Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

We are eating a lot of soup this year. I have my tried and true favorites that are regulars in the rotation, like butternut curry soup, shrimp and corn chowder, creamy white chicken chili, lasagna soup, sweet potato and sausage soup, and miso meatball and noodle soup, but I also like to try new ones.

As someone who loves wild rice and mushrooms, I was sure that this would be a winning recipe. And I was right!

Chock full of two different kinds of mushrooms, as well as carrots, celery and onion, this soup is sure to warm you up on a chilly night and surprise you with its deliciousness.

It's also meatless! So if you try to eat at least one meal a week that doesn't have meat, this would fit the bill perfectly. And it's so hearty that no one will miss the traditional chicken in wild rice soup.

Because wild rice needs a long time to cook to fully open up, this soup is not a 30 minute meal. But it will be worth the wait, I promise. There's not more than 30 minutes worth of "work," but there's the simmering time.

I think this soup could be adapted quite easily for the crock pot, so if you try that, let me know how it goes!

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

5 tsp. olive oil, divided
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp. salt, divided
2 Tbsp. butter
1 large white onion, diced
4 celery stalks, ends trimmed, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup wild rice 
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
1 cup half and half
Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot with a lid, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium heat.

Add baby bella mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their natural moisture, it has evaporated and mushrooms are browned. Remove mushrooms from pot and set aside. Repeat the browning process with another 2 teaspoons of olive oil, button mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. Remove from pot and set aside. 

Add the final teaspoon of oil to the pot, along with the salted butter. Add onion, celery, carrot, and final teaspoon salt, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have begun to soften, about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a splash of stock to deglaze the pot and get the browned bits off the bottom. Stir in garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add wild rice. Then, stir in thyme, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in beef stock and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer 40-60 minutes, or until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in half and half and reserved mushrooms. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

For a thicker soup, make a cornstarch/water slurry and and thicken before serving. 

Recipe Source: Adapted from Kemp's