Best wild rice soup – in instant pot! Creamy, simple, and ready in an hour. Perfect for autumn and winter nights!

A variation of this wild rice soup

A quick recap of my wild rice soup trip might help.

My mother’s wild rice soup. I grew up/still live in Minnesota. Wild rice soup was the food of my childhood. My mom makes this for Christmas Eve dinner every year. It was dark by 5 p.m., the evergreens were covered with snow, the soup had been simmering all day, and the whole house smelled of bacon and wild rice soup. It doesn’t get any better than that. No electrical appliances. It’s not plugged in. This is a pure version. In case you’re wondering, I think this recipe comes from our church cookbook because it’s obvious. Here’s how it’s done. God bless Minnesota, Mom, and the wild rice soup that raised me.

Chicken and wild rice soup: Then I need to make wild rice soup. I wanted to turn it from Christmas dinner into a classic version that’s easier to make. It’s as simple as a saucepan. The recipe was born and became one of the most popular recipes on Pinch of Yum. It’s also one of the recipes I’ve made most. That’s saying a lot because I’m always creating new recipes. This becomes an excellent recipe for making a quick dinner, inviting friends at the last minute, or bringing a meal to a friend. Now this.

Instant pot wild rice soup (with mushrooms, oh my goodness): That’s what we will talk about today. It’s a repeat of the wild rice soup I know and love. This time, I threw away the chicken (although, to be fair, you could keep it around), added the mushrooms, and put it in an instant pot (affiliate link). I know you want to hate me. But don’t hate me because this will blow up—the taste of the soup, thanks to the mushroom, is very, very, very good. Preparation and cooking are simple at this level. Think of all the wild rice soup I’ve had in my life. I can confidently tell you that that’s how it’s done. This is delicious, earthy, winter solstice wild rice soup.

How to make wild rice soup

This is the case with garbage and cooking. It’s hands-free (except for a small step at the end to get the creaminess), weeknight-friendly, and fridge-friendly. Let’s get started!

You have the following options:

• Best flavor option (that’s what the recipe says): saute the Onions and mushrooms first. Add wild rice and cook for a little while to make the soup base. Add the vegetables at the end so they don’t get mushy. Finish with heavy cream, a little broth, some sherry, and umami seasoning. Cash. Good.
• The easiest option: Add everything to the instant pot. Add heavy cream to make it creamy. At last.
• No-heavy cream option: Same as any above, but use a flour-butter-milk mixture instead of heavy cream as your cream base. (I’ve always done this, but recently, I’ve found that I prefer heavy cream for its more prosperous, intense flavor.)

What does the soup go with

It would help if you had something extra to go with your wild rice soup.

If it’s just a regular Sunday soup day, you’re better off making a crusty, unkneaded loaf.

If it’s Christmas (besides my family, who else makes wild rice soup on Christmas?) I don’t know anyone), you’d be better off with a fancy salad to finish the meal. I recommend the bacon-sprout salad from years ago. It never goes out of style. Or our family’s newest favorite, a simple green salad.

Add other proteins/swaps

Protein options you can add or remove:

• Shredded chicken or chicken nuggets. I have the recipe here.
• Ground bacon
• Cubic ham
• Put a whole ham bone in there

About mushrooms

If you don’t like mushrooms much, but sometimes you might, may I suggest you give them a try? Cut the mushrooms very thin so that you can eat the flavor and not be bothered by the texture. I think you’re going to fall hard and fast.

What about my friends already on the Mushroom team? A) It’s good for you, B) GET it. In. It. This recipe has been upgraded to a new version of my favorite wild rice soup, which is a major deal. Warm, silky, cold mushrooms and wild rice are eternal triumphs. ❤

Instant pot wild rice soup: Common problems

Bah! I don’t have much time, but I want to do this.

The quickest way to do this is to throw everything listed above into an instant pot, cook for 40 minutes, then add the cream, and you’re done!

Can I switch to a different rice or wild rice mix?

Not exactly. Please use real wild rice (Member link)! I know it’s expensive and hard to find, and I usually use replacements, but in this case, it’s different. Don’t use brown rice, white rice, or a wild rice mixture—that’s just white rice or brown rice with a few grains of wild rice. Use direct wild rice.

Can I add chicken?

Yes, we do! Chicken can also be added. If you’re using raw chicken, I’d put it in with wild rice at the beginning, then take it out and chop it up before adding it at the end. You can also add cooked chicken at the end.

What if I don’t have those spices?

My favorite spices/herbs in this soup are thyme and sage. I also often use poultry seasonings, usually a mixture of thyme, sage, garlic, onion, etc. Anything containing warm Thanksgiving herbs – thyme, sage, or rosemary – will work well.

Can I make wild rice soup dairy-free?

Yes, we do! It works like magic if you use your favorite dairy-free butter and milk.