Hearty Northern-Style Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-07 · Updated 2026-08-07

A warming soup featuring earthy mushrooms and nutty wild rice simmered in a savory broth, inspired by the regional flavors of Minnesota’s northern forests. This American-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 75 minutes, pairs wild rice, water, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup wild rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 2, diced celery stalk
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 8 oz, sliced cremini mushrooms
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup (optional) heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 3/4 cup wild rice and place in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 40-45 minutes until rice is tender and water absorbed. Drain any excess water.
2. Step 2: While rice cooks, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion, 1 diced medium carrot, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
3. Step 3: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 6-8 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and become browned.
4. Step 4: Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth, add 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
5. Step 5: Stir in the cooked wild rice and simmer for another 5 minutes to meld flavors. Remove bay leaf.
6. Step 6: Optional: Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream for richness, heat through but do not boil. Serve hot garnished with extra thyme if desired.