This Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is seriously SO creamy that you would never guess it is completely dairy-free & made with no cream! If you are on the hunt for a delicious vegan soup recipe that is actually filling, this hearty & gluten-free mushroom wild rice soup that can be made in one pot is here for you.
Why you will love this wild rice soup
Did I mention this dairy-free soup is still ridiculously creamy?! I used to love chicken and wild rice soup before I went vegetarian 10 years ago. Until today, I had not eaten anything nearly as satisfying and I have to say this hearty soup may even be better than the original!
As you can see from my Vegan Truffle Mac and Cheese, Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo, and Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta, I have a thing for making healthy & dairy-free alternatives of my favorite recipes cream-filled recipes.
Also, this recipe is naturally gluten-free using wild rice as the grain in this soup. Plus, this vegan mushroom soup has only 8 ingredients! I don't know about you, but I ALWAYS down for a soup recipe with minimal ingredients and fewer trips to the grocery store.
Fun Fact about wild rice:
Okay guys, give me a minute to geek out here. Did you know that wild rice is...NOT ACTUALLY RICE! It resembles white and brown rice and is closely related, but it's actually a grass seed that grows in lakes.
On the plus side, it actually has more protein, minerals, and B vitamins than white or brown rice though. For this recipe, I chose to use Lundberg Farms Wild Rice Mix which is a mix of Long Grain Brown Rice, Sweet Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Wehani Red Rice, and Black Rice.
How to make vegan mushroom rice soup from scratch
This soup requires only one pot. YAY! That being said, there are some crucial steps to make this mushroom cream soup as flavorful as possible.
First, rinse & soak the wild rice before cooking with it:
Why do we rinse rice before cooking with it? To remove some of the starch and, frankly, the dirt! While we want some of the starch from the rice to thicken the soup, it's good to remove most of it so the soup doesn't get TOO thick (yes it is possible).
Also, I recommend soaking the rice for 15-30 minutes before cooking it. This helps speed up the cooking process and leads to much chewier wild rice. I soak my rice when I am cutting the veggies and sautéing them, so this step should not add any more time to this recipe.
Sauté the mushrooms, onions, & garlic:
This is where ALL the flavor gets added to the dish.
Since we are only using one pot for this recipe, first add in the melted butter to your soup pot.
Once it's hot and bubbly, add in the thinly sliced mushrooms, diced onions, and minced garlic and sauté for 10-15 minutes until all the water has evaporated. The end result should be browned and crispy mushrooms, caramelized onions, and slightly browned garlic (see below for reference).
The mushrooms don't all need to be crispy, but most should be, which is why it's essential to slice the mushrooms very thin. At the very end, add in the spice mix of dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
DO NOT add the salt until the very end as it will draw out too much moisture from the mushrooms and it will be virtually impossible to get those crispy good slices in 15 minutes or less.
Add in the mushroom rice soup ingredients & cook the soup:
Now that we have some crispy browned veggies, it's time to pour in the rest of the ingredients. Pour in the veggie broth, wild rice, and coconut milk and stir everything together. Make sure to scrape up any mushrooms or onions that are stuck to the bottom of the pan so they can get mixed into the soup.
Then, bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes covered.
At the 20 minute mark, remove the soup lid, stir the soup, and let it cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered. Cooking it uncovered in the last half helps some of the water evaporate and leads to a thicker soup. If you want a thinner soup, just leave the lid on during these last 20 minutes!
FAQ for this recipe:
Can I cook this recipe with white or brown rice?
Yes! However, this changes the recipe A LOT. If you are planning to cook this recipe with white rice, the cooking time after adding in the rice goes from 40 minutes to 15-20 minutes.
Wild rice requires much more time to cook. White rice is also starchier rice and will make this soup MUCH thicker. I've tried this recipe with white rice and it's still delicious, but please make sure to adjust the cooking time!
What can I substitute coconut milk for?
Coconut milk makes this soup TRULY creamy, so I don't recommend swapping it out if you don't have to. However, I realize we all have different dietary preferences, and any other plant-based milk works as a substitute. The best milk alternative would be oat milk, rice milk, or cashew milk.
What mushrooms work best for this recipe?
I used a mix of Crimini mushrooms, white button mushrooms, and Shiitake mushrooms for this soup. However, most common mushroom varieties should work. Chanterelle mushrooms or porcini mushrooms would both be great additions!
Can I store this soup as leftovers?
Yes! However, expect a thicker leftover that resembles a risotto. After sitting overnight the rice tends to soak up even more veggie broth and becomes a thick mixture similar to risotto. Plus, coconut milk solidifies in the fridge contributing to the thick texture.
To give leftovers a soup-like consistency, just add in some additional veggie broth and heat up in a pot on the stove. Alternatively, enjoy as a thicker risotto-like soup. I promise it's still delicious!
By the way, this soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 1 month in a closed container.
Does this soup work with frozen/pre-cooked rice?
Yes! However, you're going to have to reduce the amount of veggie broth you add to the soup. Uncooked rice soaks up the broth when it is cooked and, if if you use the same amount of veggie broth with pre-cooked rice, your soup will be too watery and not creamy. I recommend changing the veggie broth from 5-6 cups to 3-4 cups. (depending on the thickness you want).
