This Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup is a lighter (and vegetarian!) soup that's packed with flavor from fresh mushrooms, white wine, shallots, and herbs.
And Soup Week continues! It also ends with this delicious creamy vegetarian wild rice and mushroom soup.
I guess since I only post 2–3 recipes each week, theme weeks are not very epic around here, huh? Theme months would be way too much I think, but maybe I'll start doing theme fortnights in the future. (Yes, I said fortnight. I'm fancy like that.)
But for now - on to this delicious soup!
Creamy, Meaty Comfort Food
Having spent a good part of my life up in the Midwest, I can tell you this: Midwesterners like their food creamy.
We love cheesy casseroles, anything made with canned soup, and all kinds of concoctions made with sour cream, mayo, and/or cheese sauce (usually and, not or).
Being sick last week, I was craving comfort food and to me, comfort food is creamy food. So I set out to make a vegetarian version of the classic Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup.
And then, because it's the New Year and I'm trying to watch what I eat, I set out to make a lighter version. Behold, Vegetarian Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup.
Replacing the Meat
The biggest obstacle was figuring out what to replace the traditional chicken with. I'm always hesitant to cook with seitan on my blog because I don't know if that's readily available everywhere. Plus - it's very polarizing.
And tofu in a creamy soup? That seemed kind of icky.
So I went with adding extra mushrooms, which make a wonderful replacement for meat in all kinds of recipes!
Replacing the Cream
I adapted my Vegetarian Creamy Wild Mushroom Rice Soup from this Cream of Turkey and Wild Rice soup from Eating Well. Instead of adding heavy cream or half-and-half, they used sour cream to thicken the broth.
I love this method of making creamy soups - it adds creaminess without a lot of fat or calories. It also adds a little tanginess. If you're ambivalent about sour cream, you can try some plain Greek yogurt or just stick with adding heavy cream instead.
Cleaner, Lighter Comfort Food
This Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup was exactly what I needed when I was feeling sick. It reminded me of home, of chilly winters, of snow soaking through my boots and numb toes—okay, maybe I don't miss everything about the Midwest. But it did remind me of the food I grew up on. Total comfort food.
I hope you love this creamy vegetarian soup as much as I do!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb white or cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 1 medium shallot chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup instant or quick-cooking wild rice
- ¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms, celery, carrots, and shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened (5–7 minutes).
- Stir in flour, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add white wine and thyme; increase heat to medium-high and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add broth to Dutch oven and bring to a boil. If you're using instant rice, add it now and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until rice is tender, 5–7 minutes, then stir in sour cream and parsley.
Sharon says
This is the first of your recipes for me to try, but it looks delicious.
Kiersten says
Hope you enjoy it!
a farmer in the dell says
This looks fantastic! I don't want soup week to ever end!!!
Emma J says
I made this last night (half recipe) and it was plenty for a hearty dinner last night and lunch today. I will confess I didn't use the sour cream as I already had some regular cream in my fridge that needed to be used up so I used half nonfat milk and half cream. So good, I will definitely make this many, many times. Thanks for this great, easy recipe!
Kiersten says
Thanks for the comment--I'm happy to hear it turned out well with the cream too!
sarah @ two tarts says
I grew up in Minnesota and this is SO a Minnesota recipe! but with chicken, not mushrooms. I like mushrooms better 🙂
Kiersten says
Yup, I think it is originally from Minnesota! 🙂
Laurie K says
Kiersten,
This recipe sounds awesome. I make a similar soup with lots of cream but it also has gobs of shredded cheese and potatoes. This soup can also be made with bacon but I find can be too salty. My absolute favourite thing is anything with wild rice. Perhaps I can send you to post a wild rice casserole. Wonderful compliment to a thanksgiving or christmas dinner. Love your blog by the way. Going to also try your cranberry sauce with ginger!
Kiersten says
I thought about adding potatoes to this one too! I actually did adapt a chicken & wild rice casserole a while back and it was delicious. I didn't post the recipe, but maybe I will soon! 🙂
Kristi says
Love this soup!! This is a keeper for me and I will make it many timse and even freeze it to add to casseroles. Thank you!!!
Kiersten says
Thanks for your comment--I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I am a sucker for a big bowl of soup this time of year and this looks super comforting!
Courtney Rae Jones says
This is exactly what I need right now! We had a blizzard yesterday and now I'm craving a good bowl of hot, hearty soup.
