Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

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Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won’t miss the meat or the cream in this satisfying vegan version! 

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won't miss the meat of the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

I’m so excited to share this soup with you guys!

I know I’ve said that many times before so it might seem forced but I promise you it’s not. I just get pumped when I make a vegan version of something and it turns out even better than the original.

It makes me wish I could serve everyone a bowl to help them realize that they don’t need all of that heavy cream to make something taste good. This recipe is proof that there are plenty of plant-based substitutes that are just as delicious, if not better.

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won't miss the meat of the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

I’m sure those of you are that are seasoned plant-based cooks can probably guess what gives this soup it’s lovely creamy texture…cashews!

They’re my favorite substitute for cream-based sauces but to be honest sometimes they can be kind of pain to cook with. For one, you have to remember to soak them ahead of time and for two, you have to own a high speed blender that can break them down into a cream.

There’s a way around the first problem which is soaking them in boiling hot water for just 30 minutes. That’s all it takes to get them soft enough to blend.

The second problem is solved by using a NutriBullet instead of a Vitamix. Of course if you have a Vitamix that will work great but a NutriBullet is much cheaper and does the job just fine.

Please let me know if you give it a try! It’s one my favorite soups and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won't miss the meat of the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won't miss the meat of the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup- a lightened-up meatless take on the classic chicken and wild rice soup. You won't miss the meat of the cream in this satisfying vegan version!

 

Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

Yield: 4 bowls

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup wild rice (I like Lundberg’s Blend)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegan butter)
  • 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped (approx. 1 and 1/2 cups)
  • 3 medium-size carrots, diced (approx. 3/4 cup)
  • 2 celery ribs, diced (approx. 1/2 cup)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 cups water*
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 and 1/2 cup vegan chicken broth (I like Better Than Bouillon)

Directions:

In a small pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the cashews to a medium size bowl with the boiling water and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

In the same small pot, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the wild rice then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to sit for 15 minutes. While you’re waiting for the cashews to soak and the rice to cook, you can start prepping your vegetables.

In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper then cook for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms, carrot, garlic and celery then stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes then add the tamari, thyme, and parsley. Stir again while continuing to cook for about 5 minutes.

Once the cashews are done soaking, strain off the excess water and place them in a high speed blender (I use a NutriBullet). Add 2 cups water and arrowroot powder then blend on high for 30 seconds, until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the pot along with the vegetable broth and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off, add the cooked rice to the pot, stir together and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. As it cools the soup will begin to thicken. If after 20 minutes it still appears to thin, just allow it to sit for longer. Serve warm with fresh parsley (optional) and enjoy!

*The original recipe called for 1/2 cup cashews, 2 cups non-dairy milk and 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast. After some feedback I decided to change the milk to water, add more cashews and omit the nutritional yeast. Depending on the brand you use, non-dairy milk and nutritional yeast can taste sweet which might ruin the recipe for some people. By adding more cashews this replaces the need for milk and eliminates any unnecessary sweetness. That said, feel free to make it the original way if you prefer!

 

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! heart

by Sarah on October 24, 2016  //  Dinner, Fall, Favorites, Favorites, Recipes, Recipes by Season, Soup, Winter
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