Follow the instructions on the frozen/ pre-cooked rice to reheat and set it aside. Then, follow the recipe below through step 5 (except do not add the rice and reduce the veggie broth to 3-4 cups). At the 20 minute mark, add in the rice and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes or so until everything is well mixed.
What goes with a vegan mushroom soup?
Personally, I find this soup filling and satisfying all on its own. However, I do like to serve this soup with a thick slice of vegan garlic bread or spelt bread to soak up any excess liquid! It also goes great with a fresh and crispy side salad like my Chickpea Arugula Salad.
This Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is truly hearty, filling, and nutritious. I promise you won't be able to tell there is no dairy or cream in this recipe. Plus, it's probably when of my favorite soups when I am feeling under the weather. This soup will truly warm you up from the inside out!
-TSG
More SGTO vegan soup recipes you will love:
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Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- ¾ cup wild rice blend
- 4 cups mushrooms diced (I used a mix of white button, Crimini, & Shitake)
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic about 1 Tbsp
- 2 Tablespoon vegan butter or oil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 5-6 cups vegetable broth I start with 5 and add up to 6 for a slightly thinner soup
- 14 ounce can coconut milk
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, rinse the wild rice and add it to a small or bowl to soak in cold water for 15-30 minutes.
- While the rice is soaking, chop & prep the vegetables. Slice the mushrooms thinly (removing the bottom of the stems if desired) and finely dice the onions.
- Next, add the vegan butter to a large soup pot and turn on the heat. Once the butter has melted, add in the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Then, sauté for 15 minutes until the onions & mushrooms are beginning to crisp up and brown. Make sure to stir consistently to evenly cook the vegetables.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, season with a mix of parsley, salt, and pepper. Then, add the vegetable broth, soaked & strained wild rice, and coconut milk to the pot with the vegetables. Stir to mix together.
- Bring the pot of soup to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.
- At the 20 minute mark remove the soup lid, stir the soup, and cook the soup uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked through. (Please note, if you are using a rice other than wild rice, cooking time will vary, so check if it is done at the 20 minute mark).
- Remove the soup from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Finally, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I used a mix of Crimini mushrooms, white button mushrooms, and Shiitake mushrooms for this soup. However, most common mushroom varieties should work. Chanterelle mushrooms or porcini mushrooms would both be great additions!
- Coconut milk makes this soup TRULY creamy, so I don't recommend swapping it out if you don't have to. However, I realize we all have different dietary preferences, and any other plant-based milk works as a substitute. The best milk alternative would be oat milk, rice milk, or cashew milk.
- If you are planning to cook this recipe with white rice, the cooking time after adding in the rice goes from 40 minutes to 15-20 minutes. Wild rice requires much more time to cook. White rice is also starchier rice and will make this soup MUCH thicker, so you may want to add slightly more broth.
- Soup can be stored as leftovers in a closed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Any leftovers will thicken substantially as the rice will absorb the liquid, so add in extra vegetable broth for a soup-like consistency when eating leftovers.
- To get the rich color you see pictured, it's crucial to use a high quality thick veggie broth/stock. I used Pacific Foods Brand.
Clearissa Coward says
I learned something today. I did not know that wild rice is not actually rice. That is good to know that it's better for the diet. Thanks so much for sharing. This one I would like to try. Thanks for sharing at #aclwcc. Pinned and tweeted.
Erica says
Made this last weekend it was really delicious! I was wondering if you know if it can be made in the slow cooker?
Megan says
So glad! I'm sure it can be made in a slow cooker, but I actually don't own one so I'm not sure on the exact instructions for it.
K says
Wow this is so good. So much flavor! I used white rice instead of wild and cooked it (uncovered) for about 20 min. The rice could’ve been a little more cooked but honestly it had so much flavor I don’t care!
Megan says
So glad you liked it! If 20 minutes was a bit too short definitely feel free to cook for 25-30 minutes and add a bit more broth next time 🙂
Abby says
This sounds delicious! About how many ounces is the equivalent of 4 cups chopped mushrooms? I have a pound of baby bellas and I’m wondering if that will be enough!
Megan says
I think a pound should be plenty- I didn't measure in ounces but it's about 380 -400 grams of mushrooms
AB says
This is such a delicious recipe! Since going vegan I craved this soup, now I no longer have to! Thank you for sharing!
Megan says
Yay I'm so happy you liked it 🙂
Melissa says
So amazing and yummy! Was a hit with the entire family vegan and non !
Darsy says
absolutely delicious! I added white pepper and carrots too.
Megan says
Those sound like such great additions!
Michelle says
Recipe was really good! I used low fat coconut milk so to thicken it at the end I added a cornstarch slurry. My husband loves mushrooms and he was very happy with the result as well!
Megan says
So glad you both liked it thanks for sharing 🙂
AB says
Thank you for this helpful hint!
Krisztina says
Amazing! Made it with fresh parsley (added at the end) and it was perfect!
Megan says
Fresh parsley is such a great addition, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Karla Alvarado says
Can you substitute the vegetable broth for water?
Megan says
Technically yes but I wouldn't recommend it as it'll make the soup a lot less flavorful.