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Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

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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…

  1. 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.
  2. (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.)
  3. 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.
  4. 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… ♡

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Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 1034 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Description

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.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
  • 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
  • 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Method:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Stovetop Method:

  1. 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.
  2. Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!


Notes

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.

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1,570 comments on “Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup”

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  1. Family favorite! I add diced ham and used Italian seasoning instead of old bay! Love the coconut milk as a thickener, adds great flavor!






  2. The cook time for the crock pot or slow cooker is WAY off. I’ve had it on high for 3.5 hours and everything is still crunchy. Looked up similar recipes with the same ingredients and they say 5-6 hours on high, which seems more reasonable.

  3. I omitted the celery. Doubled the carrots, mushrooms, and sweet potato. I used chicken bone broth and used Italian seasoning. I’m in love with this soup!

  4. Probably the best soup I’ve ever had! So creamy and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!






  5. I can’t remember if I commented on this already.

    We like this soup a lot. If definitely has a “fall feel” to it but is good all year long. I made it last night for just my wife and I so I cut the amounts down a bit. I still used the full amount of mushrooms, though and used 3/4 cup of rice. I used 4 cups of broth instead of 6 cups. This is such an easy recipe and we always make it in the instant pot.

    I read other reviews here with people not liking the amount of Old Bay in it. I always used the amount that is asked for so last night I used 1 T instead of 1 1/2 T since the amount of broth was less. Also, Old Bay has a good bit of salt in it. I make my own vegetable broth and there is no salt in it. If I were using store bought broth that was already salted I might cut back a bit on the amount of Old Bay. The other change I make with this is I usually make it with 1/2 wild rice and 1/2 Lindbergh wild rice blend. I have also made it with spinach if we didn’t have kale. It’s good either way. Crusty bread and a salad makes an easy meal.






  6. This recipe is fantastic. Huge raves from family and friends. I’m curious, for those folks who have not liked it in the review portion of the page, how they chose to cook it. I used the stove-top method but I made sure to brown the mushrooms for 30 minutes before putting them in the soup (just a preference for me). The amount of Old Bay seasoning was also spot on for me. It is definitely a do-again, and in fact, I’m making it again tonight for family. Certainly a nice comfort soup for snowy weather.






  7. Ali, your soup recipes are my favourite.

    I’ve made this soup 5 times now because my family loves it so much. I’m partial to the stove top method, but have figured out that the soup comes together quicker if I do the wild rice in a rice cooker and then add it in at the end. Very good stuff.






    • I loved this soup. However, my husband asked if we could use Yukon gold or red potatoes instead of the sweet potatoes. Any suggestions?

  8. This soup is phenomenal, so flavorful and full of texture. Also so easy to make since you basically add all the ingredients at once with the exception of softening the onion. Beautifully written instructions with multiple cooking methods and substitutions.






  9. I made this today in the croc pot. I used butter, flour and milk for the sauce and as I didn’t have any greens, I used frozen corn. It was like a chowder and it was delicious. I was too light on the Old Bay. Next time I’m adding more.






  10. I was skeptical of the coconut milk in this creamy soup but it works! I make according to the recipe and turns out great every time – you do need wild rice, not black rice. Even vegetarian skeptic friends love this soup, and it’s now a staple in many of their homes too. Yum!






  11. Could I freeze this soup? Just made for first time it is delicious!!

  12. I followed this recipe to a T (aside from left out sweet potato bc i had none and added a bit more old bay at the end to my bowl) and it was sooo good! Ate it for lunch and dinner and really filling 🙌🏼
    Last time i tried it i attempted to make it more ‘creamy’ and this time was 1000x better flavor wise as written- we’re a dairy free house due to kids allergies and I hesitate to use coconut bc i feel like i can taste it/have better luck with vegan butter/milk subs but this was PERFECT!! Will be making again and again!






  13. I love this soup! We have made it so many times. I see that it is 8 servings but how much is a serving? 1 cup maybe? Thanks!






  14. My boyfriend and I have made a bunch of your recipes. This soup is to die for! Followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing! Thanks so much for inspiring us to cook !!






  15. I had planned to make a couple tweaks but was forced to make more because I realized at the last minute that my wild rice and mushrooms were not good and needed to be tossed. :( It was still so good, though!

