Wild Rice Soup is a creamy soup that is full of flavor! Packed with fresh veggies, juicy chicken, and tender wild rice, this soup is a winter must make. 

wild rice soup in a white pot

Wild Rice Soup

I absolutely love making soup during the colder months! A favorite of mine is always wild rice soup, so I thought I’d try my hand at it. If I do say so myself, this made from scratch version is just as good if not better than the restaurants. The wild rice has a wonderful nutty, earthy flavor that pairs so well with the mushrooms. Carrots, onions, and celery balance that out with their fresh flavors. I love to use rotisserie chicken that I can quickly shred and throw in while everything else is simmering to save me a little time. The broth with a dash of cream really solidifies this soup as being a perfect winter staple. Double the recipe to feed a crowd or just to be sure you have plenty of leftovers to dip into! Panera who? 

Wondering what to serve with this soup? Try serving the soup inside your very own Homemade Bread Bowl, or make this Cheesy Garlic Skillet Bread to dip into it!

What’s the difference between wild rice and regular rice?

Wild rice has more fiber than regular rice and has a slightly different texture. It also has less calories, fat, and carbs than regular rice so double win! It does take longer to cook than white or brown rice so keep that in mind, but the flavor is definitely worth it!

How to Make Wild Rice Soup

  • Saute. Use a large Dutch oven or stock pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the carrots, onion, celery, and mushrooms. Saute until all the veggies are tender, about 5-7 minutes. 
  • Season. Sprinkle in the salt, sage, pepper, and garlic and continue to saute for about a minute.
  • Whisk. Slowly add the flour, stirring continuously to avoid clumping, and gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add the wild rice, thyme, and bay leaves, then cook until the soup comes to a boil.
  • Simmer. Reduce the heat to low and place a slightly offset lid on top. Simmer the soup for 30-35 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. 
  • Add the chicken. Dump in the cooked, shredded chicken and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 
  • Finish and serve. Pour in the half and half, and stir to combine. Heat for about 10 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy.
how to make wild rice soup

Storing Wild Rice Soup

You can store leftover soup in the fridge for 4 days. You may want to add a splash more broth when reheating if the soup thickens too much on you. I don’t recommend freezing this soup as creamier soups can separate when frozen/defrosting. 

Ingredient Notes for Wild Rice Soup

  • Wild rice – Once cooked, some of the grain should burst open and the texture should be chewy not crunchy. If the rice is crunchy it will need to be cooked longer.
  • Chicken broth – I like to use low sodium broth whenever I can so that I can control the level of salt in my dishes. You can use whatever you prefer or have on hand!
  • Veggies –  Feel free to omit anything you or your family don’t like! I know some are picky about celery or mushrooms so you can totally customize to your tastes. 
  • Chicken – Rotisserie chicken is a great option that can be quickly shredded to save yourself some time. Of course, you can always bake your own chicken and shred it or use leftovers as well. 
  • Half and half – You can use heavy cream or milk to a similar effect but the consistencies will be slightly different. You can always add more broth for a thinner soup, or more flour to thicken everything up. 
bowl of wild rice soup
5 from 2 votes

Wild Rice Soup

Wild Rice Soup is a creamy soup that is full of flavor! Packed with fresh veggies, juicy chicken, and tender wild rice, this soup is a winter must make. 
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 Cup Salted Butter
  • 1 Medium Onion Chopped
  • 1 Large Carrot Peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 Celery Rib finely chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried Sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 3 Cloves Garlic finely minced
  • 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 5 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1 Cup Wild Rice rinsed
  • 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 Shredded Cooked Chicken
  • 2 Cups Half and Half

Instructions 

  • Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Stir in onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté vegetables in butter for about 5-7 minutes or until they are tender.
  • Add the salt, sage, pepper, and garlic and sauté for one minute.
  • Slowly add flour stirring as you add it, so it does not clump together. Gradually whisk in broth then add the rice, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid that is slightly offset and let it simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan.
  • Next, stir in chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Slowly stir in half and half; heat to serving temperature for about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 475mg, Potassium: 605mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2505IU, Vitamin C: 2.6mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 2.8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

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