Description
Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. Packed with wholesome ingredients like wild rice, fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and creamy coconut milk, this soup offers a flavorful and nutritious meal that’s easy to prepare on the stovetop. The addition of kale and a touch of heavy cream gives a creamy texture and a rich, savory flavor, balanced with a hint of lemon juice for freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 cup chopped kale
Grains and Liquids
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup wild rice
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Herbs and Spices
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
Finishing Touch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat to prepare for sautéing the vegetables.
- Sauté onions: Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, developing a sweet base flavor.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant to build depth of flavor.
- Cook carrots and celery: Add the diced carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened.
- Incorporate wild rice: Pour in the wild rice and mix thoroughly with the sautéed vegetables.
- Add broth: Pour the vegetable broth into the pot to cover the rice and vegetables, providing the soup’s cooking liquid.
- Add coconut milk: Stir in the coconut milk for creaminess and subtle sweetness.
- Season the soup: Sprinkle dried thyme, dried sage, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and salt evenly into the pot.
- Add bay leaf: Drop the bay leaf into the soup and gently stir to distribute the herbs and spices.
- Bring to boil: Heat the soup until it reaches a boil, then reduce the heat to low to prepare for simmering.
- Simmer the soup: Cover the pot and let the soup simmer gently for 40-45 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender and cooked through.
- Monitor and adjust liquid: Check occasionally and add more broth or water if the soup thickens too much to maintain desired consistency.
- Remove bay leaf: Once the rice is fully cooked, fish out and discard the bay leaf.
- Add kale: Stir in the chopped kale and cook for 3-4 minutes until wilted and tender for added color and nutrition.
- Incorporate cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir well to enrich the soup with a smooth, creamy texture.
- Add lemon juice: Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the overall flavor and add a fresh note.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to suit your preference.
- Serve warm: Ladle the soup into bowls and optionally garnish with fresh herbs before serving for an inviting autumn meal.
Notes
- This soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth and omitting the heavy cream or substituting it with a plant-based alternative.
- Wild rice takes longer to cook, so allow the full simmering time for the best texture.
- Adding lemon juice at the end enhances the flavors and balances the creaminess of the soup.
- For a gluten-free meal, make sure your vegetable broth is certified gluten-free.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stove.
