Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

This Mushroom Soup recipe is sensationally flavored, rich and creamy, rustic comfort in a bowl without any “cream of” soups! Its rave reviews include: “This is the BEST mushroom soup I have ever tasted!” and another, “My husband had four bowls!” Best of all, this recipe all cooks in one pot, even the wild rice, and reheats beautifully for make ahead dinner, lunch or entertaining.

WATCH: How to make Mushroom Soup

 

LOOKING FOR MORE CREAMY SOUP RECIPES?

• Slow Cooker Potato Soup
• New England Clam Chowder 
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Broccoli Cheese Soup 
• Crock Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili  
• Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

• Mushrooms:  As discussed, use a variety of mushrooms for the best flavor – pretty much anything but bland white mushrooms.  My favorite mushrooms for this recipe are portobello, shitakes and king oyster mushrooms.
• Wild rice:  Use an uncooked wild rice blend and not 100% wild rice. 
• Mirepoix: An essential flavor base made from humble onions, celery, and carrots sautéed in Danish Creamery Butter – mm mm! They are known as the holy trinity of cooking and provide a richness and depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way. 
• Garlic: I use a whopping 6 garlic cloves to really bring the flavor but you can use less if you’re not a garlic lover.
• Worcestershire sauce: Is one of my must-have pairings with mushrooms.  It’s a flavor bomb all packed into one bottle that deepens the intense umami flavor of the mushrooms. It boasts soy mingled with sour from tamarind and vinegar, sweetness from molasses and sugar, and dimension from the cloves, celery seed, and chili pepper extract.
• Beef broth:  Is a secret ingredient that doubles down on the savory, rich flavor in ways chicken or vegetable broth can only dream of.  You are welcome to use beef broth or I use water plus beef base/beef concentrate to make my own economical beef broth. If using beef base, use 2 tablespoons beef concentrate, bouillon cubes or granulated bouillon. I use my favorite Zoup!  Beef Bone Broth Culinary Concentrate and the flavor is outstanding.
• All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the Creamy Mushroom Soup by creating a roux. You may substitute with gluten free all-purpose flour.
• Half and half: Elevates this Mushroom Soup to luxuriously rich and creamy!  You can make your own half and half with equal parts heavy cream and milk. For a healthier alternative, you may substitute the half and half with evaporated milk mixed with ½ tablespoon additional cornstarch.
• Seasonings:  The rustic broth is seasoned with paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, rubbed sage, dried dill, pepper and red pepper flakes.  You probably have most of these ingredients stocked but perhaps the sage.  Sage boasts an earthy, slightly peppery taste with hints of mint, eucalyptus, and lemon.  It is not essential to the recipe, but highly recommended.
• Finish touches:  The Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is begging for acidity to cut through the richness and enliven the ingredients.  I found I liked a combination of both balsamic and lemon juice to accomplish this, but you may use all of one or the other.

• Baby Bella (Cremini) Mushrooms:  Are the “middle child’ mushroom.  They are a more mature version of the white button mushroom and therefore heartier, earthier and more robustly flavored.  They are also younger than the next mature variety, the portobello, and that is why they are often called “baby bella” or “baby portobello” mushrooms. Once they reach about 4″ – 6″ in diameter, they are deemed a portobello.
• Portobello Mushrooms: The most mature white mushroom and therefore the largest and most flavorful.  They boast wonderfully, earthy, meaty, intense umami flavor. They also are less watery than creminis so they caramelize beautifully.  If you are deciding between cremini and portobello mushrooms, go with portobello.   Portobello mushrooms are larger than other mushroom varieties, so slice them into quarters then thinly slice each quarter. 
• Shiitake Mushrooms: One the most popular edible mushrooms in the world, native to East Asia. They boast a rich, meaty, buttery, woody, intense mushroom flavor when cooked.  They are slender and light brown, with a tough, inedible stem which you’ll need to remove before slicing the cap.  You can find shiitakes at most grocery store available in both fresh and dried. I used fresh in this recipe; you’ll need to reconstitute them if dried.
• King Oyster Mushrooms:  Known for their dense, meaty texture and nutty, earthy, woody, rich umami flavor, with a hint of licorice.  Unlike the inedible stems of shiitakes, their thick stems are completely edible and can be sliced into thin rounds, just like the caps, and use in the soup.

