Creamy Parmesan, Mushroom, & Wild Rice Soup is brimming with tender baby bella mushrooms, sliced carrots, diced yellow onion, fresh garlic, and wild rice all simmered in an herb-infused broth. Finishing it with a splash of heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and ground nutmeg makes this a perfect cozy addition to those chilly autumn and winter nights.
Why You’ll Love it:
- Adaptable– this mushroom and wild rice soup is naturally gluten-free and can be easily adjusted to suite those with dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan dietary needs.
- Feels Upscale– white wine and rich heavy cream give this recipe an upscale feel without having to leave the comfort of your home.
- Hearty– and nutritional! A blend of veggies and wild rice give this soup a boost of protein, fiber, and vitamins.
- So Flavorful– creamy, buttery, herby, and nutty all in one.
Ingredient Notes:
Find the full list of ingredients & amounts in the recipe card below.
- Wild Rice– is full of fiber and protein with a wonderful nutty flavor and firm, chewy texture. Look for a wild rice blend such as Lundberg or Rice Select Royal Blend. These blends tend to contain a nice assortment of black rice, brown rice, wild rice, and red rice that work great for soup recipes.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms– also known as ‘Cremini’ or ‘Brown Button’, these mushrooms are a slightly more mature version of white button mushrooms, giving them a firmer texture and a more complex flavor.
- White Wine– used to de-glaze the pot and bring a brightness to the soup.
- Herbs & Spices– fresh sage, fresh thyme, and ground nutmeg add earthy and warm notes.
- Heavy Cream– to add a creamy, decadent richness.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Add Protein– such as shredded rotisserie chicken, diced ham, or crumbled cooked bacon.
- Try Beef Broth– for a deeper, more robust flavor.
- If making Dairy-Free/Vegetarian-substitute the butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream with dairy-free versions. These can be found made by brands such as Silk, Country Crock, Violife, and Follow Your Heart.
- Heavy cream can also be substituted with Cashew Cream. To make your own, check out this article from the Minimalist Baker on how to make cashew cream at home.
- Make it Thicker– adding a roux will give this soup a thick chowder like consistency. To do this, sprinkle vegetable mixture with flour before adding liquid. Stir until in has a pasty consistency, then whisk liquid in a bit at a time.
- To make in the Slow Cooker– add butter, carrots, yellow onion, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, white wine, wild rice, broth, and herbs to the slow cooker. Set to high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, remove herb stems and stir in ground nutmeg, grated Parmesan, and heavy cream.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup:
- Saute Carrots & Onions– in a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced carrots and diced yellow onions. Cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add Mushrooms, Garlic, and Worcestershire Sauce– add sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook another 4-6 mins until mushrooms are beginning to brown.
- De-Glaze with White Wine– pour in white wine and use spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any brown bits.
- Add Broth, Rice, Herbs, & Simmer– add chicken or vegetable broth, wild rice, fresh thyme, sage, and bay leaves. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, turn heat to medium low, and simmer 45-60 minutes, adding broth as needed, until rice is fully cooked.
- Finish with Cream, Nutmeg, and Parmesan– once cooked, remove herbs and turn heat to low. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and pinch of nutmeg. Allow to simmer another minute or two until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- Serve soup with a fresh side salad and crusty bread for dipping.
- If you like the taste of mushrooms but don’t love the texture, roughly chop mushrooms into small bits rather than slices. This will add all of the flavor without the overwhelming mushroom texture.
- To clean mushrooms before slicing, use a damp paper towel to gently wipe away any dirt. This way mushrooms don’t adsorb too much water before cooking and brown easier.
Leftovers:
- Store– store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Cream may separate in leftover soup. This is normal and totally fine to eat. Just give it a good stir while reheating to combine.
- Rice may soak up some broth in the refrigerator. Add broth as needed when reheating.
- If making ahead, leave out cream, nutmeg, and grated Parmesan until reheating.
- Reheat– the best method is on a stove-top over medium heat, stirring often until warmed through. If microwaving, stir every 30 seconds for an even temperature.
- To Freeze– store cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow soup to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Soup & Stew Recipes You Will Love:
- Easy Chicken & Rice Soup with Pesto and Corn
- Creamy Bacon, Mushroom, & Parmesan Tortellini Soup
- Crock-Pot Chicken Pot Pie Gnocchi Soup
- Easy Spicy Sausage & White Bean Soup
- Creamy Sausage, Kale, & Ravioli Soup
- Creamy Mushroom & Pearl Couscous Soup
- Creamy Cabbage & Orzo Stew
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and review in the recipe card below! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest for more garlic goodness and travel inspiration!
