I just made a Mushroom Rice Soup that’s rich, protein-packed with wild rice and greens, and so good I’m seriously tempted to serve it every week.

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I’m obsessed with this Mushroom Rice Soup because it hits every craving without fuss. I love the chewy wild rice blend and the earthy mix of mixed mushrooms that actually taste like something worth eating.

It’s rich and creamy but not fake, and packed with vegetables so I don’t feel guilty about seconds. I make it when I want a real meal, not a sad bowl of soup.

But mostly I love how leftovers taste even better, every spoonful richer and full of mushroom flavor. Healthy Mushroom Soup that doesn’t pretend to be boring.

Worth every single spoon daily. Seriously

Ingredients

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Wild rice blend: chewy, nutty bite that makes the soup feel hearty and real.
Broth: the savory backbone, it’s what ties everything together and keeps it cozy.
Mixed mushrooms: earthiness and meaty texture, they’re the star in every spoonful.
Yellow onion: sweet base flavor, it softens and brings rounded depth to the broth.
Carrots: subtle sweetness and color, plus a nice little textural pop.
Celery: fresh, slightly bitter crunch that cuts through the richness.
Garlic: bright punch, it wakes up the whole pot without stealing the show.
Olive oil or butter: adds silky mouthfeel and helps those mushrooms brown nicely.
Thyme: herbaceous notes that match mushrooms perfectly, low-key but important.
Bay leaf: background warmth, you’ll notice it if it’s missing.
Coconut milk or cream: creamy comfort, makes the soup lush and spoonable.
Kale or spinach: greens for color and chew, it’s actually pretty healthy.
Cornstarch or arrowroot: slight thickener, keeps things smooth without tasting starchy.
Cooked beans or lentils: optional protein boost, makes it more filling and dinner-ready.
Parsley: fresh finish, it brightens each bowl and looks pretty too.
Lemon juice: Basically a splash of sunshine that lifts the whole thing.
Salt: essential seasoning, it brings everything into focus.
Black pepper: mild heat and more dimension, don’t skip it.
Optional flour: for a thicker, classic-style finish if you prefer that texture.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed

6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegan)

12 ounces mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, baby bella), sliced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1 cup full fat coconut milk (for vegan) or 1 cup heavy cream

3 cups chopped kale or spinach, tough stems removed

1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with cold water (for slight thickening)

1 cup cooked white beans or lentils, optional for extra protein

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to brighten flavor

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional: 2 tablespoons gluten free flour or all purpose flour if you want a thicker, non vegan version

How to Make this

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1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery, and a pinch of salt, cook until soft about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks.

2. Add the minced garlic, sliced mushrooms and thyme and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until mushrooms give up their liquid and start to brown a little. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

3. Stir in the rinsed wild rice blend to toast it lightly for 1 to 2 minutes, this helps flavor and keeps the grains separate.

4. Pour in 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegan), drop in the bay leaf, bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 40 to 50 minutes depending on your blend.

5. While rice cooks you can rinse and chop the kale or spinach and drain the cooked white beans or lentils if using. Set aside.

6. Once the rice is tender, remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup full fat coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream, and add the cooked beans or lentils if using. Heat gently but do not boil hard.

7. If you want the soup thicker, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with cold water to make a slurry and whisk it into the hot soup. For a non vegan thicker version you can instead whisk in 2 tablespoons gluten free flour or all purpose flour mixed with a little cold water. Simmer a few minutes until the soup thickens slightly.

8. Add the chopped kale or spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste.

9. Finish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten the flavors and sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley over the top. Give it one last stir.

10. Serve hot with extra parsley if you like. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and the soup actually tastes better the next day, just thin with a splash of broth if it gets too thick.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot with lid
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Fine mesh sieve or colander (for rinsing rice and draining beans)
7. Ladle for serving
8. Small bowl and whisk or fork (for mixing cornstarch slurry)

FAQ

Q: Can I use only white rice instead of the wild rice blend?

A: Yes, but cook time changes. White rice will get soft much faster, about 15 to 20 minutes, so add it later in the simmer so it doesn't turn mushy. Wild rice blend needs 40 to 50 minutes to open up and get chewy, so time it right.

Q: How do I make the soup thicker without dairy?

A: Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with cold water, stir it smooth, then whisk into the hot soup and simmer a few minutes until it thickens. Coconut milk already helps, but that slurry gives you a silkier body. Don't dump the slurry in cold soup or you'll get clumps.

