Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms – sliced
- 1 cups onion – finely chopped (~1 medium onion)
- 3/4 cups celery – finely chopped
- 3/4 cups carrot – finely chopped (~1.5 medium carrots)
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 cups wild rice – rinsed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- flat-leaf parsley – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and brown at the edges, 6–8 minutes.
2. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until softened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
3. Stir in the wild rice and cook to toast lightly, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable broth, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and many grains have split, 45–55 minutes; discard the bay leaves at the end of simmering.
5. Meanwhile, make the roux: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until blond and nutty, 2–3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth and thickened, 3–5 minutes; remove from the heat.
6. Whisk the milk-roux mixture into the soup. Simmer gently, stirring, until slightly thickened and creamy, 5–10 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream and season with the kosher salt and black pepper. If the soup is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot water to desired consistency.
8. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the flat-leaf parsley. Serve hot.
Wild Rice Soup is a creamy, comforting bowl built around the nutty chew of true wild rice. The grains lend a toasty aroma and satisfying bite, while a mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrot adds sweetness and balance. Mushrooms deepen the savoriness, and a gentle dairy finish rounds everything into a silky, hearty soup perfect for cold weather.
The dish is strongly associated with Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, where wild rice—manoomin—has been harvested by Indigenous communities for centuries. Cream-based wild rice soups became staples of supper clubs and community cookbooks in the mid-20th century, often appearing alongside chicken or bits of ham. Today, both meatless and meat-enriched versions are beloved, but the defining element remains authentic wild rice, not blends.