Earthy mushrooms and wild rice come together in this velvety Vegan Mushroom Soup, one of the best soups ever! 1-pot and ready in about an hour.
Soup season calls for more cozy soups, like my Vegan Potato Leek Soup, Italian Chickpea Soup, Creamy Carrot and Lentil Soup, and Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup.
The coldest, windiest days are always made better with a big helping of this creamy vegan mushroom wild rice soup. It’s a simple one-pot soup made with a blend of earthy and savory ingredients, like mushrooms, wild rice, fresh vegetables, and vegetable broth. And thanks to blended cashews, it’s almost addictively creamy and rich!
Why I love this recipe
- Crowd-pleasing – It’s a cozy vegan soup that all kinds of eaters will love. Even my kids swooned over this one!
- Layers of flavor – A blend of meaty mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and cashew cream layer the soup with comforting earthy flavors.
- Quick and easy – All you need is one pot and about one hour to put it together!
How to make vegan mushroom soup
Start by cooking the sliced mushrooms and onions in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté until they’re soft and fragrant.
Stir in the vegan Worcestershire sauce, then the carrots and garlic.
Add the dried sage, smoked paprika, wild rice blend, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to mix, then bring the soup up to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer, covered, until the rice is tender.
Transfer 1 ½ cups of the soup to a blender along with the raw cashews. Blend until very smooth, then pour the cream back into the pot. Stir well – the soup should be very creamy!
To finish, season the mushroom soup with salt and pepper. Ladle it into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Fun fact: wild rice is a type of aquatic grass and isn’t related to white or brown rice at all. It most commonly grows in lakes and streams near the Great Lakes region of North America.
Despite its differences, wild rice is sold right next to regular rice in major grocery stores and cooks just the same, too. When it’s done, it has an almost nutty flavor and a chewy texture that compliments comforting meals like this vegan mushroom soup so well!
Simply swap the cashews for 1 cup of full fat coconut milk instead. Just stir it into the soup once the rice is cooked. The soup won’t be as thick, but it’s a great option and it makes the process easier (you don’t need a blender).
Any kind, really. I like cremini mushrooms because they’re easy to find and have a mild flavor. To give the soup more dynamic flavors, use a blend of shiitake, oyster, baby bella, or portobello mushrooms instead.
You can swap the wild rice blend for white or brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro, or another grain you have on hand. Green or brown lentils might work as well. Just keep in mind that the cooking time will change depending on the grain/legume you use.
Once the soup is cool, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It also freezes well for about 3 months.
Vegan Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced, I used cremini
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup raw cashews
- salt, to taste
- few shakes ground black pepper
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the sliced mushrooms and onion, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir the Worcestershire sauce into the mushrooms and onions, then add the carrots and garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Now add the dried sage, smoked paprika, wild rice and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to mix everything together.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the soup to a high powered blender along with the raw cashews. Blend until very smooth. Add the cream back to the pot and stir well. The soup should be very creamy at this point.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
-
You can use 1 cup of full fat coconut milk instead of cashews if desired. Simply stir into the soup once the rice is cooked.
- Store leftover soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen.
- You can substitute another kind of rice or grain like quinoa or farro for the wild rice, if needed.
Wow, this is delicious! Especially on a cold and rainy night. Thank you for another awesome recipe.
You are welcome, Kristin! I’m so glad you like the recipe! Thank YOU for your wonderful review and feedback!
This was an excellent soup. My daughter, who is not a fan of soup, even thought it was great.
Thank you for your wonderful review, Kim! I’m so glad you and your daughter loved the soup!
Yummy soup but quick question–is there a brand or type of vegan “cream” or half-n-half you like?
I made this with full fat coconut milk instead of cashews (nuts trigger migraines if I eat more than a few) and it was very good!
But I didn’t care for the subtle flavor of coconut and this is often an issue for me when I use coconut milk or cream to replace a vegan cheese or sauce made from cashews, etc. A great purchased vegan ‘cream’ would make many recipes easier, tastier and faster (at least in my case). Thanks!
Hi there! I have been experimenting with these lately. I like Ripple’s half and half and Silk’s heavy cream. I’m not sure I’ve tried another brand, but those two work well for this sort of thing. It is nice to have an option that is not coconut or cashews, I agree. I’m guessing these aren’t widely available to everyone, but if you can find them go ahead and use one wherever cashew cream or coconut milk is called for. Glad you enjoyed the soup!
Thanks so much! Silk brand is easy to find here & I’ll call around to ask about Ripple. Definitely going to try these.
I’m making your fettuccine tonight (saw newsletter) using the no-nut sauce with vegan cream cheese. I’ll be sure to post a review 🙂
Happy New Year!
Hi! I am allergic to coconut and to cashews and have found sunflower seeds or Pepitas are an awesome alternative to cashews! I’ve used in lots of recipes that call for cashews!
This recipe is amazing! Creamy and filling, the layers of flavor are spot on! It makes enough to freeze for a quick winter dinner!
I did soak the cashews while prepping ingredients, drained them and blended them in my ninja blender before adding the 1.5 cups of broth.
I ended up with 6 large servings of 1 3/4 cup or 14oz each.
Thank you for sharing! 🫶
I’m thrilled it worked out for you, Evelyn! Thanks so much for your feedback and review 🙂
Lee Tatum…. So sorry you can’t use cashews cuz you’d get a headache… darn. They do lend a creamy, smooth richness for people who are able to eat them! My suggestion would be to add some cooked cauliflower… and or a can of cannellini beans!! I don’t drain them… I just dump the beans + liquid into the blender with other ingredients!! Yummy, creamy, smooth when run thru the blender with other ingredients!! And… they add loads of fiber & nutrients & protein to any soup you want to make creamy!! They’re great added to asparagus, mushroom soup! hmmm… wondering if you can tolerate pumpkin seeds?? They are a fantastic source of magnesium! I haven’t tried putting them in the blender w/other ingredients to puree… they might help add creamy rich flavor & texture! Actually, when I make creamed vegan soups, I like to sprinkle a bunch of pumpkin seeds on top of the soup to add a bit of textural/visual interest to the rich, creamy soup!! Enjoy!!