Q: My mushrooms released a lot of water, making the soup thin. What now?

A: Sauté mushrooms in a hot pan without overcrowding so they brown, not steam. If they're already watery, simmer longer to reduce liquid, or stir in the optional 2 tablespoons flour or the cornstarch slurry to tighten it up. A quick high heat sear before adding broth saves this problem.

Q: Can I prepare this ahead and reheat?

A: Yes. The flavor actually improves next day. Store in fridge up to 4 days. When reheating, thin parts might have absorbed into the rice, so add a splash more broth or coconut milk and gently warm, not boil, to keep the creamy texture.

Q: Is there a good substitute for kale if I don't like it?

A: Spinach works great and wilts much faster, add it right near the end. Swiss chard is another good option but remove or chop thick stems so they cook evenly. Frozen greens also save time, just thaw and stir in late.

Q: How can I boost protein without changing the flavor much?

A: Stir in 1 cup cooked white beans or lentils near the end. They blend into the soup and add creaminess and protein without stealing the mushroom taste. If using canned beans, rinse them well to cut sodium.

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

1 cup wild rice blend: swap with 1 cup brown rice, farro, or pearled barley (cook times differ, so check package; farro adds a chewy nuttiness).
6 cups vegetable broth: use mushroom broth, low sodium chicken broth, or 6 cups water plus 2 to 3 teaspoons bouillon paste or cubes if thats all you got.
12 ounces mixed mushrooms: substitute with 12 ounces button or oyster mushrooms, or use 1/4 cup dried porcini rehydrated for deeper flavor (save the soaking liquid for part of your broth).
1 cup full fat coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream: for a vegan creamy option use 1 cup cashew cream; for a lighter non vegan swap with 1 cup evaporated milk or 1 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons butter.

Pro Tips

1) Brown the mushrooms well before adding the rice. Let them sit in the pan without crowding so they get those little browned bits, they add way more flavor than you think. If they’re steaming instead of browning, pull some out or use a bigger pan.

2) Taste and fix the seasoning in stages. Broth can be salty or bland, and the coconut milk or cream will mute flavors, so season after the rice is cooked and again after you add the milk. A tiny extra pinch of salt near the end makes everything pop.

3) If you want creaminess without losing the grain texture, stir in the coconut milk or cream off the heat and warm gently. Boiling it hard can split or make it grainy, especially coconut milk. If it looks too rich, thin with a splash of broth rather than water.

4) To save time and boost texture, cook the wild rice blend ahead and freeze in portions or use leftover cooked rice. Also, toss the beans in at the end just to heat through so they keep their shape. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole bowl, don’t skip it.

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made a Mushroom Rice Soup that's rich, protein-packed with wild rice and greens, and so good I’m seriously tempted to serve it every week.

Servings

servings

Calories

336

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy-bottomed pot with lid
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Fine mesh sieve or colander (for rinsing rice and draining beans)
7. Ladle for serving
8. Small bowl and whisk or fork (for mixing cornstarch slurry)

Ingredients

1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegan)
12 ounces mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, baby bella), sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup full fat coconut milk (for vegan) or 1 cup heavy cream
3 cups chopped kale or spinach, tough stems removed
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with cold water (for slight thickening)
1 cup cooked white beans or lentils, optional for extra protein
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional to brighten flavor
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 2 tablespoons gluten free flour or all purpose flour if you want a thicker, non vegan version

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery, and a pinch of salt, cook until soft about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks.
Add the minced garlic, sliced mushrooms and thyme and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until mushrooms give up their liquid and start to brown a little. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.
Stir in the rinsed wild rice blend to toast it lightly for 1 to 2 minutes, this helps flavor and keeps the grains separate.
Pour in 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegan), drop in the bay leaf, bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 40 to 50 minutes depending on your blend.
While rice cooks you can rinse and chop the kale or spinach and drain the cooked white beans or lentils if using. Set aside.
Once the rice is tender, remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup full fat coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream, and add the cooked beans or lentils if using. Heat gently but do not boil hard.
If you want the soup thicker, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot with cold water to make a slurry and whisk it into the hot soup. For a non vegan thicker version you can instead whisk in 2 tablespoons gluten free flour or all purpose flour mixed with a little cold water. Simmer a few minutes until the soup thickens slightly.
Add the chopped kale or spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste.
Finish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten the flavors and sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley over the top. Give it one last stir.
Serve hot with extra parsley if you like. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and the soup actually tastes better the next day, just thin with a splash of broth if it gets too thick.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.