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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 1018 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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1,534 comments on “Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup”

  1. This was great! I was unsure about coconut milk but it was so delicious. I also don’t usually love old bay seasoning, but I followed a recipe to mix my own old bath and I thought it was amazing in this soup! So great for a winter night with bread

  2. Love this soup! Easy to make and full of flavor. Recipe is accurate too!






    • The first day this soup was incredible but the second day it’s just a big quagulated mess :( what did I do wrong? Only difference was I added some chicken.

  3. So, yes, I had to be the one that says, “good recipe and here are my substitutions for what I had on hand.” LOL.)

    I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while. Made it tonight, more or less, using what I had on hand. I didn’t have the sweet potato, but used some yukon golds and even though I know that wouldn’t add the earthy-sweet that this recipe called for, it worked. I also didn’t have Old Bay seasoning around but I found a substitute recipe for it and that added amazing flavor: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241766/jans-old-bay-seasoning-substitute/

    I definitely want to make the 100% authentic version! And I’ll shop for it! But, honestly, this just sounded so good on a snowy day that I went with what was in the pantry. Thank you for sharing! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.






    • Please always do this. If I’m missing ingredients I always check the comments for similar substitutions. I appreciate you.

  4. Awesome and easy recipe. Especially in the instant pot! The old bay is key here. Thank you! Made it with the coconut milk to keep it vegan and the meat eaters still enjoyed it thoroughly. Freezes and reheats well.






  5. This was a delightful soup. I always made in my crockpot and it turned out perfect. I only want to make it in my crockpot and wish you would put the instructions back on so those of us that choose to make it that way have that choice.

  6. If you are doubling the recipe, do you just double all of the ingredients 100%? I couldn’t figure out how to find the doubles recipe.

  7. Favorite soup
    I the vegan version on the stove top.






  8. Both vegan and chicken options are delicious!! I’ve been making this soup since October 2022. I’m sure I’ve made it at least 6 times now!! Robust and hearty.






  9. All the thumbs up for this perfect warming and healthy recipe! Everyone around the table was delighted, including the kids. Loved how many veggies made an appearance, and the sweetness of the coconut milk was a great compliment to the rest of the savories.

  10. Delicious soup! Thank you for the recipe






  11. The best soup ever. I have made this recipe many times for company and it’s always a hit. I use shredded chicken in mine for a heartier soup. And love the coconut milk, healthier and adds a great flavor. Highly recommend!!!






  12. Love this soup! One question – how big is a serving size?

  13. I opted to put Curry powder in place of Old Bay. It is fabulous. When I tried the Old Bay it was not what I hoped for.

  14. I used a recipe nutrition calculator and this is what I found for per 8 servings (this is with 1 pound of chicken). How accurate this is I don’t know but it gives an idea.

    Calories: 249
    Total Fat: 2.5g
    Cholesterol: 36mg
    Sodium: 1,154mg
    Total Carbohydrates: 38.5g
    Dietary Fiber: 5.6g
    Sugar: 7.5g
    Protein: 19.7g

    Calcium: 133mg
    Iron: 4mg
    Potassium: 1,112mg

  15. Awesome recipe, will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing.

  16. Can you make this in the Crock-Pot? If so, would I follow the same directions as the pressure cooker?

  17. Absolutely delicious!!






  18. What can I use in place of mushrooms

  19. I made this and it’s delicious, but I didn’t use just wild rice…I used a blend. The soup was more like stew, the next day.
    Wild rice alone is very expensive, so next time I’ll make the rice separately and add it, when I have some.
    A friend from India, told me this is what she does with curry dishes she makes. I think it’s a good idea!!

  20. I made this and it was delicious. I made it in my Insta pot with a couple of changes I used 2 cartons of chicken broth & 1 carton of veggie broth and then I had some baby spinach and Lacinato kale growing in my garden I used. I also added some shredded roasted chicken. Everyone really likes it definitely a keeper and is very filling. Thank you for sharing this recipe I will definitely try some of your others






  21. Does this have much protein content?

  22. I love this soup! Our local fire department does Firetruck Santa each year, and it’s become a tradition to make this soup and eat it in the driveway while we wait for the sound of Santa to get closer to us. It’s one of the only soups my husband likes. I’ve made it for friends and it’s been a wild hit; HOWEVER, I had always made it on the stove. Yesterday, I decided to make it in the Instant Pot while friends were coming over so I could be mostly hands free. It didn’t turn out well. 25 minutes was too long for the potatoes, and they basically melted. The carrots held their shape but were mushy. The rice could have used more time. Oddly enough the mushrooms were great. I will continue to make this recipe over and over (and over!), but I will stick to the stovestop method.






  23. My husband and I love this soup! I’ve recommended it to numerous people. Quick and easy in the instant pot; I use a wild rice blend so I reduce the time to 17 minutes manual (high) pressure with a 10 min natural pressure release.






  24. Does this soup freeze well?






    • This recipe is excellent! I love soup and I’m always looking for some new ones to add to my favorites. This one is on the top of my list. My husband and son agree. I plan to come visit your blog often to check out more of your recipes.

