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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.
Cozy is right! This is delicious. I made it on the stovetop and am thilled with the results. The Old Bay is very subtle. (I grew up in MD and has Old Bay rubbed on my gums; I wouldn’t have been able to identify it as the seasoning in this soup.) I added chicken thighs, which makes this a very hearty soup. I will be making this again and again.
I saw the picture and just had to make it. So, as we speak it is simmering and my house smells awesome. As I have Celiac Disease I substituted the flour for cornstarch mixed with almond milk. Gotta wait 45 very long minutes to try it!
So I made this in the crock pot according to directions and the rice was so mushy and the soup got so thick from the rice it’s not edible. What could I have done wrong?
Mary —
Cooked the rice seperate and add it last 10 minutes of cooking
Mercedes —
Maybe add some chicken stock to thin it out… “mushy” rice makes a great porridge.
Wow, delicious! The only change I made was using brown rice blend and butternut squash instead of sweet potato. Took a batch to friends who also raved about it!
Just made this in the instant pot and it turned out soooo yummy! If you are thinking about making this… do it! Used a wild rice blend and kept the cook time the same.
I made this a second time thinking that it must have been the wrong rice as I used a wild blend. This time I used 100% wild rice and it came out the same way. ?
Oh deliciousness! We love soups here but my husband said this was my best one yet – VERY high praise indeed. I did add chicken (precooked) that I had in the freezer. I used the Old Bay and probably doubled the amount as I added more at the end with the salt and pepper. Used skim milk for the cream sauce and that worked out just fine.
Wow is all I can say! Followed direction pretty close. Used 8 cups of vegetable stock and no salt or pepper. My family loved it. Ate the leftovers tonight and added in some rotisserie chicken. Amazing soup. Easy to make! This will be a staple soup this winter! yum?
I am eating this right now and let me tell y’all it is wonderful! I made it as written minus the potatoes, add chicken, with Italian seasoning since I couldn’t find any Old Bay in my stores. I will most definitely be making this again!! Thanks for the great recipe just in time for soup season!!!!
Made this today on a stovepot and turned out exactly as pictured. I live in Norway and don’t know what Old Bay spice is but I substituted with oregano and some persille. Also added some chicken breasts. It was so hearty and perfect for a Fall evening. Thank you for sharing!
This was easy to make in the Instantpot- I added spinach instead of kale. I also used the full-fat coconut milk, and it was delicious. My 15 year old daughter told me to make it again soon.
I made it with white rice, as I couldn’t find wild rice in the store in my neighborhood – I love in Bulgaria.
Overall, it is very nice, but it got really mushy, although I followed all instruction – could it be from the rice, or I did smth wring there :(
ebony —
white rice doesn’t take nearly as long to cook as wild rice and isn’t as hardy, so i can see that it would get mushy. maybe try adding it in at some point during the simmering.
Amazing! Hearty, great flavors, and absolutely loved by both me and my husband! I’m vegan so I made it using plant-based milk for the roux. It thickened it just enough! This is definitely going to be on my regular rotation!
Made this and it was great!! I was a little hesitant about the Old Bay but it added a different flavor which made it delicious. This was my first time for using wild rice also. Great texture. I am going to try making a vegan version for my daughter. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I just made this soup and it is delicious! Very easy, very comforting and very flavorful. Perfect for this chilly fall day! This will be added to my meal rotation! I’m sure my family will love it when they get home this evening! I will bake some buttery dinner rolls to go with it.
Just made this soup this evening, and it was delicious!!!!!! This is a winner! The only thing I would change is to add more mushrooms and sweet potatoes!
I rarely comment on blogs, but this was legitimately FANTASTIC. I made it with stovetop and the rice is still a bit chewy, so I probably will cook the rice separately next time. I didn’t need to add any salt at all–I’m thinking the broth and old bay added enough flavor. This is a winner that will be in my lunch rotation all winter long.
Made this using the instant pot directions exactly as written and it came out beautifully. I added a parsnip, purple carrots, and a few leeks as my veggies; everything else stayed the same. Had no issues with mushy wild rice. Definitely adding this to my soup recipe book.
Lisa —
Forgot to mention I also added two chicken breast and shredded the meat after it all cooked together. No need to adjust the cooking time.
So delicious! I made it in the Crockpot and it made the house smell so good. The magic begins after the cream sauce is added. The only change I made was adding a chicken breast and shredding it towards the end. It’s a keeper!
i made this using the stovetop method and really enjoyed it! the one thing i’d change is that i would probably sauté the mushrooms and maybe even add some dried into the mix, as i didn’t feel the soup had a very “mushroomy” flavor & i’d like to amp that up.
thanks for the recipe!
