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Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Autumn wild rice soup with creamy golden broth, chewy wild rice kernels, and roasted-like butternut squash simmered until tender. This American main dish builds flavor in layers—sautéed vegetables, a flour-based thickener, then a final cream-and-kale simmer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Wild rice soup base
  • 1 cup wild rice blend uncooked
  • 2 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
  • 2 cup cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cup kale chopped
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 stalk celery diced
  • 3 carrot carrots diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 6 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot and sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 5 minutes, stirring until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and fresh sage, then cook for 4 minutes until the mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
Build and simmer the soup
  1. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste while the mixture turns slightly glossy.
  2. Add the broth, wild rice blend, butternut squash, and dried thyme, then bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes until the wild rice is tender and the squash is soft.
Finish and season
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, chopped kale, and nutmeg, then simmer for 5 minutes until the kale wilts and the soup looks creamy.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot.

Notes

For best texture, keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the wild rice so the kernels stay chewy instead of breaking down. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water. Freezing is not recommended because cream can separate after thawing. For a dairy-free option, use full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream and use olive oil for the butter (the flavor stays warm with the sage).