COZY AUTUMN WILD RICE SOUP

WILD RICE SOUP INGREDIENTS:

To make this Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup recipe, you will need:

• Wild Rice: I used and loved 100% wild rice (affiliate link) in this recipe, not a wild rice blend.
• Vegetable Stock: Or chicken stock, whatever you happen to have on hand.
• Autumn Veggies: Sweet potato, carrots, celery, onion, baby bella mushrooms and garlic.
• The “Bays”: Old Bay seasoning plus a bay leaf, to season our soup.  (Or see ideas below on different seasoning ideas.)
• The Cream Sauce: Made from butter, flour and milk, which we will mix up at the end of the cooking time.  Or see options below for a gluten-free and/or vegan alternative.
• Kale: I also added in lots of fresh kale at the end, or you could sub in baby spinach or collard greens.
• Salt & Pepper: Don’t forget ’em!
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HOW TO MAKE WILD RICE SOUP:

I have included detailed instructions below for how to make this wild rice soup recipe either in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker), Crock-Pot (slow cooker), or on the stovetop.  But here are the basics. ;)

1. Cook the base of the soup: Whichever cooking method you choose, we will simmer the base soup ingredients (veggies, rice, broth, seasonings) until the rice is cooked and tender.
2. Make your cream sauce: Then during the last 10 minutes that the soup is cooking, prepare your cream sauce in a separate saucepan.  Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, then stir in the milk and cook — stirring frequently so that the bottom does not burn — until thickened.  The sauce should be very thick.  (Or skip this whole step and add in a can of coconut milk instead, which is vegan and also incredibly delicious in this recipe.)
3. Add in the cream sauce and kale: And stir to combine.  Then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. And…
4. Serve warm: Preferably with a nice hunk of crusty bread, or some oyster crackers, or whatever sounds good. 

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS SOUP:

I recommend serving this wild rice soup with:

• Crusty bread or oyster crackers: Or my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (also gluten-free).
• A big, fresh green salad: Such as my Everyday Salad or My Favorite Apple Spinach Salad.
• Autumn dessert: Such as Pumpkin Cookies or my favorite Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
• Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.
2. Cover and set vent to “sealing”.  Cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes.  Let the Instant Pot rest there for an extra 10 minutes (natural release).  Then carefully turn the vent to “venting” and release the remaining pressure (quick release).  Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.
3. Meanwhile, during those final 10 minutes of pressure cooking, prepare your cream sauce on the stove.  In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium-high heat until melted.  Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute.  Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened.  (It should be very thick.)
4. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
5. Serve warm.  Or transfer to sealed container(s) and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

CROCK-POT (SLOW COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of a large slow cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the rice is cooked and tender.
3. Meanwhile, during those final 10 minutes of slow cooking, prepare your cream sauce on the stove.  In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium-high heat until melted.  Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute.  Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened.  (It should be very thick.)
4. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
5. Serve warm.  Or transfer to sealed container(s) and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

STOVETOP METHOD:

1. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
2. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.
3. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, during those final 10 minutes, prepare your cream sauce in a separate saucepan on the stove.  In it, cook the butter over medium-high heat until melted.  Whisk in the flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute.  Gradually add in the milk, and whisk until combined.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture nearly comes to a simmer and has thickened.  (It should be very thick.)
5. Add the cream sauce and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
6. Serve warm.  Or transfer to sealed container(s) and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Source ; https://www.gimmesomeoven.com

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