YUMMY!!! Made this last nite and it was perfect comfort food for a rainy, dreary, autumn, meatless Monday. Only change made, I didn’t have enough wild rice, so after 30 min of simmering, I added reg. white rice and simmered an additional 15 min. Def. a keeper. Adding it to the rotation!
This was fantastic, and exactly what I needed on a cold-ish autumn day. One alteration I made: I omitted the Old Bay entirely and instead added a heaping teaspoon of red miso paste to the roux when making the cream sauce. It upped the umami of the mushrooms and was phenomenal. Thank you for this!
Ok I never leave reviews but I am so over the moon about this soup I had to. Old Bay? My mind is blown -this one ingredient that I’ve only ever used for seafood creates the perfect flavor bomb. I used stovetop method and half regular chicken broth/half no sodium and added rotisserie chicken to make it a full meal. It’s everything I love about the Panera version but chock full of healthy veggies and homemade quality. I will be making and savoring this every fall and winter.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! I used a wild rice blend and the cooking time worked out fine. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Soooo good!! The more I ate it, the more I liked it. I was leery about the Old Bay in it, but it turned out to be fantastic! Wonderful combinations of flavors.
Made this today, stovetop version. Extremely easy and absolutely delicious! This is definitely a keeper!! I added shredded rotisserie chicken to mine. A very hearty meal! Thank you for sharing
Cozy is right! This is delicious. I made it on the stovetop and am thilled with the results. The Old Bay is very subtle. (I grew up in MD and has Old Bay rubbed on my gums; I wouldn’t have been able to identify it as the seasoning in this soup.) I added chicken thighs, which makes this a very hearty soup. I will be making this again and again.
I saw the picture and just had to make it. So, as we speak it is simmering and my house smells awesome. As I have Celiac Disease I substituted the flour for cornstarch mixed with almond milk. Gotta wait 45 very long minutes to try it!
So I made this in the crock pot according to directions and the rice was so mushy and the soup got so thick from the rice it’s not edible. What could I have done wrong?
Cooked the rice seperate and add it last 10 minutes of cooking
Maybe add some chicken stock to thin it out… “mushy” rice makes a great porridge.
Omg! Delicious. Made it on the stovetop, turned out perfect. Ate it with some soft rolls. Will definitely make again and again.
Wow, delicious! The only change I made was using brown rice blend and butternut squash instead of sweet potato. Took a batch to friends who also raved about it!
Just made this in the instant pot and it turned out soooo yummy! If you are thinking about making this… do it! Used a wild rice blend and kept the cook time the same.
I made this a second time thinking that it must have been the wrong rice as I used a wild blend. This time I used 100% wild rice and it came out the same way. ?
Very good soup my daughter’s family also loved it
Hi there! Was wondering how different is the cooking time with a wild rice blend? This looks fantastic !
Oh deliciousness! We love soups here but my husband said this was my best one yet – VERY high praise indeed. I did add chicken (precooked) that I had in the freezer. I used the Old Bay and probably doubled the amount as I added more at the end with the salt and pepper. Used skim milk for the cream sauce and that worked out just fine.
Just served this to my toddler and he LOVED it!! So did Mom and Dad. :) Will be making this again.
Wow is all I can say! Followed direction pretty close. Used 8 cups of vegetable stock and no salt or pepper. My family loved it. Ate the leftovers tonight and added in some rotisserie chicken. Amazing soup. Easy to make! This will be a staple soup this winter! yum?
I am eating this right now and let me tell y’all it is wonderful! I made it as written minus the potatoes, add chicken, with Italian seasoning since I couldn’t find any Old Bay in my stores. I will most definitely be making this again!! Thanks for the great recipe just in time for soup season!!!!
Made this today on a stovepot and turned out exactly as pictured. I live in Norway and don’t know what Old Bay spice is but I substituted with oregano and some persille. Also added some chicken breasts. It was so hearty and perfect for a Fall evening. Thank you for sharing!
This was easy to make in the Instantpot- I added spinach instead of kale. I also used the full-fat coconut milk, and it was delicious. My 15 year old daughter told me to make it again soon.
I made it with white rice, as I couldn’t find wild rice in the store in my neighborhood – I love in Bulgaria.
Overall, it is very nice, but it got really mushy, although I followed all instruction – could it be from the rice, or I did smth wring there :(
white rice doesn’t take nearly as long to cook as wild rice and isn’t as hardy, so i can see that it would get mushy. maybe try adding it in at some point during the simmering.
Amazing! Hearty, great flavors, and absolutely loved by both me and my husband! I’m vegan so I made it using plant-based milk for the roux. It thickened it just enough! This is definitely going to be on my regular rotation!
have this cooking in my crock pot as I type. Already smelling delicious.
Made this in my instapot and veganized it.(used coconut milk). It was incredible.?This is a recipe I will be making a lot.
Yummy! Substituted the kale for spinach and used coconut milk for a healthier choice! Was delish and will definitely make again ?