It’s delicious and easy!
Can I use baby carrots instead?
Sure!
Made this last night! It was a huge hit. Delicious! Everyone loved it. Even my mushroom hating teens loved it. I call that a win! Thank you Nora!
I’m thrilled it was a hit, Kris! 🙂
Simple to make and soooo delicious 🤤 I doubled the mushrooms and used shiitake and Bella. Thanks for another satisfying recipe, Nora! You’re the best!!
You are welcome! I’m so glad you loved the soup! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback!
This soup was delicious! Rich and hearty, perfect for a cold, rainy or snowy day. I added some corn for an add of texture; served with brioche bread. The cashews definitely make it nice and creamy. Will definitely save this recipe!!
This soup was THE BEST. It was so easy to make and one of my top 5 favorite soups on your site – Thank you!
Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback, Eleisha! I’m thrilled you loved the soup!
This was so delicious! Perfectly creamy and earthy. Had it along with some corn bread and it hit the spot on a cool day!
Hi Josh! Thank you for sharing your fabulous review and feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the soup!
Such a scrumptious and satisfying soup for fall and winter! Like a warm comforting hug in a bowl. I made it over the weekend for meal prep lunches and I am so excited for my lunches this week. Thank you!
You are welcome, Nicole! It is a warm and wonderful soup! Thank you for your wonderful review and feedback! Enjoy your week!
Everyone loved this recipe- it was a hit with the whole family. So yummy and comforting.
How wonderful! Thanks for sharing your terrific review and feedback! I love this comforting soup as well!
This was a delicious soup. I made it in the Instant Pot. It makes quite a bit for one person, and I didn’t want to freeze it, so it’s taken on a life of its own for the sake of variety. I’ve added various leftover veggies to it as the week has gone on. I’d say that corn has been my favorite addition. 😋
I’m so glad you loved the soup! Thanks for sharing your cooking experience in the Instant Pot. Additional veggies sound good to change it up! I appreciate your fabulous review and feedback!
This was a great soup, hit the spot for a fall lunch. I used quinoa in place of the wild rice. Thank you Nora DH is already requesting another batch…
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your wonderful review and feedback!
Just made this soup last night and it was incredible! I made it exactly as the recipe is written. The whole family loved it. Thanks Nora for another fantastic recipe.
You are welcome, Mary! How wonderful your family loved the soup! I appreciate your awesome feedback and review!
I loved this. I did a slight variation and used my instant pot to saute the initial pre-rice ingredients and the after adding dry components on “Soup” setting for pressure cook 30mins. Used natural release and Then stirred in cashew cream. It came out great! Rice came out just right. Served with fresh baked multi grain bread. Big hit.
This was absolutely delicious and very filling! Wonderful with a slice of crusty bread and a side veggie.
Hi Ashley. That’s just the way I love to enjoy this soup, with crusty bread! Thanks for sharing your terrific feedback and review!
Ooooooh my goodness. Delicious!! So umami and perfect for fall/winter.
Delicious! I will definitely be making it again. Very hearty and quite nice served with bread.
A couple of notes that other readers may find helpful:
1) As I expected, I would place this at 4-6 servings. 6 sparingly or 4 generously.
2) I used a wild rice blend from the Sprouts [American grocery store] bulk bins. My rice took a bit longer to cook and required a bit of additional water. I would estimate my rice cooked approximately 55 minutes and I used 8-9 cups of water/broth. This yielded a stew-like consistency.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice and can’t get enough! I don’t always love mushrooms, but the herbs, the rice and the cashews all really compliment the umami flavor so well. It was even a hit with my picky toddlers😅
That’s wonderful to hear, Katie! I’m thrilled it was a hit for everyone 🙂 Thank you so much for your amazing review and feedback!
I made this without the cashews or the coconut milk, and it was still delicious and husband approved! Keep up the great vegan recipes! Many thanks!
You are welcome, Marguerite! I’m so glad you and your husband loved the soup! Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review!
Hi, if I have pure wild rice instead of a blend, what can I combine it with (is it brown rice in the blend?) and any guesses on ratio of wild rice to other rice?
You could use all pure wild rice or a mix of any brown rice and wild rice. That blend does contain brown rice. I’d suggest half and half perhaps; but you really can use all wild rice as well. Hope that helps. Enjoy the soup!
I just made the soup, and it’s excellent! I used an equal blend of shiitakes and criminis, and increased the amount to 10 ounces. Served with vegan cornbread. I will be making us again 🙂 I am hoping it will freeze well. Thank you again, Nora! You are amazing!
I’m so glad you loved the soup, and serving it with cornbread sounds lovely. Thank you!
Do you need to soak the cashews in hot water before adding to the blender?
No, not if you have a Vitamix or other high powered blender. The hot soup will make them blend easily. Of course, you can if you want to, it won’t hurt anything.
Can I use baby carrots? How much? This looks delicious 😋
Do you think this would work in an instapot?
Sure! I’d say about 1 1/2 cups, chopped baby carrots. You could totally make this in an Instant Pot! I’d do all the sauteing in the IP using the saute feature, then after adding the rice and broth and everything cook at high pressure for 25 minutes. Let the pressure come down (or manually release the pressure) then blend the cashews with some of the soup, add the cream to the pot and you’re done. 🙂