Creamy Parmesan, Mushroom, & Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Parmesan, Mushroom, & Wild Rice Soup is brimming with tender baby bella mushrooms, sliced carrots, diced yellow onion, fresh garlic, and wild rice all simmered in an herb-infused broth. Finishing it with a splash of heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and nutmeg makes this the perfect cozy addition to those chilly nights.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 8 oz baby bella mushroom sliced
- 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup wild rice blend such as Lundberg
- 2-3 stems fresh thyme
- 2-3 leaves fresh sage
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Pinch nutmeg
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Saute Carrots & Onions-in a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced carrots and diced yellow onions. Cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add Mushrooms & Garlic– add sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook another 4-6 mins until mushrooms are beginning to brown.
- De-Glaze with Wine-pour in white wine and use spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any brown bits.
- Simmer– add 6 cups broth, wild rice, fresh thyme, fresh sage, and bay leaves. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, turn heat to medium low, and simmer 45-60 minutes, adding broth as needed, until rice is fully cooked.
- Finish– once cooked, remove herbs and turn heat to low. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and pinch of nutmeg. Allow to simmer another minute or two until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Wild Rice– is full of fiber and protein with a wonderful nutty flavor and firm, chewy texture.
- Look for a wild rice blend such as Lundberg or Rice Select Royal Blend. These blends tend to contain a nice assortment of black rice, brown rice, wild rice, and red rice that work great for soup recipes.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms– also known as ‘Cremini’ or ‘Brown Button’, these mushrooms are a slightly more mature version of white button mushrooms, giving them a firmer texture and a more complex flavor.
- If you like the taste of mushrooms but don’t love the texture, roughly chop mushrooms into small bits rather than slices. This will add all of the flavor without the overwhelming mushroom texture.
- To clean mushrooms before slicing, use a damp paper towel to gently wipe away any dirt. This way mushrooms won’t adsorb too much water before cooking and brown easier.
- White Wine– used to de-glaze the pot and bring a brightness to the soup.
- Add Protein– with shredded rotisserie chicken, diced ham, or crumbled cooked bacon.
- If making Dairy-Free/Vegetarian-substitute the butter, Parmesan and heavy cream with dairy-free versions. These can be found made by brands such as Silk, Country Crock, Violife, and Follow Your Heart.
- Serve soup with a fresh side salad and crusty bread for dipping.
- Store– leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Cream may separate in leftover soup. This is normal and totally fine to eat. Just give it a good stir while reheating to combine.
- Rice may soak up some broth in the refrigerator. Add broth if needed when reheating.
- If making ahead, leave out cream, nutmeg, and grated Parmesan until reheating.
- Reheat– the best method is on a stove-top over medium heat, stirring often until warmed through. If microwaving, stir every 30 seconds for an even temperature.
- Nutritional Information is an estimate only and will vary based upon specific ingredients and amounts used.
Nutrition
Calories: 342kcalCarbohydrates: 20.5gProtein: 12.9gFat: 22.6gSaturated Fat: 13.3gCholesterol: 63.4mgFiber: 3.1gSugar: 4.8g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
I made this soup for dinner tonight, and we all thought it was delicious. Not only did it taste great, but this soup is very easy to prepare. I added some extra broth, but my soup was still a little too thick. So the only change I would make next time is to add even more broth, but that’s a very doable adjustment.
Thank you so much for making, Joelle!
Wonderful dish. I left out the cheese and sage, adding chives and parsley. Thank you.
Thank you, Matthias! So glad you enjoyed it!
Even better the second time after adding some chicken.
A delicious soup. It is great supper for “Meatless Mondays”. I followed the recipe as written and it was very easy to prepare. I definitely will make this again.
So glad to hear it, Patty! Thank you!
How would I adapt this for the Instant Pot? Sounds delicious!
Hi, Brooke! I haven’t personally tried this recipe in the instant pot, but Pinch of Yum has a similar recipe done in the instant pot. Adapted from their steps, I would try:
– Using saute function, melt butter. Saute mushrooms and onions. De-glaze with wine.
– Add broth, wild rice, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and salt- cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
– Release steam. Add carrots & garlic. Cook on high 10 more minutes.
– Remove herb stems, add heavy cream, Parmesan, and nutmeg.
I hope this helps and let me know how it is if you try it!
I was skeptical to add cheese to soup but I tried it anyway – the soup was tasty but as anticipated, the cheese just ended up on the bottom of the pot and tangled on the end of the wooden spoon, just making my clean up harder. Next time I would add Parmesan rinds during the rice cook time for the flavor and a little more cream, leaving out the grated parm altogether.
this was a fabulous Meatless Monday meal for us last night. As suggested, I made a crisp green salad with a lovely vinaigrette and served with crusty bread.. We also had some nice cheeses leftover from our Thanksgiving Charcuterie and Cheeseboard, which paired nicely too. This soup was a homerun and I will be adding this to the dinner line-up as a regular rotation. Thank you Alexis!
Thank you so much, Celia! I’m so happy to hear this!