Creamy Wild Rice Soup
Welcome to Sugar, Spice & Glitter! Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see our Full Disclosure.
My favorite way to enjoy wild rice, this easy Wild Rice Soup recipe is creamy, rich and layered with cozy, comforting flavors that will warm you from the inside out. A lighter take on a traditional cream of wild rice soup – which you wouldn’t guess from the robust flavor this soup boasts!
Wild Rice Soup Recipe
We’re kicking off soup season strong with a crowd favorite: our nourishing, creamy wild rice soup. Hearty enough to enjoy on it’s own, but also great paired with a light salad or some crusty bread.
Our creamy wild rice soup boasts buttery, perfectly sautéed veggies along with fragrant, toasted wild rice with it’s unmistakable chewy texture and nutty, earthy flavour profile and plenty of aromatic herbs, all enrobed in a velvety, flavorful broth.
It’s an easy stovetop recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights when you’re craving something stodgy and comforting, and there are plenty of ways to give this recipe subtle twists to keep it interesting and just different enough every time you make it. (See below.)
Wild Rice Soup Recipe Variations:
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup: Fold in 1.5 to 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken when you add the cooked rice to the pot. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes so the chicken warms through and the flavors meld.
- Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup: Sauté 1 to 2 cups of sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms with the onions, carrots and celery until they release their moisture and take on a light golden color.
- Turkey Wild Rice Soup: Stir in 2 cups of cooked, shredded turkey at the same stage you add the rice, allowing the soup to thicken slightly as it simmers. This variation works especially well with leftover roasted turkey due to its deeper flavor.
- Copycat Panera Wild Rice Soup: Add 1 cup shredded, white meat chicken as well as 1 cup shredded cabbage and season with turmeric, onion powder, dried thyme and tarragon to achieve the same flavor profile as Panera’s famous version.
- Minnesota Wild Rice Soup: Use 100 percent hand-harvested or cultivated wild rice instead of a blend (preferably sourced from Minnesota!) and extend the cooking time accordingly. Add a small amount of bacon for a classic Upper Midwest profile.
- Crockpot Wild Rice Soup: Combine all ingredients except the cream, flour, and butter in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for about 3 to 4 hours, until the rice is tender. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour to form a roux, then stir in the cream and add this mixture to the slow cooker during the final 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
Cream of Wild Rice Soup Recipe FAQs
Can I use straight wild rice instead of a blend? Yes, but it will take longer to cook. True wild rice often needs 40 to 50 minutes and more water to cook (plus it is more expensive and very chewy).
Why do you toast the rice before including in the soup? Toasting the rice brings out a deeper nuttiness and helps the grains hold their shape in the creamy broth. It is optional but recommended.
What if my soup becomes too thick? Add warm broth or water a splash at a time until the texture loosens.
Is there a substitute for table cream? Half-and-half or a mix of whole milk and a splash of whipping cream works well. You can alternatively use a cornstarch and warm water slurry, though I recommend the dairy option for thickening.
How to store leftover wild rice soup: This soul can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. However this wild rice soup thickens as it sits, so you may need to thin it before reheating.
Can I freeze this soup? Cream-based soups can separate when frozen. If you plan to freeze it, cook the base without cream, freeze and then add cream when reheating. (Do not freeze with the cream.) Store in ziptop freezer bags, souper cubes or your favorite freezer containers for up to 2 months. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)
Snackable History Fact: Wild rice has long been a staple ingredient in regions surrounding the Great Lakes, where Indigenous communities harvested it from shallow lakes and rivers. Its cultivation and processing were traditionally done by hand and it remains a meaningful ingredient in North American food culture. While modern blends combine wild rice with long-grain varieties for accessibility and cost, the grain’s history still shapes the way it’s used in comforting, slow-simmered dishes like this one.
More Wonderful Wild Rice Recipes You’ll Love:
- Wild Rice Pilaf
- Turkey Rice Soup from Kylee Cooks
- Stuffed Acorn Squash from Bake Me Some Sugar
- Hearty Beef and Rice Soup from The Salty Pot
Ingredients for Wild Rice Soup
- Wild Rice Blend, rinsed
- Water, as needed
- Olive Oil
- Small Onion, minced
- Carrots, peeled and diced
- Celery, diced
- Minced Garlic
- Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Poultry Seasoning <– grab our recipe for homemade poultry seasoning here
- Chicken Broth
- Table Cream (10%)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Parsley, optional garnish
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: you can purchase a pre-made wild rice blend or do as we did and use 1/4 cup wild rice, 1/4 cup brown rice and 1/2 cup long-grain white rice.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- Cast-Iron Skillet
- Spatula or Spoon
- Medium-sized Pot or Saucepan
- Stockpot or Dutch Oven
- Whisk
How to Make Wild Rice Soup
Set a skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, add the rice and stir occasionally as you toast it off for about 5 minutes.
Place the rice in a saucepan and add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover as the rice cooks, about 15 to 20 minutes, adding additional water if needed.
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Once hot, add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 4 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add the butter and once melted, stir in the flour until all vegetables are well-coated.
Whisk in the chicken broth and increase heat to medium-high.
Once simmering, add the cream and after 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and add the rice, salt and pepper to the soup. Stir well and continue to cook for 4 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 small or 4-5 large servings.
Pin this Cozy, Comforting and Creamy Wild Rice Soup:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our wild rice soup recipe:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.
Creamy Wild Rice Soup
Creamy wild rice soup boasts buttery, perfectly sautéed veggies along with fragrant, toasted wild rice with it’s unmistakable chewy texture and nutty, earthy flavour profile and plenty of aromatic herbs, all enrobed in a velvety, flavorful broth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wild Rice Blend, rinsed
- 3-4 cups Water, as needed
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, minced
- 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 Stalks Celery, diced
- 2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
- 4 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Table Cream (10%)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- llet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the rice and stir occasionally as you toast it off for about 5 minutes.
- Place the rice in a saucepan and add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover as the rice cooks, about 15 to 20 minutes, adding additional water if needed.
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the butter and once melted, stir in the flour until all vegetables are well-coated.
- Whisk in the chicken broth and increase heat to medium-high.
- Once simmering, add the cream and after 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and add the rice, salt and pepper to the soup. Stir well and continue to cook for 4 minutes before serving.
- Makes 8 small or 4-5 large servings.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 671Total Fat: 47gSaturated Fat: 24gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 216mgSodium: 753mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 37g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope you love this wild rice soup as much as my family does!
For more scrumptious soups, check out our full soup recipe collection here:
For more scrumptious side dishes, check out our full side dish recipe collection here:
