Soup is such a great food. So easy, so filling (if you do it right!), a great way to use up leftover ingredients, and the flavor possibilities are endless. I recently discovered how delicious vegetable broth and coconut milk are together (see Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen) and I knew I had to experiment with that combo some more. So when I saw a bag of wild rice blend on sale this week, I snatched it up to make this super delish Creamy Vegetable Wild Rice Soup!
Choose Your Broth Wisely
The type of vegetable broth used in this soup will greatly determine the end flavor, so make sure you use a quality broth. A weak broth will give you a weak and unexciting soup. If you’ve been hanging around here a while, you probably already know that my favorite is Better Than Bouillon. I can keep it on hand indefinitely (refrigerated), make any amount of broth I need, and it comes in tons of varieties (organic, low sodium, etc.). Mushroom broth would also be really good in this soup, but that’s not one I usually keep on hand, so I used vegetable flavor.
What Kind of Coconut Milk is Best for This Wild Rice Soup?
Full fat coconut milk (in the can, not the kind in a carton intended as a dairy milk substitute) is the best choice here. While you can use light coconut milk, it will be a lot less creamy, so just keep that in mind. I used a brand called Field Day Organic this time and it was great. I’ve also tested this recipe with Thai Kitchen and Goya. The Goya is the only one I wasn’t a fan of because the coconut milk was not smooth and left a grainy appearance in the soup. It tasted fine, but it wasn’t pretty.
This is NOT a “Thick” Soup
A lot of wild rice soups are a really thick, almost gelled consistency. This soup is not that texture. This is a brothy soup. I did make one of the test batches a thick version by cooking some oil and flour in a skillet until the flour was lightly browned, then whisking it into the soup, but I didn’t feel like it added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the soup, while adding a lot of extra work. So that step got nixed. :)
Can I Skip the Mushrooms?
IMHO, the mushrooms are critical to the overall flavor of the soup. Something about the way the mushrooms and coconut play together really make this soup hit home. So, while I wouldn’t suggest skipping or substituting the mushrooms, that might have to be a personal call.
What Kind of Wild Rice Blend Did you Use?
I used a brand called Lundberg. It’s a mix of wild rice, brown rice, and other rice varieties, so there is a lot of color and texture to the blend. Wild rice isn’t the cheapest thing around, but luckily I got it on sale. Scout those sales and stock up when they hit!
Creamy Vegetable Wild Rice Soup
Servings 4 about 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms ($1.69)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 3 ribs celery ($0.37)
- 1/2 lb. carrots ($0.45)
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp dried sage ($0.03)
- 1 cup wild rice blend (uncooked) ($1.55)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52)
- 1 13oz. can full-fat coconut milk ($2.49)
Instructions
- Wash and slice the mushrooms. Add the olive oil and mushrooms to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are fully wilted and browned on the edges (cook until all the moisture is released, evaporated, and the mushrooms begin to actually brown for the best flavor).
- While the mushrooms are sautéing, mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the celery, and peel and slice the carrots.
- Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, thyme, and sage to the pot with the mushrooms. Continue to sauté for about five minutes more, or until the onions are soft.
- Finally, add the wild rice blend and vegetable broth, and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes with the lid in place (or however long the instructions on your brand of rice suggests for cooking).
- Once the soup has simmered and the rice is tender, add the coconut milk. Stir to combine and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes more. Finally, taste the soup and add salt if needed (I did not add any, but this will depend on the salt content of your broth). Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping!
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Creamy Vegetable Wild Rice Soup – Step by Step Photos
Start by washing and slicing 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms. Add them to a large soup pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté over medium heat until they are browned. The key here is to not just cook until they’re limp, but keep cooking until all of their moisture has evaporated and they actually begin to brown on the edges.
While the mushrooms are sautéing, mince two cloves of garlic, dice one onion, slice 3 ribs celery, and peel and slice about ½ lb. carrots. Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, ¼ tsp dried thyme, and ¼ tsp dried sage to the pot with the mushrooms. Continue to sauté a few minutes more, or until the onions are soft.
This is the wild rice blend I used. Depending on what brand you have, it may suggest different cooking times. This brand suggests 45 minutes, so I simmered my soup for 45 minutes. Adjust the soups’s cooking time according to the rice blend you are using.
Add 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend and 4 cups vegetable broth to the pot. Place a lid on top, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the pot simmer for 45 minutes (or for the suggested cooking time for your rice blend).
After simmering for 45 minutes, the rice blend is tender and it’s time to finish up the soup!
Add one 13 oz. can of full-fat coconut milk (not the dairy milk substitute kind—that stuff is super watery). Make sure to get all the solid fat out of the can. Stir the coconut milk into the soup and then let it simmer for about 5 minutes more. That last bit of simmer time will take the sweet edge off the coconut milk and help the flavors blend together.
And now the Creamy Vegetable Wild Rice Soup is finished! Give it a taste and add salt if needed (I did not add any).
