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.
Ingredients:
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, & Shiitake)
- 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.
A Covert says
Hi,
My aunt just lost her precious dog and I wanted to make her this soup to get her spirits up. The only problem is that neither of us are vegan so we don’t have the ingredients but neither of us feel like going out today. Is it possible to substitute the wild rice for regular white rice and the vegetable broth for chicken broth as well and the coconut milk for regular milk? I’d go get them but today isn’t the best day to go out.
Megan Horowitch says
Hi! There are instructions in the blog post for subbing in white rice (just decrease cooking time as it cooks faster). I don't cook with chicken broth or milk so I'm not really sure. I don't see why chicken broth wouldn't work, but coconut milk has a very specific fat consistency that I think would be hard to match with milk. If you try it let me know!
Gail says
Sounds so good.Can I double this?
Megan Horowitch says
Yes you can double the recipe! Just make sure to use a pot large enough :). The mushrooms may not get as crispy if the pan is overcrowded as well so might be a good idea to cook them in a wide flat pan first if doubling the recipe.
Jan says
This soup was absolutely delicious. It was very filling with the rice. Really liked it.
Megan Horowitch says
Thank you for sharing!!
Thursday says
Delicious! I hate chicken noodle and this will now be my crummy day soup! I served it with garlic bread points and my partner put mixed some rotisserie chicken in their bowl.
Musicals I made; used homemade mushroom broth, added paprika, a bit of red pepper flakes, and extra garlic. It made a healthy four portions.
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Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked it, thanks for sharing!
Kathy says
Made this last night. Absolutely delicious! Can't wait to have a bowl for lunch today. I am not a coconut person at all and was a bit worried about that...shouldn't have been. Thank you.
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked it!
Sara says
This soup turned out deliciously! Creamy with a great mushroomy taste!
JPreston says
Hey there! Would you recommend doing this in a crockpot?
Megan Horowitch says
I haven't tried it so I'm not sure on the timing! If you try it let me know how it goes.
Erica says
If I wanted to substitute cauliflower rice instead of wild rice, what do you suggest for cook times and liquid amounts? 🙂
Megan Horowitch says
This recipe would not work as written with cauliflower rice as the rice soaks up the liquid as it cooks. I unfortunately wouldn't know the amounts to use for cauliflower rice and would honestly recommend a different recipe!
Emily says
What made your soup of the darker colored base? Mine didn’t come out at rich looking as yours?
Megan Horowitch says
A mix of the mushrooms I used and the vegetable broth. I used Pacific Foods vegetable broth which I find has a deeper yellow color than other brands. Also, I used a mix of mushrooms which affected the color. Hope that helps :)!
Laura says
I cant wait to make this again, even my kids loved it!! My only substitution was homemade cashew milk instead of coconut and some dried thyme :0
Simone says
hi! just wondering, does this soup have a strong coconut flavor or do the other things overpower the coconut? thanks
Mandi Schuler says
This was very good!! Easy to make and support yummy
Michelle says
This recipe is wonderful and definitely added to our frequently used list. The only thing I will personally change next time is add some sort of veggie - probably carrots and celery.
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you loved it! If you add carrots make sure to chop them up small and add them when you add the onions for the best flavor :).
Camila Hurst says
I've made this a few times before and I already wrote a review probably, but I have to write another one, because I just made it again and it's SOOOOOOO delicious like I can't even! It's so hearty and delicious! This is the best soup ever!!!!!
Jen says
I love wild rice soup, so I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. I use coconut milk for Thai recipes but I’m not sure I want to taste coconut in my wild rice soup. How prominent is the coconut flavor in the soup?
Megan Horowitch says
I personally think it's pretty subtle, but I would guess it depends on the person. I don't recommend substitutes other than coconut milk as it's super creamy. Hope you like it!
Leah Kaiser says
Wow, what a great recipe! The broth was extremely flavorful and the soup was very satisfying. Everyone in my household loved it. I'll be making this one all fall and winter long!
Stacy says
My son who is extremely picky absolutely loved the soup. Everyone in the family enjoyed it!
Laura Beggan says
Easy to make and very warming on a dreich day. I added grated courgette as I had a ridiculously huge one to get through. First time using wild rice and took a bit longer to cook (perhaps because it wasn't a blend?). Deelish
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked it! Love the extra veggie addition 🙂 The rice may take longer if it wasn't a blend or if it wasn't soaked before cooking!
Haylee says
Any recommendations for a vegan substitute for the coconut milk? My mom is allergic to coconut. Would almond milk work?
Megan Horowitch says
I mention this in the FAQ section of the blog post, but unfortunately there isn't a good substitute for coconut milk in this recipe. You could try almond milk and add in a little cornstarch to help thicken, but it won't be as creamy as intended.
Atxash says
Perhaps a vegan almond milk yogurt??
Melissa says
I am planning on trying this with the Silk brand's Soy for Coffee. I can't have coconut either, and the Soy for Coffee is thick and creamy. Fingers crossed!
Megan Horowitch says
Definitely let us all know how it turns out, would love to hear 🙂
Megan Horowitch says
So glad to hear it'll be a staple, thanks for the feedback 🙂