Creamy Vegan Wild Rice Soup

When you need a hands-off dinner that’s hearty and vegan, this wild rice soup is the answer. We cook the rice in a separate pot, meaning you can use virtually any blend of rice you have! This reader-favorite will have everyone at the table licking their bowls.

Wild rice is a native plant in the Great Lakes region and has long been hand-harvested by native tribes, especially in Minnesota. This grain is hearty and holds up so nicely in a bowl of soup!

Wild rice soup makes such an amazing vegetarian or vegan meal, depending on which ingredients you reach for. It’s also easy to make gluten-free so that you can share a warm bowl with anyone who stops by your home.

Here’s what you’ll need

It’s a kind of long list, but the end result is amazing (and it’s almost all pantry staples). Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements!

• Rice: Stick with wild rice or a blend of hearty grains containing wild rice. If you need an alternative to wild rice, these types of rice hold up better in a soup situation. I don’t recommend just white rice as it doesn’t hold up as well in the broth.
• Butter: Fat is always necessary to start building flavor! Feel free to use vegan butter or margarine. Olive oil will work too!
• Mirepoix: That’s a fancy word for your aromatics – onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Yum!
• Flour: Any all-purpose will do, whether it’s wheat or gluten-free. This will thicken our soup.
• Vegetable Broth: You can use store-bought or homemade vegetable broth to cook your rice and make the soup.
• Mushrooms: I use button mushrooms, but grab whatever looks freshest.
• Seasoning: No recipe is complete without these basics.
• Coconut Milk: This is my go-to for adding creaminess without dairy. If dairy isn’t a concern, you can use half and half.

wild rice soup is really easy to make

There’s a bit of dicing, simmering, and waiting, but it’s all really simple! There’s something so inviting about a pot of soup gently bubbling on the stove while you prepare the remainder of the meal.

Step 1: Cook the Rice
Read the package and cook up the rice as directed. I don’t include directions as often rice blends have different preparation instructions. Make sure to use broth instead of water – this will add a lot of flavor to the rice!

Step 2: Make the Flavor Base
Melt some butter and cook up your mirepoix until the onion is beginning to turn translucent. You’ll see some amazing brown bits in the bottom of the pot – layers of flavor, baby!

Step 3: Add the Flour
Add the remaining butter until melted, then stir in the flour. Stir it up to get everything coated in this roux as it will then thicken your soup. Make sure to keep things moving so the flour doesn’t burn.

Step 4: Soupify
I like to stir in the broth a little bit at a time – the first stir is the most important. Use a wooden spoon to release all the flavor from the bottom of the pot into the soup. This will also help ensure the flour doesn’t clump up. Add mushrooms, bay leaves, and seasonings.

Step 5: Assemble
Add cooked rice and coconut milk to the pot and stir to heat through. Taste and season as needed, then serve!

My go-To Soup sides

• Vegetarian Caesar Salad: This is a great choice to serve up with soup. There’s a reason restaurants serve “soup and salad” courses.