Enjoy hot with some crusty bread or crackers for dipping!
Hi Beth,
I would like to try this recipe but don’t have any wild rice on hand can this recipe be made with any other type of rice like Basmati rice?
I wouldn’t use any type of white rice. You want to use something with the bran intact, so the rice doesn’t just dissolve into the soup. So, if anything, use a brown rice. :)
I have about 2.5 cups of leftover wild rice from another recipe. Do you think I could maybe throw in the cooked rice for about 15 minutes at the end and still get good results with this soup?
I’ve done that with other recipes and it’s been fine – but I make sure to use less broth than the original recipe calls for because the cooked rice won’t absorb any liquid out of the soup.
Yes you could but wild rice can take longer to cook. Or is it already cooked? Then yes you could add it in the last few minutes.
I’m allergic to coconut :(
What non-dairy liquid can be substituted for the 13 oz. can of full-fat coconut milk? Could I add more veg broth with a cornstarch slurry to help thicken up the soup? I assume that’s what the full-fat coconut milk does? (I’m also gluten-free too.)
Can you do dairy? If so you can swap with heavy cream.
Unfortunately I cannot do dairy :( that’s why I asked for a non-dairy substitute. any ideas?
Sorry I misread the non-dairy! You could tried pureed cannellini beans like Beth uses here with the liquid https://www.budgetbytes.com/secret-ingredient-tomato-soup/
Would this soup freeze well? i’ve never frozen anything with coconut milk in it before.
Yes it will freeze wonderfully.
Can we substitute half/half or heavy cream instead of coconut milk?
I did this once with the vegan ramen and it was okay but not nearly as yummy.
Yes you could.
I’m another fan of the Lundberg rice mixes! And the BTB mushroom flavor is always in my refrigerator. Many folks who dislike mushrooms actually object to the texture of mushrooms–or the taste of condensed mushroom soup. Sometimes it’s a good idea to revisit things disliked in childhood as our tasters do change over time. Two of my children hated the slippery feel of mushrooms in their mouth in childhood, but started to enjoy them as adults.
I had a couple of strong dislikes when I was growing up, and although neither of those particular foods is now a favorite, I no longer object to anything but raw onions–I think the sulfurous taste I experience with them is a genetic thing, and that awful taste goes away if onions are cooked or pickled. I do get a bit of that from time to time, particularly if ground into something like cole slaw. My mom always thought if she could just cut them tiny enough she could slip them past me–note to restauranteurs–keep those pieces big enough for me to pick out!
I’ve actually used full fat coconut milk in your Zuppa Toscana recipe with great results when we were trying to pinpoint an allergy in the family and had to eliminate dairy. Thanks for the kitchen inspiration Beth! Your blog is my fave.
Just wanted to let you know the amount of vegetable broth isn’t listed under the ingredients. I’m going to make this tonight:)
Sorry, just fixed it! It’s 4 cups. :)
Not a fan of mushrooms. What other vegetables can be substituted that won’t greatly alter the taste of the soup?
IMHO, the mushrooms are a major flavor player here. I wouldn’t try to substitute them with anything, I’d just leave them out. But it will definitely be better with the mushrooms.
Vegetable broth is not in the ingredients list. Could you give an estimate of how much you used.
Never mind. I see you used 4 cups in the directions.
Sorry, just fixed it! :)
Looks great! Going to make this today. Just a heads up, I don’t see the veggie stock in the ingredients list.
Just fixed it! 4 cups. :)
Did you stir at all while the soup is simmering? I know that you’re supposed to leave rice alone at that step. Does that apply to this soup as well? Also, I got a good deal on just wild rice a while back. Do you think this soup would suffer if I didn’t use a blend?
You can stir and it won’t hurt this one because the thick bran on wild rice keeps the starchy inside from dissolving into the soup like white rice would. :)
You could stir but I wouldn’t overly stir.
Hey Beth and team! I’ve got plans to make this in just a couple days. What other veggies do you think would do well in this? You think I could add kale? Soup is one of the only ways one of my kids will eat veggies, so I really like to pack them in when I can!
Kale would probably be good, yes! :) Maybe peas or corn?
Oh yes a little sautéed kale would be delicious!
I added the kale along with the rice and my entire family was in love! I did also have to add a tiny bit more stock, but I think I had my heat on too high. I’m sure we will make this again, so I’ll turn the burner down and see if that keeps some of the liquid from evaporating. This was so good! Approved by my 6, 4, and 1 year old kids!
Happy to hear it Ashley!
Funny story. I forgot I added kale in this a few years ago and came to check the comments to see if I could do exactly that… turns out you can. 😂
This is a great recipe, but the ingredients list is missing the 4 cups of vegetable broth!
Sorry, just fixed that! :)
Hi, how much vegetable broth do you use? The instructions mention broth but it’s not in the ingredients list…
Sorry, just fixed it, 4 cups! :)