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Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Autumn wild rice soup with creamy golden texture and chewy wild rice kernels, plus tender butternut squash, mushrooms, and kale. Made by simmering until the grains are tender, then stirring in cream so it turns rich and velvety.
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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 Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base and vegetables
  • 1 cup wild rice blend uncooked
  • 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cups kale chopped
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
Broth and seasoning
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste
Creamy thickener
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté vegetables
  1. Melt butter in a large pot, then sauté onion, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, mushrooms, and sage, and cook for 4 minutes until fragrant and the mushrooms start to release moisture.
Build the soup
  1. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  2. Add broth, wild rice, squash, and thyme, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the wild rice is tender and the squash is soft.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in cream, 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, then serve hot.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the soup at a steady simmer (not a hard boil) so the wild rice stays tender without getting mushy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can break, but you can make it dairy-free by using unsweetened coconut cream or a plant-based cooking cream substitute.