Go Back

Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Autumn wild rice soup with creamy golden texture, chewy wild rice kernels, and tender roasted-style butternut squash simmered until soft. A quick roux thickens the broth, then kale is wilted at the end for bright green color.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Wild rice blend
  • 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
Butternut squash
  • 2 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Cremini mushrooms
  • 2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
Kale
  • 2 cup kale, chopped
Vegetables
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 carrot carrots, diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
Broth
  • 6 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Cream and thickener
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
Herbs and spices
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat until it foams. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and fresh sage to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
Thicken and simmer
  1. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until it smells slightly nutty. Stir constantly to prevent clumps.
  2. Add the broth, wild rice, butternut squash, and dried thyme to the pot. Stir well, scraping the bottom, then bring everything to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to low so the soup gently simmers. Simmer for 40 minutes until the wild rice is tender and the squash is soft, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady bubble.
Finish and season
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, kale, and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 minutes until the kale wilts and the soup turns creamy and golden.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust, then serve hot.

Notes

For the thickest texture, whisk the flour into the sautéed vegetables until it forms a smooth coating before adding broth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because heavy cream can separate during thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a similar creamy result.