We’ve hit rock bottom… otherwise known as winter. LOL I hate winter. It’s cold. It’s dry. It’s dark.
Unlike Ohio this time of year, this wild rice soup is light, creamy, and enjoyable for a cold winter day! It is a comforting soup yet packed full of hearty vegetables that will leave you feeling satisfied.
What you need:
All the veggies…
- butter
- carrots
- celery
- onion
- garlic
- kale
- baby bella mushrooms
- all-purpose flour
- lower sodium chicken broth
- dried oregano
- dried thyme
- wild rice
- sweet potatoes
- milk, almond milk, or half and half
- cream of mushroom soup [optional]
If I’m being honest, I was using up leftover vegetables from the holidays and it just so happened to turn into this delicious soup. Sometimes I test recipes multiple times before sharing to ensure I get them just right, but this soup is the exception to the rule.
Soups are pretty difficult to mess up if you follow the general basics…
Make a roux, add some broth, add some spices, add extra veggies, carbs, or protein.
Making a Roux:
Roux is a combination of flour and butter. It’s the consistency of a paste that helps thicken soups, sauces, and gravy.
How to make your soup creamy vs. brothy:
There are a few different ways to take your broth based soup and give it a creamier texture. The most common is adding some sort of milk or half and half.
I didn’t have either of those on hand so I used a little bit of unsweetened vanilla almond milk. This would not have been my top choice, but I was pleasantly surprised. When I make this again, I’ll continue to use almond milk unless I happen to have another form of milk on hand, but that’s rare in this house.
An alternative option to make your soup creamy is to add a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Can this soup be frozen?
I won’t lie to you… I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it, but I would think it would freeze/thaw just fine. If you try it, let me know how it turns out. I ate all of mine before I had time to freeze!! 🙂
Veggie and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter divided
- 2 carrot sticks diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2-3 cups kale chopped
- ½ carton baby bella mushrooms chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups lower sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 box wild rice (seasoning packet discarded)
- 2 cups sweet potatoes
- ½ cup milk, almond milk, or half and half
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup optional
Instructions
- In a large pot melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Next add the kale, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. Cook another 2-3 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
- Melt an extra tablespoon of butter and stir in flour until veggies are coated. Slowly pour in the chicken broth.
- Add wild rice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until the rice and sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
- For a creamier texture, add 1/2(ish) cup of milk, almond milk, or half and half.
- Optional: for a thicker soup you could also add a can of cream of mushroom soup.
You may also love:
I’d love to hear from you once you get the chance to make this recipe. Leave a comment below with your review or any modifications you made! And don’t forget to tag @rightbackspatula on Instagram if you take any pictures!