour of cooking (might be our slow cooker). The flavors are great!
This recipe definitely doesn’t need any more glowing reviews, but I thought I’d add mine to the mix. Best soup ever! I’ll be making it again and again.
Very good soup.
Discovered this recipe on Pinterest and made it for dinner last night. I added chopped red pepper to the veggies at the beginning and a chopped, cooked chicken breast at the end with the kale. We loved it! The nutty flavor of the wild rice along with the Old Bay seasoning made this soup a definite keeper! Thank you!!!
I made this recipe… spinach instead of kale, I added a red pepper and added the coconut milk to keep it gluten free. OMG! My family loved it! I was told to write down exactly what I did… they thought it was perfect. It was! Thanks for the great idea, I never would have thought to add coconut milk, nor would I have guessed it would be the secret amazing ingredient!
This is one of my favorite soups & I love it’s versatility! How does it freeze? I made a huge pot & would like to freeze some.
Wow this is delicious! I can’t believe how good this soup is. The coconut milk takes it to the next level. Probably the best thing I’ve ever made!
Such a simple yet tasty soup! I made it with quinoa because I had no rice on hand, and cashew milk instead of regular milk and it still tasted amazing. I am definitely adding this one to my soup rotation. Thank you for a great recipe! :)
Made this last night in the instant pot. Easy and really quite wonderful. So tired of chicken soup, veggie soup etc. This really hit the spot and got rave reviews from friends! Thanks for the recipe!
My husband made this last night in the instapot and it is amazing. Great job!! Thank you!
This is great! I cooked it on stove. The only change I made was I used spinach instead of kale. We loved it.
Made this last night for dinner. Didn’t have mushrooms, so I added extra veggies – even snuck in some shaved brussel sprouts. Excellent soup! Had both of my kids asking for seconds!
I made this for my wife and we both loved it! It move into one of our top soups for this coming winter. I added spinach instead of kale. Just made it veggy this time but will throw in shrimp, scallops, or clams (or all the above) next time.
Love love this recipe. I used coconut cream by accident and loved it so much. Added a few brussel sprouts the next time that I cooked it. Thank you so much. Yumm!!!!
I had been wanting to make this for awhile and finally did the stove top method tonight. It was perfect! Did exactly as the recipe called except added more Old Bay at the end. So good.
This was a delicious soup. I used 4 cups of veggie. stock and 1 cups of chicken stock.I didn’t have coconut milk or half and half so I used heavy cream. This is a very forgiving recipe. It tasted amazing. I used spinach instead of kale. This will be a go to soup recipe for the instant pot.
Love it
This soup is AMAZING! It is so delicious and easy to make. (I made the stovetop version)
My hubby loved this recipe! I just added chicken sausage a little more spices and I used wild rice in the box and used the season packet. Delicious
Can you freeze portions of this soup if made with coconut milk?
I froze it without any problems whatsoever.
YUM!! Eating this soup right now. It’s so delicious. Another winning recipe!
This is the most amazing soup! I have made it several times using the stovetop method. I don’t change a thing, and in a pinch you can even use canned chicken.. Yum, yum, yum!
Made this tonight in the instant pot–my whole family loved it!
Very tasty, BUT would recommend NOT using the “slow cooker” version. The slow cooker takes at least twice as long as this recipe states. That wasn’t a fun surprise at 8:30 pm, hungry and still hours away from dinner being done…
I’m a pretty good cook and I am disappointed to say this soup was gross. Bland, even it adding extra seasoning, and o followed it to the letter except for making the rice on the side as many people suggested.
This soup was excellent!! I cooked it via the stove top method, and it didn’t take long at all. I also added a drained small can of baby clams. I will definitely make this again.
Everything a soup should be and then some! Add some yukon gold potatoes instead of or with the sweet potatoes
Yum! Second time making it. It’s very tasty. I used spinach in place of kale and added asparagus and fresh broccoli. Also only had 11 oz of sweet potato so used butternut squash to make it 1 lb. It’s a very nice hearty soup.
I made this tonight and quite enjoyed it. I love that it’s fall in a pot. Thanks very much!
I am not a lover of soup. I pretty much am your basic chicken noodle soup in a can kind of soup eater. This soup came across my Pinterest feed and I thought it looked so good and it’s cold here in Minnesota, so why not give it a try. I had a vegetarian friend over for dinner, so I made the vegan version. OMG it was so good! I loved the touch of sweetness that the coconut milk and sweet potatoes give it to balance with the Old Bay seasoning. I loved this soup so much I have made it twice in the last month.
