May 14, 2022

Wild Rice Soup

A thick, hearty, and warming vegan wild rice soup.

This soup has a lovely umami flavour complimented by the classic coconut/lemongrass/lime combination. The thyme, tarragon, and rosemary help the flavour of the vegetables come through to create a wonderfully hearty vegan soup.

This soup does take a little prep to come together. The cashews used in the creamy broth are best soaked overnight before being blended in.

If you have never used fresh lemongrass, I've included the steps for preparation in the directions. If you have a hard time finding fresh lemongrass at your local grocery store, try any Asian markets. If you still can't find a fresh stalk, check the freezer section. Lemongrass stalks are often sold frozen as well.

This soup is completely vegan and thus dairy-free.

Any kind of fresh mushrooms can be used. I typically go with a white mushrooms, but cremini, and bella are great as well.

TIP: This soup will continue to thicken as it sits. To thin it out, just add a little more vegetable stock and reheat.

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

1 cup unsweetened coconut cream
1 can (540ml) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon tamari
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh tarragon
1 stalk fresh lemongrass (top green portion only)
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 cup wild rice, cooked
juice of 1 lime

Directions

Soak the cashews in a few cups of water overnight in the refrigerator. When it's time to begin cooking, drain and rinse the cashews.

Cook the wild rice as instructed on the package. Once ready, set aside.

In a high-powered blender, add the coconut cream, cashews, 1/2 cup of the rinsed cannellini beans, miso paste, tamari, and mustard. Blend until completely smooth then set aside.

Prepare the stalk of lemongrass by trimming off the bulb and peeling off the tough outer layer. The lower, pale portion can be cut off and used in other dishes (purée and freeze to reserve). The top, green portion of the stalk is all that is required for this soup. With a knife, carefully make several shallow cuts along the length of the stalk then flex the stalk to open the cuts. Tie the stalk of lemongrass with the rest of the fresh herbs into a bundle and set aside.

In a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until it starts to soften (about 3 minutes). Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix with the onion. Continue sautéing until the mushrooms lose most of their water (about 10 minutes) then add the carrot and celery. Mix well and continue sautéing until the added vegetables begin to soften (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute before adding the remaining salt and ground black pepper. Mix in the remaining cannellini beans, vegetable stock, and the bundle of herbs. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the bundle of herbs and discard. Add the coconut cream mixture, rice, and lime juice, mixing to incorporate well. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with additional lime wedges and a sprinkling of fresh thyme (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: