Is there any experience quite so comforting as settling down with a warm, fragrant bowl of soup when autumn arrives? As the days shorten and a chill enters the air, we find our thoughts turning to meals that nourish both body and soul. If you are looking for the quintessential dish that embodies this cosy season, your search is over. We are delighted to share our recipe for the ultimate Autumn Wild Rice Soup, a creation that is wonderfully creamy, satisfying, and filled with wholesome ingredients. It’s the kind of meal that invites you to get comfortable and appreciate every spoonful.

What Makes Wild Rice Soup So Special?

Before we begin cooking, let’s explore the ingredient that gives this soup its name: wild rice. Curiously, despite its name, wild rice isn’t a true rice. It is the seed of a semi-aquatic grass native to North America, particularly the Great Lakes region. It boasts a distinctive nutty, earthy taste and a satisfyingly chewy texture that remains firm and delicious in soups. For those interested in its origins, you can find more information from the University of Minnesota Extension, a leading resource on the topic.

When this unique grain is simmered in a creamy broth with tender chicken and a mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onions, it is elevated into a truly exceptional dish. It stands as a perfect example of fall comfort food, loved for its ability to be both rustic and refined. This recipe is our cherished version, carefully honed to achieve incredible flavour through simple, clear instructions.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Wonderfully Rich and Satisfying: We build a velvety texture using a simple butter and flour roux, finished with a touch of double cream for a luxurious feel that is hearty but not overly heavy.
• A True Taste of Autumn: The combination of earthy wild rice, sweet carrots, savoury chicken, and fragrant thyme creates a flavour profile that is both complex and deeply comforting.
• A Balanced and Simple One-Pot Dinner: Containing protein, grains, and vegetables all in one pot, this soup is a complete meal that minimises the washing up. It’s ideal for a hectic weeknight.
• Ideal for Making Ahead: This soup develops even more flavour overnight, making it a fantastic choice for preparing lunches for the week ahead.
• Simple to Adapt: We also provide suggestions for making this recipe vegetarian or gluten-free, allowing you to tailor it to your family’s dietary preferences.

Ingredients

• 60g unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 225g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 65g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• 1.5 litres good-quality chicken or vegetable broth
• 150g wild rice blend
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 400g cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
• 120ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make Our Autumn Wild Rice Soup Step-by-Step

Preparing this glorious soup is an enjoyable and gratifying experience. Just follow these steps, and you’ll have a pot of pure comfort ready to serve. This is one of our most beloved wild rice soup recipes, and we are so excited for you to try it.

1. Build the Flavour Base: In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-based pot, melt your butter over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they have softened nicely. Tip in the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 5–7 minutes, until they’ve released their moisture and started to turn golden. Finally, add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until aromatic.
2. Prepare the Roux for Creaminess: Sprinkle the flour over your cooked vegetables. Stir continuously for 60 to 90 seconds. This vital step cooks away the raw flour taste and forms the thickening base for your soup.
3. Combine the Liquids and Rice: Slowly begin to pour in the chicken broth, making sure to whisk constantly as you go to ensure a smooth, lump-free consistency. Once the broth is fully incorporated, add your wild rice blend and the dried thyme.
4. Let it Simmer and Soften: Bring the soup to a gentle boil before reducing the heat to low. Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for 45–55 minutes. The rice is ready when it becomes tender and some grains have popped open, revealing their soft interiors. Stir it every 15 minutes or so to stop the rice from catching on the bottom.
5. Enrich with Chicken and Cream: Once the rice is perfectly cooked, stir through the shredded chicken and the double cream. Allow the soup to heat through for a few minutes, but avoid letting it boil again, as this can cause the cream to split. This addition is what makes it a truly luxurious creamy chicken rice soup.
6. Final Seasoning and Serving: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Taste the soup and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper until the flavours sing. Serve immediately while hot, perhaps with some crusty bread for dipping.

Tips for the Best Soup Ever

We’re committed to helping you make the most perfect bowl of soup. Here are a few extra pointers we have gathered from our own kitchen experiences.

Choosing Your Ingredients

• Wild Rice: We find a wild rice blend, which typically includes other long-grain varieties, works beautifully. It offers a lovely mix of textures and is generally more economical than using 100% wild rice. If you opt for pure wild rice, be prepared to extend the cooking time slightly.
• Chicken: For a brilliant time-saving hack, use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Simply shred the meat and it’s ready to add. Alternatively, you can gently poach a couple of chicken breasts in water while the soup is simmering.
• Make it Vegetarian: To create a vegetarian version, exchange the chicken broth for a high-quality vegetable broth and substitute the chicken with a tin of cannellini beans or an extra helping of mushrooms.

Storage and Reheating

This soup stores beautifully. You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Be aware that the soup will thicken as it sits, because the rice continues to absorb the flavourful liquid. When reheating on the hob or in the microwave, you may wish to add an extra splash of broth, milk, or water to return it to your preferred consistency.

FAQ

Your New Favourite Autumn Dinner

And there you have it—a recipe for a truly exceptional Autumn Wild Rice Soup that we hope will become a regular feature in your kitchen. This dish is more than just food; it’s a celebration of the season, a pot brimming with warmth, and one of our top cozy dinner ideas for when the nights draw in.

We believe cooking should be a source of joy that brings people closer. This recipe is wonderful for sharing with loved ones or for savouring as a quiet, comforting meal for one. We wholeheartedly encourage you to try it and add your own personal touches.

Did you try our Autumn Wild Rice Soup? We would be thrilled to know how you got on! Please leave us a comment below to share your thoughts or tag us in your pictures on social media. Happy cooking!

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 65 mins
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 60g unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 225g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 65g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• 1.5 litres good-quality chicken or vegetable broth
• 150g wild rice blend
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 400g cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
• 120ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and cook for another 5-7 minutes until golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Make Roux & Add Broth: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 60 to 90 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
3. Simmer with Rice: Stir in the wild rice blend and dried thyme. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45-55 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has popped open.
4. Finish & Serve: Stir in the shredded chicken and double cream. Heat through for a few minutes, but do not boil. Stir in the fresh parsley and season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.