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Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Autumn wild rice soup with chewy wild rice, tender butternut squash, and savory mushrooms in a creamy broth. Cook low and slow until the rice is tender, then finish with kale and a nutmeg-tinged creaminess.
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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
  

Wild rice blend
  • 1 cup wild rice blend uncooked
Vegetables
  • 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
Soup base
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot, then sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and fresh sage, then cook for 4 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown at the edges.
Build and simmer the soup
  1. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks smooth and lightly toasted.
  2. Add the broth, wild rice blend, butternut squash, and dried thyme, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the wild rice is tender and the squash is soft, with bubbles rising around the edges.
Finish with cream and kale
  1. Stir in the heavy 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 with a drizzle of cream if desired.

Notes

For the best texture, let the soup rest 5 minutes off the heat so the wild rice thickens the broth slightly. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months, though the kale may soften more after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream for a similar finish.