Kiersten says
A blizzard?! That definitely calls for soup. I guess I shouldn't tell you that it was in the 70s here this weekend. 😉
Regina Mae says
Hi! I backed my way I to your site via the Evernote food app and I love it! I've just given up meat, so I'm so thankful for a good veggie resource full of things I think I'd love to eat. 🙂
Do you think you could substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream? I keep seeing that suggestion but I'm hesitant to try it.
Can't wait to try this, and all of your other, recipe! 🙂
Kiersten says
I don't like Greek yogurt (unless I'm baking with it!), which is why I used sour cream in my recipe. But I saw someone on Pinterest comment that she made this recipe and used Greek yogurt, so it's definitely possible. I imagine the broth would have a little more tartness to it than if you had used sour cream, but I think the consistency will be just fine.
Candace says
I've never been a fan of mushroom soup; but, you've just changed my mind. That looks amazing!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
i love all of your recipes!
Katie says
A perfect recipe for the cold winter nights!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
I seriously was contemplating a mushroom soup recipe this week but not enough time gah. Next week though. This looks delicious! I love that slate cooking board in the photo too 🙂
Kiersten says
I can't wait to see your mushroom soup recipe! And the slate board is from Brooklyn Slate. I love it too. 🙂
Alla Staroseletskaya says
Every winter I learn new soup recipes. Coupl days ago I made your soup. It's really tasty and I posted on my blog: http://cookingwithyiddishemama.blogspot.com/2013/01/creamy-wild-rice-mushroom-soup.html . I credited to your wonderful site. Now I will try to make cauliflower hummus. I'm working on article for Russian newspapers about vegetables and think to inlcude one of your recipes. You're really good.
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it--thanks for the mention! 🙂
Brenda Williams says
I take soup to work for lunch a lot in the winter, but never anything this dreamy! I am pretty sure it would brighten the rest of my day.
Kiersten says
It's the perfect lunch soup--very filling, but still on the light side!
Elizabeth Atwood says
Oh that looks really yummy. I love stuff with mushrooms in it! I may have to try it because this week I'm the one that's sick :-p.
Kiersten says
Oh no! I hope you feel better soon. 🙁 Cold season has been brutal this year!
Amber says
I just made this recipe and it is delicious! I did not have the sour cream, so I used organic heavy whipping cream and it worked very well. Your recipes never fail! Thank you for sharing!
Kiersten says
Thank you for letting me know--I'm happy to hear it turned out well! 😀
Lydia says
My boyfriend made this last night and wow it was delicious!!! Thanks for sharing and truly this will be one of my favorite recipes!
Kiersten says
How nice of your boyfriend to make you soup! 😀 I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Anna says
I just made this yesterday as part of my "sunday cooking for the work week." And it's SOOOOoooo delicious! I even subbed out the real sour cream for Vegan sour cream and it's wonderful. It's the perfect hardy, healthy, yummy, comfy soup!
I love your blog and am so glad I discovered you via Pinterest! I'll be cooking your recipes on the regular. Thank you for providing delicious and healthy vegetarian recipes for us!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad it turned out well. 🙂 And thank you for the kind words too!
Lola says
This soup looks delicious!! I can't wait to make it... Do you think I can use dry mushrooms instead of fresh? Or would that give it a different flavor?
Kiersten says
I think dried mushrooms would be just fine. In my experience, the biggest difference between dried & fresh mushrooms is that dried are a little bit chewier and a little bit earthier. So the flavor might be slightly different, but not necessarily in a bad way.
Sue Martin says
I have been looking for low calorie "creamy" soups. What a treat!!! I love brown rice and had that on hand so was my only substitute for your recipe. I am just starting on eliminating meat from my diet - my goal is meatless breakfast and lunch...and minimal meat at dinner. So far so good! Loved this soup and have shared it with many friends. You have a great site. I really enjoy it. Thanks!
Kiersten says
I'm glad it turned out well! I hear from a lot of people who are looking to cut down on (but not necessarily eliminate!) meat from their diets--I think your goal is definitely doable. Good luck! 🙂
Dee @ Cocktails with Mom says
You can never go wrong with a nice bowl of soup. yum.
Alexa says
I made this soup and did it with arborio rice which made it really creamy! http://lifewithlampnsofa.com/2013/02/12/wild-mushroom-and-rice-soup/
Kiersten says
I'm glad it turned out well with the arborio rice! 🙂
Kristan H says
I just made this soup for dinner tonight. I used quinoa instead of the rice. It was amazing. Thanks for such a great recipe!!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad you liked it! I'm going to have to steal your idea of making it with quinoa. 🙂
Aliyah says
Definitely going to try this! It looks delicious and I LOVE mushrooms 🙂
Kiersten says
I hope you like it! 🙂