Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is pure comfort in a bowl, built on layers of savory flavor. It starts by browning a generous amount of cremini mushrooms in butter until they are deeply savory, then building a fragrant base with fresh herbs and aromatics. Instead of a thin broth, you get a satisfying, nutty chew from the wild rice blend and a silky finish from the cream. A nice squeeze of lemon brings everything into focus, making it a cozy choice for any chilly evening.
Mushroom Lovers, This One’s for Us
I know that mushrooms aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but when they are, there’s just something extra special about mushroom soup. Their flavors shine in two ways: When cooking, they release their mushroom flavored liquids into the pot, in which you can simmer your aromatic veggies for extra flavor.
And then, when browned, their intensified flavors add a savory, meaty goodness that makes you happy that someone first dared to bite into those cute little caps popping up out of the ground.
For a change up from white rice, I went with a rice blend for this soup. With wild rice and select other varieties, the result is a distinctly nutty flavor and heft that’s more akin to barley than mild-mannered white rice. I have a variety of soups that use a wild rice blend, including my Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup, Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup, and Hearty Vegetable Wild Rice Soup. The rices take longer to cook, but the reward is a hearty helping of grains that fill you up and keep you that way.
Recipe Highlights
- The mushrooms are the star – Cooking them down in butter concentrates their flavor and creates an incredibly rich, umami-packed base for the soup.
- Wild rice adds wonderful texture – Unlike regular rice that can get mushy, wild rice keeps its pleasant chew and brings a lovely nutty flavor that complements the earthy mushrooms perfectly.
- It’s surprisingly simple – Despite tasting like something from a restaurant, this soup comes together without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
- The flavor has real depth – Little touches like balsamic vinegar and lemon juice give the soup layers of flavor that keep each spoonful interesting.
- It’s satisfying without being heavy – The cream makes it luxurious, but the soup still feels bright and balanced thanks to those finishing touches of acidity.
For more recipe ideas that will have you falling in love with mushroom soups, try my Hungarian Mushroom Soup, my Creamy Mushroom Tortellini Soup, and my Mushroom Barley Soup. Hearty and earthy, with all the things that make us obsessed over mushrooms!
Key Ingredients
Mushrooms — I almost always use widely available cremini mushrooms in my soups, because they have an extra earthy flavor compared to white button mushrooms. Don’t hesitate to use pre-sliced mushrooms if the convenience makes your life easier. We can all use that right about now!
Wild rice blend — I do love a good rice blend, and my favorite contains wild rice, brown rice, black rice, and red rice (sold by Lundberg Farms). I appreciate the nutty chew and I think it enhances soups beautifully.
Aromatic vegetables — It’s important to build a flavorful base in this soup because, as lovely as earthy mushrooms are, they benefit from a balanced blend of savory flavors. So, a nice mix goes a long way. I use leeks, shallots, carrots, celery, and garlic.
Seasonings — Mushroom soups benefit from generous seasoning. Not just salt, but herbs and acidic ingredients, too. Tarragon is a lovely complement to mushrooms, and I also use a seasoning blend often used for chicken and turkey. Balsamic vinegar adds a slightly sweet tang of vinegar at the start of cooking, and a little lemon juice finishes the soup nicely. I also add a little Better Than Bouillon to give the broth a more assertive flavor.
Heavy cream — This is a lightly creamy soup, and I add just enough heavy cream to create some body on the spoon. Not too much, because cream can mute flavors!
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through and summary of making the soup.
Prep notes
Here’s a quick guide for preparing the ingredients, if you need it (excluding items that can be measured directly from a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).
- Before cooking, rinse the rice grains in a fine-meshed strainer until the water runs dry.
- If using whole cremini mushrooms, wipe away any loose particles with a damp paper towel before slicing. If the stems look dry and suspicious, snap them off. Pre-sliced mushrooms won’t need any prep.
- Peel the shallot and slice off and discard the stem and root ends. Chop into small dice.
- Chop off the dark green leaves of the leek stalk and discard (or freeze for making soup stock). Slice the remaining white and light green part in half and rinse the layers well under running water. Dry, cut off and discard the root end, and chop.
- Clean, and cut off the rough ends of the celery ribs. Chop into small dice.
- Scrub and peel the carrot and cut off the stem end. Chop into small dice.
- Peel the garlic cloves and mince.
Prepare the rice
Cook the rice according to package directions. It will take about 45 minutes, so you can start the soup while the rice is cooking. Set the rice aside.
Cook the mushrooms
Saute the mushrooms in butter until they give off their liquids, turn brown, and shrink. Covering with a lid will help move the process along. You’ll be surprised how far they reduce! Stir often to ensure even cooking. Add the balsamic vinegar and dried herbs to punch up the mushroom flavors.
Sauté the aromatics
Add the leeks, shallots, celery, and carrots, and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stirring well, until the flour is not longer visible.
Simmer the soup
Pour in the vegetable broth and increase the heat to bring the soup up to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer. Spoon in the Better than Bouillon.
Finish the soup
To complete the soup, add the cooked rice and the heavy cream. Stir well. Taste, and add more salt as desired. A nice squeeze of lemon juice adds a nice brightness to the soup. Top with a generous sprinkling of parsley and serve!
Storing
To store the leftovers, let the soup cool to room temperature, and then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep nicely in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If the rice has absorbed too much of the broth on reheating, loosen the soup with additional broth, water, and a little heavy cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup feels like a warm hug in a bowl, perfect for those days when you need something nourishing and comforting. The combination of earthy mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and that silky broth really hits the spot. If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you.
Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend (such as Lundbergs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms , sliced
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (dried herb blend*)
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 leek , cleaned and sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 shallot , diced
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 1 medium carrot , scrubbed, peeled, and diced
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon , mushroom flavor
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt
- Lemon juice or white wine vinegar (optional, for flavoring)
- Dried parsley or fresh minced parsley for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to the package’s directions in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid while you start the rest of the soup. When finished, set the pot aside.
- Heat the oil and butter in a 4- to 5-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium/medium-high until the butter has melted.
- Add the mushrooms and stir well to coat with the fats. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have rendered their liquids and are dark and glossy. There may be a significant amount of liquid in the pot. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the vinegar and herbs and stir well. If you have a good sense of smell, the herbs should be quite fragrant.
- Add the leeks, shallots, celery, and carrots to the pot, mixing well. Saute until the leeks and shallots have softened and started to become translucent. Stir in the garlic.
- Spoon in the flour and mix very well with the vegetable mixture, which will become a little pasty. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, to cook off the rawness of the flour.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and increase heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain an active simmer. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon. Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked rice and reduce heat to low. When the soup stops bubbling, stir in the heavy cream.
- Taste the soup. If it needs a little punch of flavor, stir in a big pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Taste again, and adjust the seasonings to suit.
- Sprinkle the parsley over the finished soup, and serve.