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Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Autumn wild rice soup with tender wild rice, creamy golden broth, and roasted-fall flavors from butternut squash, mushrooms, and kale. Simmered until the rice kernels are chewy and the squash is soft, then finished with cream and sage.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

Wild rice blend
  • 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
Vegetables
  • 2 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cup kale, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
Soup base
  • 6 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
Seasonings
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the garlic, sliced mushrooms, and chopped sage, and cook for 4 minutes until the mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
Thicken and simmer
  1. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, stirring constantly.
  2. Add the broth, uncooked wild rice blend, cubed butternut squash, and dried thyme, then stir until well combined.
  3. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 40 minutes until the wild rice is tender and the squash is soft.
Finish with cream and greens
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, chopped kale, and nutmeg, then simmer for 5 minutes until the kale wilts and the soup turns creamy.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the simmer gentle once you reduce the heat so the wild rice stays chewy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low with a splash of broth if needed. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight before reheating. For a dairy-lite version, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half (or a cooking cream substitute) for a thinner but still creamy finish.