    • I looked through the comments and found one that said this freezes and reheats really well. Hope this helps! I’m going to try it this weekend as a meal prep freezer meal. :)

  25. This is the best soup I’ve ever made. I used chicken stock. I should have chopped the kale a little finer as it was chewy. Will definitely make it again and again.






  26. My boyfriend said it was really good soup, my 3 year old ate it right up, and my 5 year old struggled. I was not a fan of it, I don’t know if it’s the kale or the old bay seasoning? It’s good, very good. But just not maybe my cup of tea, or maybe make it without the kale. And less old bay seasoning, it did have a kick to it. 8/10! Thank you for the recipe.






  27. Has anyone made this using half cream and half coconut milk?

  28. Can you leave out the sweet potatoes and do chicken instead?

  29. Any idea the calories?

    • I input the ingredients on MyFitnessPal as best as I could, and it came out to 179 calories per serving. Not sure how accurate that is, but I tried to be accurate!






  30. This is my favorite soup of all time. Whenever I make it guests ask for the recipe. There’s copycats on the web with minor substitutions but this version is the best.
    Thank you for this recipe.






  31. Has anyone used butternut squash in this soup instead of the sweet potatoes?

  32. My family loves this recipe. It’s even lectin free for my husband, which is not always easy to find.






  33. This soup is super delicious. Perfect as we enter into fall. All the right flavors! I made it with rotisserie chicken and coconut milk.






  34. Thank you for this delicious recipe! I made this to commemorate the first Fall day with cooler weather. I’ve been making it for the last few years and it always makes people very happy! I started adding 1/4 t liquid smoke to make it feel like I’ve added some meat, when in fact, it is vegan. And I throw in the whole bag of Trader Joe’s baby kale to add more greens.

  35. I plan on making this tonight, but I couldn’t find Wild Rice, only Wild Rice blend. I was just wondering if anyone used a Wild Rice blend, and were the cooking times the same?

    • I’ve used the wild rice blend more than once and it turns out wonderful. I did not adjust the cook time. Love this recipe!

    • Yes, used red wild rice blend and it was perfect. Just let it simmer a little longer if rice not done after 40mins

  36. Delicious but needed some extra spices.
    Wish the recipe had a nutritional value as well






  37. Great recipe! The soup has depth of flavor and is super-filling. I made it on the stovetop and it was easy to toss everything in the pot and let it simmer for a few hours. Using the coconut milk gave it a light, creamy consistency without any coconut flavor at all. I doubled the recipe so that I’d have leftovers to freeze for a quick meal. Will definitely make it again.






  38. This recipe is delicious and I LOVE that it’s made with healthy ingredients! My husband is a picky eater and loved this soup.






  39. My entire family (including a 16, 10 and 3 year old) LOVED this soup! It was even better the second night as it became thicker and more stew-like. I added fresh chopped beets and regular potatoes as well as some shredded grilled chicken. My 10 year old said “Mom, we need to make this a go-to fall/winter dinner recipe!”.






  40. Absolutely lovely soup! As tasty as it was with fresh biscuits! Thank you, this is my new favourite!

  41. This has been on rotation for my husband and I for a year. I share it with my family and they all LOVE it and ask me for the recipe. It’s rare I write reviews on recipes but this one is very deserving. I’m about to make this for 30 people this weekend- that’s how much I love this soup.






  42. I’ve made this soup multiple times a year for a couple of years now. Sometimes I use a brown rice and wild rice mix instead of straight wild rice but it always come out delicious. It has become a family favourite! I also always use a homemade old bay since this rural part of alberta never has any in stores. I haven’t tried with real old bay seasoning but it’s still one of my favorite recipes.






  43. Absolute delicious!!!






  44. I made this cozy Autumn wild rice soup.
    All my teenagers loved it.
    I have one daughter who does not like sweet potatoes,
    Yet she ate the ones I put in the soup and came back for 2nds.
    I highly recommend this soup.

  45. Of course you would know when I want to try a new recipe, the grocery store does not have what I need. They did not have 100% wild rice so I had to get a blend and they did not have kale in stock. It would be in tomorrow, so I made it without. I checked my veggies and my rice after 12 minutes and everything was tender so I stopped the cooking process and finished up my soup and it is delicious. I definitely recommend a shorter cooking time if using a blend instead of straight, wild rice.






  46. I added Italian sausage….as I have carnivores in the house.






  47. One of the best soups I have ever made or tasted. Delicious.






  48. Yum! Used Cajun seasoning. This will be a staple. Thank you!






  49. What an amazing and comforting soup. I made it for my husband who had a little cold, and he said it was awesome and felt it was very nutritional with all the nutrients it contained. I will definitely be making it again soon!






  50. Great recipe! I took a few creative liberties and it still turned out great. I subbed low sodium chicken stock instead of veggie stock, fat free half & half instead of coconut milk (which I may cut down on next time), and spinach instead of kale. I also doubled the mushrooms and added some shredded chicken thighs at the end. I ended up adding cornstarch at the end to thicken it up but if you like it more brothy you don’t need to! I just knew the group I was cooking for likes a thicker soup :) 10/10 and I will be making again!