• Wild rice has less calories than brown rice.  Wild rice boasts about 30% fewer calories than brown rice: 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 166 calories and 1 cup brown rice has 216 calories.
• Wild rice has more protein than brown rice. Wild rice has about 25% more protein than brown rice: 1 cup cooked wild rice has 6.5 grams protein vs 4.9 grams in brown rice.
• Wild rice and brown rice have the same amount of fiber. 1 cup cooked brown and wild rice have about 3 grams of fiber.
• It’s a toss up when it comes to nutrients.  Wild rice boasts impressive amounts of antioxidants, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc.  However, brown rice has six times as much manganese, a mineral needed for bone formation and metabolic function.

• Brown rice:  Substitute the wild rice with brown rice and cook for about the same amount of time.
• White rice:  Start with only 5 ½ cups of water and 5 teaspoons beef base (or 5 cups of beef broth). Simmer the soup for 20 minutes then add white rice.  The white rice will take about 10-12 minutes to cook. White rice is easy to overcook, so make sure you check it for doneness often and cook just until al dente.
• Leftover rice:  You’ll need less broth because the liquid isn’t soaked up by the cooking rice or evaporated when simmering. Start with only 4 cups water and 4 teaspoons beef base (or 4 cups beef broth) and add more as needed.  Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, then add the leftover cooked rice directly into the soup after adding the half and half and warm through.

CAN I USE VEGETABLE BROTH INSTEAD?

I do not recommend vegetable broth because it does not have deeply rich, savory umami flavor to compliment the mushrooms.  That doesn’t mean you can’t use vegetable broth, but it does mean the soup will not taste rich and flavorful.

CAN I MAKE THE SOUP GLUTEN FREE?

Yes!  If you want to make gluten free Mushroom Soup, simply swap the four for your favorite gluten-free flour and use gluten free Worcestershire sauce. The rest of the ingredients are gluten free.

• Step 1:  Caramelize the mushrooms.  Stir the sliced mushrooms in some melted Danish Creamery Butter and olive oil then push them into an even layer. There are a lot of mushrooms, so don’t worry that some of them will not be touching the bottom of the pan to start – they will shrink as they cook.  Cook the mushrooms without touching until they are deeply golden on the bottom – about 10 minutes.  You can use this time to chop your other veggies.  Add the Worcestershire and continue to cook, while stirring, until the mushrooms are very dry, and dark, but not burnt.  Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl, leaving the drippings behind. 

• Step 2:  Sauté vegetables. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in butter and olive oil until the onions are tender.  Add the garlic, thyme, dill, paprika, oregano, sage, red pepper flakes and cook one additional minute to help bloom the spices. Add flour and cook an additional minute to eliminate the raw flour taste and smell.  

• Step 3:  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Add the mushrooms back to the pot followed by the wild rice blend and beef base.  Add the water (or broth if using) while stirring to scrape up bits from the bottom of the pan – these are flavor gold!

• Step 4:  Simmer the soup. Cover the soup and simmer until the rice is tender, about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid so the bottom of the soup doesn’t burn.

• Step 5: Make it creamy!  The roux will help make the soup thick but stirring in half and half will help make it creamy.  Add a splash of balsamic vinegar followed by lemon juice to lighten the soup and enliven the flavors. 

• Step 6:  Dig in!

