Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is cozy, savory, and full of rich flavor without being overly heavy. Deeply browned mushrooms, tender carrots, wild rice, herbs, and Parmesan create a hearty soup with a creamy broth that feels comforting enough for a cold night but still light enough for an everyday dinner.
As a cookbook author and professional recipe developer, I love taking classic comfort foods and making them approachable for home cooks. Browning the mushrooms first is the key to this recipe because it gives the broth a deeper, almost restaurant-quality flavor, while a small amount of cream adds richness without turning the soup into a heavy cream-based dish.
If you love cozy soup recipes, try my Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup, Escarole Soup, or Italian Cannellini Bean Soup next.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy to customize: Use chicken or vegetable broth and your favorite combination of mushrooms.
- Rich, savory flavor: Browning the mushrooms before building the soup creates much more flavor than simply simmering them in the broth.
- Creamy without being too heavy: Just ¼ cup of heavy cream gives the broth a silky finish.
- Hearty and satisfying: Wild rice, mushrooms, and vegetables make this soup substantial enough for dinner.
- Ready in under an hour: The entire recipe comes together in about 50 minutes.
- Great for leftovers: The flavors become even better after sitting overnight, making this a great meal-prep option.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this creamy wild rice and mushroom soup.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Used to brown the mushrooms and build a flavorful base for the soup.
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are an easy and affordable choice, but a combination of mushrooms will give the soup even more flavor and texture.
- Kosher salt: Seasons the mushrooms and vegetables throughout the cooking process.
- Black pepper: Adds a subtle warmth to the savory broth.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps cook the onion and carrots.
- Yellow onion: Creates a sweet, savory base for the soup.
- Carrots: Add color, natural sweetness, and texture.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor.
- Dried thyme: Earthy thyme pairs especially well with mushrooms and wild rice.
- Dried rosemary: Adds a warm, woodsy flavor to the broth. A little goes a long way.
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the broth so the soup is creamy without needing a large amount of heavy cream.
- Chicken broth or vegetable broth: Either works well. Use vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian.
- Parmesan rind: This is optional, but simmering a Parmesan rind in the soup adds an extra layer of savory, umami flavor.
- Cooked wild rice: Wild rice gives the soup its hearty texture and slightly nutty flavor.
- Heavy cream: A small amount finishes the soup and gives the broth a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Italian parsley or fresh thyme: Add either as a fresh garnish before serving.
How to Make Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Brown the mushrooms
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply browned and any released liquid has evaporated.
If your pot is crowded, cook the mushrooms in two batches so they brown rather than steam.
Season with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper, then transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
Cook the vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same pot.
Add the onion and carrots and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
Thicken and simmer the soup
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the Parmesan rind, if using. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the broth has thickened slightly and the carrots are tender.
Add rice and serve
Stir in the cooked wild rice and browned mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with chopped Italian parsley or fresh thyme.
Tina's Top Tips
- Brown the mushrooms well. Don't rush this step. Deeply browning the mushrooms gives the entire soup more savory flavor.
- Don't overcrowd the pot. If the mushrooms are piled on top of each other, they'll release moisture and steam. Cooking them in two batches is worth the extra few minutes.
- Use cooked wild rice. Starting with already cooked wild rice makes the cooking time more predictable and keeps the rice from absorbing too much of the broth.
- Cook the flour for a minute. This removes the raw flour taste before you add the broth.
- Pour in the broth gradually. Slowly adding the liquid while stirring helps prevent lumps and creates a smoother broth.
- Save Parmesan rinds. Whenever you finish a block of Parmesan, freeze the rind in a small bag. They're perfect for adding flavor to soups, stews, and sauces.
- Keep the heat low after adding the cream. Avoid vigorously boiling the soup once the cream is added to keep the broth smooth.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use different mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are easy to find and work perfectly, but shiitake, oyster, maitake, or other wild mushrooms can add even more flavor.
- Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Use a wild rice blend: A blend will work, although the rice may be slightly softer and less chewy than true wild rice.
- Add spinach: Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Add chicken: Shredded cooked chicken is an easy way to add more protein and make the soup even heartier.
- Make it extra creamy: Increase the heavy cream slightly if you prefer a richer soup.
- Skip the Parmesan rind: The soup will still be flavorful without it. You can add a little finely grated Parmesan before serving instead.
Storage
- Store leftover creamy wild rice and mushroom soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The wild rice and flour will continue to absorb some of the broth as the soup sits, so it will become thicker in the refrigerator.
- Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water as needed to loosen the consistency.
- I don't recommend freezing this soup once the cream has been added because dairy-based soups can sometimes separate after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions for this recipe:
This recipe is written for cooked wild rice. You'll need approximately ⅔ to ¾ cup uncooked wild rice to yield about 2 cups cooked, depending on the variety.
Cooking the rice separately also gives you more control over the final thickness of the soup.
You may use half and half or heavy whipping to substitute heavy cream in a soup recipe. Or, if you are looking to make a recipe vegan, use a thicker milk alternate like oat milk instead of heavy cream.
Yes. This soup is a great make-ahead meal and can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
If you're preparing it specifically for later, you can wait to add the heavy cream until you reheat the soup.
What to Serve With Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
This soup is hearty enough to serve as a complete meal, but a simple side makes it even better.
Try serving it with:
- Crusty sourdough or Italian bread
- Garlic bread
- A simple arugula salad
- Caesar salad
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- A grilled cheese sandwich
Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces cremini or mixed mushrooms sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 Parmesan rind optional
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Chopped Italian parsley or fresh thyme for serving
Instructions
- Brown the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and any released liquid has evaporated. Cook in two batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper, then transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
- Cook the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same pot. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 30 seconds.
- Thicken and simmer. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly pour in the broth while stirring and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the Parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened slightly and the carrots are tender.
- Finish the soup. Stir in the cooked wild rice and browned mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through and creamy. Remove the Parmesan rind, taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve topped with parsley or fresh thyme.
Notes
- Use cremini mushrooms for an easy, affordable option, or use a mixture of cremini, shiitake, oyster, or wild mushrooms for deeper flavor.
- Cook the mushrooms in batches so they brown instead of steam.
- You will need about ⅔ to ¾ cup uncooked wild rice to make 2 cups cooked, depending on the variety.
- A wild rice blend can be used, but the finished texture may be softer than soup made with true wild rice.
- The Parmesan rind is optional, but it adds extra savory flavor to the broth.
- The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. Add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Joyce says
Hi Tina, read the whole recipe but could not find the name of the wild rice you love making , I too love wild rice , always prefer it to any other although brown is not bad 😁
Christina Musgrave says
Hi! Any brand of wild rice will work in this recipe.
Kathy says
This was so good! I love wild rice and this soup was amazing.
Christina Musgrave says
Isn't it delicious!? Glad you loved it!