Creamy Mushroom Kale & Wild Rice Soup
Are you in full soup mode yet? This cold, rainy Pittsburgh day just launched me into it. And boy is this perfect for it! Creamy Mushroom Kale & Wild Rice Soup has just the right amount of thick broth to still be called soup, abundant seasonal flavor, and all heart healthy ingredients. 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!
The best part is that there’s only about 20 minutes of active time to prepare it! It’s slow cooker friendly, too!
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How to make Creamy Mushroom Kale & Wild Rice Soup
First, you’ll want to make sure you have some homemade vegetable broth on hand. I like to make big batches and freeze it in small portions. If you don’t want to make it, look for vegetable broth or stock that is unsalted, or as low sodium as you can find.
The soup comes together rather quickly. Saute all the vegetables in a little oil, until most of the liquid from the mushrooms is gone. Then add the flour and cook for a few minutes. This is important to get the raw flour taste out.
Now you can add the rest of the ingredients, except the kale, and simmer for about an hour. I used Silk Brand cashew milk to get the creamy texture in this soup. Make sure to get unsweetened – this is not a recipe you want to be sweet! 😉
The kale can go in about 5 minutes before the end of the hour. Otherwise it will get mushy and lose its bright green color.
Creamy mushroom kale & wild rice 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.
Nutrition in this Soup
Soup in general is well-known to aid in weight loss. This is due to the fact that soup is usually lower in calories because of its high water content. This isn’t necessarily true of creamy soups, since they’re often made with cream. 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 the high water content, 25% of you daily magnesium, and 22% of your daily potassium, will help keep your blood pressure down.
Did I mention it’s an excellent source of protein, fiber, and vitamins A and C? Oh yea, that too!
Creamy Mushroom, Kale, and Wild Rice Soup
Cashew milk lends its creaminess to this delicious soup, perfect for a chilly weekend or packing for lunch on weekdays. The mushrooms and wild rice make it hearty enough for a meal!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 10 oz Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium Onion, diced
- 2 Carrots, chopped
- 2 Celery stalks, chopped
- 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Whole wheat flour
- 2 cups unsweetened Cashew Milk
- 4-5 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth (or no added salt vegetable broth)
- 1 cup Wild Rice
- 1 tsp dried Thyme
- 1 1/2 cup chopped Kale
- Parsley to garnish, if desired
Instructions
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 cashew milk, vegetable broth, rice, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover, and allow to simmer for about an hour, 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 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.
