A tasty, heart healthy dish, Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup is brimming with rich flavors from ingredients like mushrooms, onion, carrots, and kale. In fact, we used our ingredients so wisely that we don't even need to add salt, making the soup low sodium, and perfect for keeping your blood pressure under control all the way through the cold weather season!
Meaty mushrooms, hearty wild rice, earthy kale, and seasonal vegetables, all soaking in a velvety, rich broth that you'll need some crusty bread to soak up every last drop of!
Soup in general is well-known to aid in weight loss. This is because soup is usually lower in calories, thanks to its high water content. This isn't necessarily true of creamy soups, though, since they're often made with cream (high calorie and high fat!). Not so with my version! I used cashew milk to achieve a creamy, decadent texture without all the fat and calories in dairy cream. A serving of this soup comes in under 300 calories!
Besides that, because we used homemade vegetable broth, the finished product is very low in sodium, which, along with being high in magnesium, and potassium, will help keep your blood pressure down.
Make sure to check out all our low sodium soups this season!
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Ingredients
Our creamy mushroom and wild rice soup recipe calls for an ensemble of wholesome ingredients to create a bowl of healthful goodness. Let's take a look:
- Olive oil: For sautéing.
- Mushrooms: The star of the soup, mushrooms add a flavorful earthiness, and meaty texture.
- Onion, Carrots, Celery, and Garlic: This aromatic blend creates a flavor foundation.
- Whole Wheat Flour: It thickens the soup, giving it a heartier consistency.
- Unsweetened Cashew Milk: This lends the soup a creamy, luxurious texture.
- Homemade Vegetable Broth: The secret to a great soup lies in the broth, providing layers of flavor.
- Wild Rice: A delicious, chewy addition, it ramps up the texture and adds wholesome fiber.
- Dried Thyme: Offering a subtle hint of earthy, herby notes.
- Kale: This superfood amps up the nutrition profile and color of our soup.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Check out these easy to follow steps for mushroom kale soup!
Start by chopping all your vegetables.
Sauté the vegetables until the mushrooms release their liquid, and most has been cooked away.
Sprinkle the flour onto the vegetables, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 2-3 minutes.
Now add the vegetable broth, thyme, and wild rice. Stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is done; about 50-60 minutes.
Then pour in the cashew milk, and add the chopped kale.
Stir to combine, and allow the kale to wilt for 3-5 minutes. Serve!
Hint: allowing the soup to simmer too long after adding the cashew milk can lead to separation of the broth. Heat gently, and only for a few minutes.
Heart Health Benefits
This creamy mushroom and wild rice soup isn't just delightful in taste but equally rewarding when it comes to health. Every serving you pour into your bowl comes loaded with essential nutrients, and the best part is that it remains under 300 calories! Yes, that's right. This hearty soup provides you with a rich set of health benefits without over-contributing to your calorie count for the day.
For those interested in the nutritional breakdown, this soup is high in magnesium and potassium, elements that play a significant role in nerve and muscle function while also supporting cardiovascular health.
Protein is another substantial component of this mushroom kale soup. The wild rice brings in the protein factor, helping in building and repairing tissues. On top of that, fiber is also present in impressive amounts, supporting digestion. Both carrots and onions add a punch of fiber, improving your gut health.
Let's not forget the rich supply of Vitamins A and C. The carrots in this vegan mushroom and wild rice soup are a fantastic source of Vitamin A, which supports eye health. Thanks to the onions and garlic, your body receives an ample amount of Vitamin C aiding in maintaining skin health and boosting the immune system.
This soup fits perfectly in a heart-healthy diet. Mushrooms are known for their cholesterol-lowering properties. Also, a combination of high fiber ingredients (like wild rice, onions, and carrots) helps in reducing bad cholesterol levels, thereby benefiting heart health immensely.
Substitutions
If you need some substitutions, try one of these:
- Gluten free - instead of wheat flour, you can use rice flour or cornstarch to thicken the soup
- Milk - use any other non-dairy milk like almond or soy milk - just make sure it's unsweetened. Your soup may not be as creamy.
- Rice - using brown rice is fine, or even red or black rice. Follow the package instructions for how long to simmer it.
Equipment
This is a one pot dish! So outside of the soup pot and spoon, we only need a cutting board and knife. Okay I guess we need some measuring cups and spoons, too.
I love my Marquette Castings Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven (affiliate link) for soup. And because it's also oven safe, it's great for roasting, too. I love tools that can do lots of different tasks!
Storage
Creamy mushroom kale soup keeps well in the refrigerator for about 5 days, or the freezer up to 6 months (probably more).
You will probably want to keep some extra vegetable broth on hand to add the next day, since the rice will continue to absorb liquid as it cools.
Top tip
Chop all your vegetables before you start cooking. That will make this recipe come together super fast!
FAQ
Yes, you can substitute the unsweetened cashew milk with any other non-dairy milk, like almond or soy milk. Just ensure that the milk you choose is unsweetened to maintain the soup's savory profile.
If you're not here for a heart healthy soup, you can also use whole milk or half and half.
If fresh mushrooms are not readily available, dried mushrooms can be a good substitute. Simply reconstitute them in hot water before using. Keep in mind that the taste may slightly differ from that of fresh mushrooms.
Feel free to make this soup your own! Additions like bell peppers, peas, diced potatoes, or even corn could be delicious. Remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure all ingredients are cooked well.
Absolutely! We chose white button mushrooms, since they're low cost and readily available. But you can use any combination of mushrooms that you like!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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These are my favorite dishes to serve with Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup:
📖 Recipe
Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 8 oz White Button Mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 2 Carrots chopped
- 2 stalks Celery chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoon Whole wheat flour
- 4-5 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth (or no added salt vegetable broth)
- 1 cup Wild Rice
- 1 teaspoon dried Thyme
- 2 cups unsweetened Cashew Milk
- 1 ½ cup Kale chopped, thick stems removed
- Parsley to garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Clean and chop your vegetables, if not already done.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute until most of the liquid from the mushrooms is gone; about 10-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, rice, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 50-60, until the rice is tender. Stir periodically, and add more broth if you think it’s getting too thick.
- With about 5 minutes left to cook, remove the lid and add the cashew milk and kale, stirring to combine. Cook it just long enough for the kale to become tender. It will turn dull green if overcooked (but will still taste great!). Remove from heat and ladle into bowls.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour if the weather is hot)
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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DC says
Since my son's diagnosis of congestive heart failure, I am always on the lookout for flavorful and nutritious recipes. I am planning to prepare this Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup this weekend. It looks so yummy. We are not vegetarians but do ourselves eating many vegetarian dishes. How would I ramp up the protein count in this soup?
Thank you so much for your Being Nutritious site!
Laura Yautz says
Hi! Thanks for your interest in my recipe; I'm glad you found my site! You could increase the protein by simply adding a can of your favorite beans (no added salt of course), like chickpeas or black beans, about the same time you add the wild rice. Another option is to use chickpeas as a thickener for the soup, instead of the cashew milk. To do this, puree a can of chickpeas with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of additional vegetable stock until smooth, and add it to the soup. Do not use the cashew milk if you do this. Lastly, you could serve this soup as a side to baked or broiled chicken or other protein of choice. I hope you enjoy the soup, whatever you decide! 🙂