    I used a bit more carrot instead of sweet potato, heavy cream (1/2 cup) instead of coconut cream, white rice (cook time was maybe 25 min), and added cubed rotisserie chicken since I was missing the mushrooms. I also added a few shakes of some dried herbs (chives, thyme and dill). I will definitely make this again, hopefully next time with wild rice and mushrooms. :) Thank you!






    • I was able to make this with a wild rice blend and mushrooms this time – so good. :) I also added a can of cannelini beans to help bulk it up since my mushrooms shrunk a lot (I sauteed them with the onions), and it was a good call!

  16. This soup was DELISH!! Everyone loved it, including the 2 yr old! The carb count was just right for me since I have gestational diabetes and I was even able to eat 2 pieces of baguette with it :) GREAT FLAVOR!!! Will definitely be making this again!

  17. This soup is the best I’ve ever had! I used autumn flavors instead (including nutmeg, cinnamon, and rosemary). It was incredibly easy to make in the pressure cooker, and made a huge serving. This would easily feed a group of 5-10 people without adjustment.

  18. To freeze this soup, would you do so prior to adding the coconut milk and kale and add those in when you reheat or just freeze the finished product? I’ve been making this recipe several times every fall/winter for the past 2 years and would love to make a big batch to freeze since I’m due to have a baby next month. Thanks for this recipe, it’s one of our favorites!






  19. I love this soup I’ve made it 4 or 5 times now. I’ve always done it with the coconut milk because I don’t think it would be the same without it! I also have been making my own old bay so I can adjust it to my taste (a little less salt and a little more cayenne!) This last time I made the soup I added a can of blended white beans for extra creaminess, protein, and fiber :)
    I was worried to do anything different with the recipe but have been trying to incorporate more beans in my diet – you honestly don’t even notice they are in it at all, I love it!






  20. This was so good and easy. I made the vegan version on the stove top. Didn’t use the kale (just because I didn’t have any) and I couldn’t find wild rice so I just used the rice portion of a store brand of “Uncle Ben’s”. Definitely will make again!






  21. I’m a beginner in dealing with vegan recipes, and I was nervous making it. But OMG, this is my new favorite soup!
    Thank you so much!






  22. A delicious soup! I made it exactly as written.






  23. This soup is absolutely wonderful! Healthy, hearty, and reminiscent of autumn in all the best ways. I love both coconut milk and dairy cream in soups, stews, and other dishes. I am really glad I went with the coconut milk tonight–it is the perfect flavor!

  24. What type of coconut milk is used in this recipe? Premium coconut milk from a can, light coconut milk canned or coconut milk from a carton?

  25. This is in the crockpot now. I’m confused as the cook time seems waaaaay off. It’s been on high for over two hours and rice and veggies are still very firm. I recommend changing the crockpot instructions to a much longer cooking time. Thanks!

  26. Good soup.

    BUT

    The stovetop directions seem to be WAY off. I always end up having to simmer for way more than 30 or 40 minutes. Currently, it’s been simmering for an hour, and the rice is still crunchy, and everyone in the family is going hungry (dinner is on the table even later because prep took my around an hour, not 15 minutes. I’m a bit of a lethargic chopper, but I can’t imagine being able to prep all the ingredients in 15 minutes.)

    I guess what I’m saying is please make this soup, but give yourself a good three hours to make it. And maybe put the rice in and give it 20 minutes to cook before adding in the rest of the veg.






  27. SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD!!! Love this recipe!






  28. Made this tonight in my instant pot, timing was perfect. I did use the half and half instead of the coconut milk and would prob give it a 4/5 only because I think it was missing something. But after reading the reviews, I think that was my mistake for not using the coconut milk. Next time I will. It’s still amazing especially with a handful for croutons :) Thank you!






  29. Absolutely delicious!! I made the stove top version exactly as recipe called for. I made the vegan version for my neighbor and even though I am not vegan… I think it’s my favorite soup!!






  30. This turned out SOOO great! I chose the stovetop method and used chicken broth instead vegetable stock. I also added shredded chicken at the very end which tasted great, but the soup would’ve been equally amazing without it. I used the exact amount of Old Bay that the recipe called for and it wasn’t too spicy for me (I’m a wimp with spice). My husband mentioned it had a little kick to it but he said it he liked that. Cannot wait to make this recipe more and more!