Excellent recipe! I used my instapot and the coconut milk substitute. This will definitely be included in my fall/winter soup rotation.
Wondering about adding uncooked chicken breast and cooking in instant pot…would you add more time to the pressure cooking?
This soup was Amazing! Made the instant pot version and had it left over for lunch today. IT IS SO GOOD
Wonderful! We loved it with coconut milk. It was so creamy and full of flavor. Thank you! We will definitely make it again
How would you suggest adjusting cooking times if you put the chicken in the soup to cook in an Instant Pot?
You don’t need to adjust the cooking time. Just add the chicken with all of the other ingredients. It will cook in the soup.
Made this and it was great!! I was a little hesitant about the Old Bay but it added a different flavor which made it delicious. This was my first time for using wild rice also. Great texture. I am going to try making a vegan version for my daughter. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I just made this soup and it is delicious! Very easy, very comforting and very flavorful. Perfect for this chilly fall day! This will be added to my meal rotation! I’m sure my family will love it when they get home this evening! I will bake some buttery dinner rolls to go with it.
Just made this soup this evening, and it was delicious!!!!!! This is a winner! The only thing I would change is to add more mushrooms and sweet potatoes!
I rarely comment on blogs, but this was legitimately FANTASTIC. I made it with stovetop and the rice is still a bit chewy, so I probably will cook the rice separately next time. I didn’t need to add any salt at all–I’m thinking the broth and old bay added enough flavor. This is a winner that will be in my lunch rotation all winter long.
Made this using the instant pot directions exactly as written and it came out beautifully. I added a parsnip, purple carrots, and a few leeks as my veggies; everything else stayed the same. Had no issues with mushy wild rice. Definitely adding this to my soup recipe book.
Forgot to mention I also added two chicken breast and shredded the meat after it all cooked together. No need to adjust the cooking time.
So delicious! I made it in the Crockpot and it made the house smell so good. The magic begins after the cream sauce is added. The only change I made was adding a chicken breast and shredding it towards the end. It’s a keeper!
This soup is easily now one of my fall favorites.
Gonna give this a go with coconut milk instead of cream sauce. I bet this would be fabulous with roast acorn squash incorporated somehow.
Going to blend up the veggies and add chicken.
Thanks!! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
This looks delicious! I’m not a huge fan of sweet potatoe so could butternut squash be substituted?
i made this using the stovetop method and really enjoyed it! the one thing i’d change is that i would probably sauté the mushrooms and maybe even add some dried into the mix, as i didn’t feel the soup had a very “mushroomy” flavor & i’d like to amp that up.
thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for including all the tips, variations and cooking methods for this recipe. I really appreciate the extra steps you take!
This soup is perfect- thank you! Also it was re-pinned multiple times.
Made this for meatless Monday in the crock pot and it was delicious. It is just the two of us and this makes a lot of soup. Have you ever frozen it?
Wondering if you ended up freezing it and how it turned out once defrosted? Thank you.
This was amazing. Follow exact recipe added chicken !! Love it !!
YUMMY!!! Made this last nite and it was perfect comfort food for a rainy, dreary, autumn, meatless Monday. Only change made, I didn’t have enough wild rice, so after 30 min of simmering, I added reg. white rice and simmered an additional 15 min. Def. a keeper. Adding it to the rotation!
This was fantastic, and exactly what I needed on a cold-ish autumn day. One alteration I made: I omitted the Old Bay entirely and instead added a heaping teaspoon of red miso paste to the roux when making the cream sauce. It upped the umami of the mushrooms and was phenomenal. Thank you for this!
This was so fun to put together…I added roasted chicken & used spinach. SO good ! My husband had a 2nd serving. Thanks for the great recipe .
AMAZING. definitely a go to from now on thanks so much! Highly suggest! Easy and delicious
Ok I never leave reviews but I am so over the moon about this soup I had to. Old Bay? My mind is blown -this one ingredient that I’ve only ever used for seafood creates the perfect flavor bomb. I used stovetop method and half regular chicken broth/half no sodium and added rotisserie chicken to make it a full meal. It’s everything I love about the Panera version but chock full of healthy veggies and homemade quality. I will be making and savoring this every fall and winter.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! I used a wild rice blend and the cooking time worked out fine. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect cozy fall soup! Used coconut milk, so amazing for dairy free option!
Soooo good!! The more I ate it, the more I liked it. I was leery about the Old Bay in it, but it turned out to be fantastic! Wonderful combinations of flavors.
I made this soup it was delicious! But the rice seemed to disappear in it,wondering why?
Made this today, stovetop version. Extremely easy and absolutely delicious! This is definitely a keeper!! I added shredded rotisserie chicken to mine. A very hearty meal! Thank you for sharing
Posted a comment earlier and missed a Star……I give it 5 Stars