Description

This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is a hearty and flavorful vegetarian dish perfect for chilly days. Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like wild rice, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and kale, simmered gently in a spiced vegetable broth with creamy coconut milk, this soup delivers comfort and nutrition in a bowl, making it an ideal seasonal meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste

Vegetables

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and diced
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
2 large handfuls kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed

Creaminess

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or cream sauce option)

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients: Begin by rinsing the wild rice thoroughly under cold water. Peel and dice the sweet potato and onion, dice the carrots and celery, slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic, and roughly chop the kale, removing thick stems.
Sauté Vegetables: In a large soup pot over medium heat, add a splash of oil (optional) and sauté the diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until they soften and become fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
Add Mushrooms and Spices: Stir in the sliced baby bella mushrooms, cooking until they release their moisture and begin to brown slightly. Add the bay leaf, Old Bay seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Combine Stock and Rice: Pour in the 6 cups of vegetable stock and add the rinsed wild rice to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Simmer the Soup: Cover the pot and let the soup simmer gently for about 40-50 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender and the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
Add Coconut Milk and Kale: Stir in the can of unsweetened coconut milk and add the chopped kale. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.
Season and Serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. Serve hot and enjoy the comforting autumn flavors.

Notes

Wild rice can take longer to cook than other rices; rinsing helps remove excess starch.
For a non-vegetarian option, use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.
Coconut milk adds creaminess without dairy, making this soup dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
You can substitute kale with spinach or Swiss chard if preferred.
The Old Bay seasoning adds a unique depth of flavor but can be adjusted or substituted with other seasoning blends.

Keywords: wild rice soup, autumn soup, vegetarian soup, coconut milk soup, hearty soup, kale soup, healthy soup, comforting soup