The first time I made it, the sweet potatoes were a little mushy, so I cut them in bigger chunks the second time and they turned out perfect! I also doubled the mushrooms the second time because I can never get enough mushrooms. I have recommended this soup to so many of my friends. It’s definitely my new winter weather go to!
Second time I’ve made this in two months (by request). This time, instead of making the roux, I just used half-and-half. Also, this time I added 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as suggested. It was deemed BETTER than the first time! And that was a high bar!! Followed up with pumpkin pie from TJ’s (surprisingly good and easy on the chef). A super delicious meal on a Sunday night.
Made a stovetop version and it turned out great. Instead of Old Bay, I used paprika, blend of white and red peppercorns and a bit of rosemary. Delicious.
Nice soup. We used the InstaPot and coconut milk option. We added some fresh lemon juice and a little white wine vinegar before serving, which gave it a little zing.
I made this soup and it was very tasty even if it didn’t look like the pictures at all ! Coconut milk changes everything for the taste ? thanks.
I made the instant pot version with coconut as written, no added milk. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe! It was quick, easy, and healthy.
I love soup season. But this year I became a vegetarian. So soup is different this year. So I made this soup. Loved the flavors. So good. I added butternut squash to the mix. I don’t think mine was as creamy as the video looks. But the flavors were there. I cooked it in my slow cooker. I like that the vegetables were still crunchy and not overly soft. Thanks for a great soup to kick off my soup season.
This was a favorite recipe and then I made it with coconut milk. Now it’s super favorite! Sometimes I add protein. Sometimes I sub butternut squash for the sweet potato. Next time we will use shrimp and straw mushrooms with the coconut milk. Maybe a little curry powder too. Thank you so much for this healthy versatile recipe!!
This recipe is to die for!! I made it with some half and half (the cream sauce directions) instead of the coconut milk just because sometimes I don’t like the after taste coconut milk leaves, but I would try it now. I also added chicken for some protein, and I used cajun seasoning in place of the old bay seasoning because I didn’t have any, and I saw some others had made that sub as well. It was delish :)
Just made this amazing soup (Stove Top). I roasted the carrots and sweet potato in the oven for about 12 minutes bc I’m always afraid they won’t get soft enough. Left out the celery bc yuck, but this soup was sooo yummy!! I did the alternate cream sauce and this soup was so thick and filling. My husband and I loved it.
Your recipe is amazing. I used cheese instead of kale. So delicious thank you
The most amazing combination of fall flavors! Made this once and will definitely make it sooner rather than later!
Yummy. Thankyou. I used black wild rice, because that’s all I could find at my heb bulk section. I was scared the soup was going to turn purple like your notes had mentioned. And it never happened. Only thing I did different was add 4 cups of chicken stock (a box) and 4 cups of vegetable stock and shredded chicken breast into a bowl before I poured the soup over for my husband (I’m a vegetarian) he doesnt like coconut milk in dishes and not a fan of sweet potatoes , but funny thing is he ate two huge bowls. (On the second he added a few crunched up tortilla chips to) Delicious. Will be making for my elderly parents soon. Hope you are doing well in your pregnancy I will pray for you and your family.
I have made this twice, once in Crockpot and once stove top. I prefer stove top because it was too mushy in Crockpot. This may have been because, in both cases, I used long grain and wild rice combo. The second time I used my own combo of favorite seasoning, and the first I used Old Bay. Once again, the first method was much better.
This was so hearty, full of flavor and the perfect fall soup recipe. I followed the instant pot instructions and it came out perfectly. The leftovers were even better as the flavor got better the next day. I did extra old bay seasoning because I love a lot of flavor. It did have a little kick, so probably not the best if small children are going to be eating it.
I used the stove top method and this soup is unbelievably delicious! Cannot wait to make it again. I used a food processor to chop the veggies very small and used 2 more cups of broth. This one is a keeper!
I made this twice in one week because everyone wanted more.
Amazing! New favorite soup in the family.
I really loved this soup. It got better and better esch day! I followed the recipe for the slow cooker. Though I’m a mushroom lover, I didn’t think they were a good fit for this soup, and would leave them out next time. Otherwise, spot on! Thanks.