  31. Made this recipe with chicken stock, jasmine rice instead of wild rice, and without the mushrooms (honestly forgot them at the store) and it was INCREDIBLE. My roommates will not leave me alone about it! They want it at least once a week. Seriously vouching for the coconut milk method— it reminded me of yellow Thai curry… so delicious. Would be great with any meat/meat sub as well!






  32. Surprised by how popular this recipe is because it tasted terrible. I followed all of the directions and was disappointed. Threw the whole pot out :(






  33. Second time making this…and I just love it. Use the stove top and it takes a bit longer than 30 minutes…maybe 40? But soooo good for a vegetarian option.






  34. I made this low FODMAP without onion or garlic and just added a Tbsp garlic infused olive oil, extra carrot and one small frozen cube of ginger. I also used a can of low fat coconut milk. It was a big hit.






  35. Wow this was so tasty! Perfect cozy meal for fall. I didn’t have mushrooms on hand and added some butternut squash. I will totally make again!






  36. This is the best soup I’ve ever had in my life!!!! THANK YOU!! I added shredded chicken and it’s SO healthy and filling! <3






  37. Seriously the best soup I ever made! And it was so easy! I cooked chicken thighs in my instant pot while I chopped the veggies, then cut up the chicken while the soup cooked and just added it in at the end with the kale and cream. I also added spinach! So so good and a new family favorite!






  38. Omg!! This soup was amazing!! I have a picky eater and he ate it. Thank you again , this is now going to be a favorite.

  39. Very tasty and warm and comforting soup! It was a great way to start off soup season! That being said, the cook time for the slow cooker is WAYYY off! I only saw one other comment saying that but I cooked it for the 2 hours on high and I diced everything small and the rice wasn’t cooked at all and the veggies were crunchy. I ended up cooking it for 4.5-5 hours and it was almost stew-y in nature but tasted SO good.

  40. I tried this today. Between the coconut milk, sweet potato and carrot, I was afraid it would be too sweet. But to my surprise it wasn’t! I did the stovetop method, cooking the wild rice first. This was a good soup, I plan to make it again. This is good for those watching their blood sugar, as well as those on a gluten free diet. Thanks for posting this!






  41. Ok…I have, literally, been wanting to make this for a couple years now and never got around to it. Made it tonight and WOW!!!!! For a vegan soup, especially, this was out-of-this world DELICIOUS!!!!!! Family loved it! I loved it!! Made it exactly as the recipe called for and I will continue to make this healthy, dreamy soup for years to come! Thank you for such an AWESOME recipe!!!






  42. Delicious!! Withholding it to punish naughty family members, like the Seinfeld episode lol: “No soup for you!”






  43. Cooler temps had me looking for a savory fall soup and this exceeded my expectations, absolutely delicious and so full of healthy veggies! I followed the stovetop directions. I was skeptical about all that Old Bay seasoning (1.5 tbs) but followed the directions and was not disappointed. The Old Bay added a subtle kick and umami that put it over the top! I do wish I had simmered it a bit longer because the wild rice could have been cooked a tad more but still, overall it was a delight and I’ll be making it again!






  44. this soup was so yummy and so easy to make. basic items too






  45. Made this soup last night and it was delicious. The only disappointment was that the color was not nearly as appealing as in the picture (for me, it was a darker brown color). I cooked it on the stovetop, simmering for 35 mins, and had no problems with uncooked rice or veg – perhaps the commenters below with this issue used old rice or did not chop veggies small enough? Mine were diced around 0.5 – 1cm cubes. Used coconut milk and vegetable stock, and this was delicious. In the future I might cut down on the old bay and use other spice combinations as some have suggested in comments. Old bay is tasty but very salty, I think other spices might make it more aromatic and complex in flavor. On the whole, delicious soup recipe, shocked at the richness for a vegan soup (I’m a meat eater), and will definitely be making this again!






  46. Hi,
    Can this be easily halved to serve four?

  47. This came out so good! It’s light but very satisfying. I added in a little fresh sage and thyme from my garden. First time cooking with coconut milk, very unique recipe!

  48. Every ingredient tied together deliciously. Thank you for sharing!






  49. I made no changes. (I always tweak something.) This was perfect exactly as written. We had it for dinner with fancy grilled cheese, but that is totally up to anyone who makes this lovely soup. I will be making it again very soon!

    Made the non-coconut version, in the crockpot.

  50. This is my favorite soup EVER! I’ve cooked it so many times! It’s the best comfort food!