• Use quality mushrooms: The better the mushrooms and the more varieties you use, the deeper, richer, more complexity of flavor.  Please do NOT use white button mushrooms, they are not flavorful enough and won’t deliver rich, savory goodness.     
• Don’t wash the mushrooms: You should never rinse your mushrooms or they will absorb water like a sponge and become waterlogged. Waterlogged mushrooms will not caramelize and instead emerge the dreaded soggy and squeaky.  Instead, clean your mushrooms with a damp paper towel.
• Slice mushrooms to a uniform size: The width of the mushroom slices will vary due to the different varieties used, but the thickness should be uniform so they cook evenly.  Try and slice the mushrooms about 1/8-inch.
• Sauté mushrooms until dark and dry:  This is the biggest secret in making the best Mushroom Soup!  Allow the heat and butter to draw out their natural juices as they sizzle undisturbed in the pan until the moisture is released and evaporated – this can take a full 10 minutes.  Only once they are browned on the bottom do you start to stir.  Continue to stir until the mushrooms are deeply caramelized – dark, but not burnt, and very dry.  
• Don’t burn the mushrooms: Again, they should be dark but not burnt.  If you burn the mushrooms, your entire dish will taste burnt.
• Multitask:  While the mushrooms are cooking undisturbed for the first 10 minutes, use this time to chop your onions, carrots and celery.
• Scrape up the golden bits.  After you cook the mushrooms, and then the veggies in flour, there should be a dark fond that forms on the bottom of the pan – these bits are flavor gold!  Make sure to deglaze the pan by scraping up the bits with the water/beef broth.
• Don’t forget to stir. The Mushroom Soup can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn, so make sure you are stirring every few minutes, especially the last 15 minutes as it reduces/thickens quite a bit.
• Cook the rice to your liking:  Wild rice can take anywhere from 45-60 minutes to cook depending on your stove, pot and actual simmering temperature, so make sure to test for doneness right at 45 minutes and cook on as needed.  If your soup is taking longer to cook, you may need to stir in additional broth. 
• Add fresh herbs at the end. If using fresh herbs, you’ll need three times the amount of dried. Stir fresh herbs into the soup with the half and half.  Fresh herbs can lose their lively, vibrant color and aroma if cooked for too long.
• Adjust the consistency to your liking.  The thickness of the Creamy Mushroom Soup is personal preference.  As written, it is on the richer, thicker side but is easier to thin by adding additional broth or half and half.
• Be prepared to add additional liquid.  The Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a splash of additional broth or half and half if not immediately serving or when reheating.

How Do You Thicken Wild Rice Mushroom Soup?

This Wild Rice Mushroom Soup is thickened by a roux and by half and half.  This 2-part method produces a luxuriously rich and creamy soup, but can thicken the soup further with any of these methods:

• Cornstarch:   Whisk 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold broth or water until smooth then whisk it back into the soup.  Simmer for a few minutes to thicken.  Repeat if needed. 
• Flour:  Flour is half as potent as cornstarch so you will need twice as much. Remove about ½ cup soup, whisk in 2-4 tablespoons flour with a fork until smooth then whisk it back into the soup.  Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Repeat if needed.
• Puree soup: Remove 1-2 cups of the soup and puree it in your blender or food processor.  It will add body to the soup while preserving the flavor.
• Puree beans: Add cannellini beans to a blender along with some of the soup. Puree until smooth to create a paste.  Stir back into the soup and warm through.

• Half and half substitute:  Use evaporated milk whisked with ½ tablespoon cornstarch.
• For a brothy soup:  If you prefer a more brothy soup instead of a creamy soup, swap the half and half for additional water/broth. The soup will still have some body from the flour but won’t be as creamy.  Alternatively, you can omit the flour and swap the half and half for broth for a strictly brothy soup.
• Swap the rice for quinoa: For a higher protein option, swap the rice for rinsed and drained uncooked quinoa and simmer for about 25 minutes.  Reduce the water to 5 cups and the beef base to 5 teaspoons (or use 5 cups broth).
• Swap the rice for barley:  Barley is another delightful texture if you don’t have wild rice on hand that I use in my Beef and Barley Soup.  You will want to use pearl and simmer for about 30 minutes total.  This is less time than wild rice, so reduce the water to 5 cups and the beef base to 5 teaspoons (or use 5 cups broth).
• Swap the rice for lentils:  Swap the rice for 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes total, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.  Again, reduce the water to 5 cups and the beef base to 5 teaspoons (or use 5 cups broth).
• Add chicken:  Add pre-cooked diced or shredded rotisserie chicken to the soup with the half and half to warm though. Alternatively, poach raw chicken thighs or breast in the soup while the rice cooks for about 15 minutes, then remove, shred, and add back to the soup at the end just to warm through.  Adding chicken means you may need additional broth or half and half.
• Add ground protein:  Ground beef, chicken or turkey can be browned with the onions carrots and celery then simmered with the soup.  Again, add additional broth or half and half as needed.
• Add ham:  Add ham at the end of cooking and warm through.  Ham can be quite salty so reduce the beef base in the recipe and add salt to taste.
• Add beans:  Cannellini beans for their slight sweetness, creaminess and meaty texture.  Add them the last 10 minutes of cooking so they soften but retain their structure
• Add veggies: Add any additional veggies you’d like such as zucchini, broccoli, eggplant, corn, green beans, or spinach.  You’ll need to add most of the vegetables the last 10-20 minutes of cooking or else they will become mushy.  You can also stir roasted veggies such as roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower or zucchini into the soup at the end of cooking.  Add additional broth as needed to compensate for the vegetables.
• Add cheese:  Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the soup with the half and half for even more nutty, salty umami flavor. 
• Make it dairy free:  Use olive oil or vegan butter in place of the butter and your favorite dairy free substitute such as Oatly Barista edition or coconut milk in place of the half and half.
• Make it vegan:  Use vegetable broth instead of beef base/water, olive oil or vegan butter in place of the butter and your favorite dairy free substitute such as Oatly Barista edition or coconut milk in place of the half and half.  You can include cashew cream as well for a richer vegan mushroom soup.
• Make it gluten free:  Use gluten free flour and gluten free Worcestershire sauce – the rest of the ingredients are gluten free.

WHAT CAN I PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME?

This Mushroom Soup recipe is simple but it does require some prep work as far as slicing the mushrooms and chopping vegetables. You can save time by:

• Slicing the mushrooms:  Slice the mushrooms (don’t wash!) and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Prep mirepoix: Chop the celery, carrots and onions by hand or use your food processor.  Store together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
• Prep Garlic:  Mince the garlic and store in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Measure Spices: It doesn’t take long to measure out the herbs and spices, but you can certainly do it beforehand and store the mix in an airtight bag or container.

Can You Freeze Mushroom Soup?

As a general rule of thumb, cream-based soups do not freeze well because the texture can become unpleasantly grainy as the dairy and fat separate when thawed.  You can still freeze the soup with these expectations, or omit the half and half when freezing, then add the half and half to the soup after thawing – then you will have no problem.  Alternatively, you can swap the half and half for evaporated milk mixed with cornstarch to help thicken it up.  Evaporated milk freezes beautifully every time.

To freeze:

1. Cook: Cook the soup according to recipe directions but either omit the half and half or swap it for evaporated milk mixed with ½ tablespoon cornstarch.
2. Cool: Allow soup to cool completely before freezing to preserve the integrity of the ingredients and prevent it from entering the “danger zone.”
3. Package: Transfer soup to an airtight freezer safe container or freezer bag. You can even use sandwich size plastic bags for individual portions. Squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn and label
4. Freeze. Freeze for up to 3 months.
5. Thaw/Reheat. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat per above instructions.

LOOKING FOR MORE MushrooM SOUP RECIPES?

Are you a mushroom lover?  Don’t miss these mushroom studded favorites:

• Creamy Mushroom Chicken
• Mushroom Pasta
• Mushroom Risotto
• Creamy Mushroom Orzo
• Pork Medallions with Mushroom Gravy
• Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy