Vegan Wild Rice Soup is creamy and comforting like the Minnesota classic but made with whole-food plant-based ingredients. It's easy to prepare in an Instant Pot or on the stove.
When I visited Minnesota for the first time in my 20s, I was really excited to try wild rice soup. It's known as their unofficial state soup.
While I wasn't vegan back then, I was lactose intolerant. And I was so disappointed when I found out it was a cream-based soup.
Thankfully now I know how to make traditionally creamy recipes dairy-free by using raw cashews. This magical ingredient is key for making vegan versions of ranch dressing, spinach artichoke dip, and potato corn chowder.
Similarly, this vegan wild rice soup features homemade cashew cream in place of heavy cream. And it's made with chickpeas instead of chicken. But it has all of the incredible flavors and textures of the original version.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You can make it in your Instant Pot and do something else while it cooks.
- It tastes creamy and decadent, but is dairy-free, oil-free, and made with wholesome ingredients.
- It's a complete meal the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
- Step 1: Select the Saute function. Saute the onions in a splash of water until they are softened and slightly translucent.
- Step 2: Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for a few minutes more until the vegetables are softened.
- Step 3: Add the chickpeas, wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, vegetable broth, and water and stir to combine.
- Step 4: Close the lid and set the timer for 25 minutes high pressure using the Pressure Cook/Manual function. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Step 5: Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, prepare the cashew cream by blending the raw cashews with water until very smooth.
- Step 6: Open the lid once the pressure has released. Pour in the cashew cream and stir well. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy!
Amy's tips
Even though the wild rice soup takes only 25 minutes to cook at high pressure, keep in mind that it takes additional time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and to release the pressure naturally. Allow approximately 90 minutes from starting to when it's ready to eat. Use the Keep Warm function in case you want a second helping.
Stovetop instructions
Use cooked chickpeas or canned. You will need 3 cups cooked (from 1 cup dried) or 2-15 ounce cans.
- Start by cooking the wild rice. Add the rice and 4 cups water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Check the rice. It should be chewy, and some of the grains will have burst open. Continue cooking 10 to 15 more minutes, as needed. When done, drain off the excess water using a fine mesh strainer.
- Saute the onions in a little water in a large pot over medium heat until soft and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for a few minutes until tender.
- Add the cooked chickpeas, cooked wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth.
- Simmer until heated through.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, prepare the cashew cream by blending the cashews and water until very smooth.
- Discard the bay leaf. Pour in the cashew mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Variations
- Add additional vegetables like sliced mushrooms or cubed squash.
- Stir in leafy greens like baby spinach or chopped kale when adding the cashew cream.
- If 100% wild rice isn't available, substitute a wild rice blend made with a mix of wild rice, brown rice, white rice, and/or red rice.
- For a nut-free option, use canned full-fat coconut milk, pureed white beans, or pureed silken tofu in place of the cashew cream. You will need about ½ cup.
Serving suggestions
Vegan wild rice soup is a complete meal on its own, you can also enjoy it with any of the following salads and side dishes:
Storing
Leftover soup can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It will thicken, so you may want to add a little water when reheating it on the stove or in the microwave. For best results, do not freeze.
FAQ
1 cup of dried chickpeas yields approximately 3 cups when cooked, so if you want to use canned chickpeas, you will need 2-15 ounce cans.
Yes, they are one and the same. The word chickpea is derived from Latin, while the word garbanzo is derived from Spanish.
Technically a grass, wild rice is native to North American and grows in the cool waters of northern Minnesota.
Wild rice should be thoroughly rinsed using a fine mesh strainer before cooking. It does not require soaking.
More Instant Pot soup and stew recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★
📋 Recipe
Vegan Wild Rice Soup in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, (garbanzo beans) soaked for a few hours or overnight, then rinsed
- 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups vegetable broth , or water
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the cashew cream:
- ½ cup raw cashews, (soaked for 30 minutes in hot water if you don't have a high speed blender)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Using the Saute function, saute the onions in a splash of water until they are softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and a few more splashes of water, as necessary, if the pot is dry. Saute for a few minutes until the vegetables are softened. Hit the cancel button.
- Add the chickpeas, wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, vegetable broth, and 1 cup water and stir to combine.
- Close the lid and set the timer for 25 minutes high pressure on the Pressure Cook/Manual function. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, prepare the cashew cream by blending the cashews and ½ cup water until very smooth.
- Remove the lid once the pressure has released. Discard the bay leaf. Pour in the cashew cream and stir well. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy!
Notes
- Start by cooking the wild rice. Add the rice and 4 cups water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Check the rice. It should be chewy, and some of the grains will have burst open. Continue cooking 10 to 15 more minutes, as needed. When done, drain off the excess water using a fine mesh strainer.
- Saute the onions in a little water in a large pot over medium heat until soft and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for a few minutes until soft.
- Add the cooked chickpeas, cooked wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth. (You won't need the extra cup of water.)
- Simmer until heated through.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, prepare the cashew cream by blending the cashews and ½ cup water until very smooth.
- Discard the bay leaf. Pour in the cashew mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Anna
Can I use canned garbanzo beans in the instant pot too? Or do they have to be raw?
Amy Katz
Yes, many readers have used canned with success.
Alan
Very yummy and easy to make. Pretty much followed your stove top instructions, but added extra onions, carrots and celery and added 2 potatoes, 1/2 tsp each of cumin and turmeric. However, forgot the garlic and bay leave. I wasn’t very excited until I added the cashew cream, then the whole thing came together very nicely!
Deborah
A very easy and fairly tasty soup. I will have to play with some additions like mushrooms, spices, or leafy greens. The flavour was pretty good, but seemed like it was missing something that would have taken it from good to excellent.
Kathy
This was the first thing I made in my Instant Pot and I really enjoyed using it. Unfortunately I accidentally bought Black Pearl rice, and although I read that it would not be a good substitution, I used it anyway. The result was a tasty purplish stew. I will try it again with wild rice and mushrooms. It's a good use of dry garbanzo beans. Do you have any recommendations for black pearl rice? It's supposed to be very good for us.
Amy Katz
Hi Kathy! Black rice is nice for serving with stir fry. You can also mix it with white or brown rice. I hope you try the soup again when you get some wild rice.
Bethany
I’ve made this soup several times and it is an absolute winner! I do not eat celery so I left it out. Also added some leftover cubed potatoes and loved that option. I will have to add mushrooms next time (saw that in a previous comment). I’ve shared the recipe on this site with several friends. I’ll have to try other recipes. Thank you.❤️🌱
Cindy
What bean would be good to use other than garbanzos?
Amy Katz
You can use a different bean or just leave them out.
Michele
This is my absolute favorite soup! I do add about 2 cups of kale or spinach to the finished soup and a touch of chipotle chili powder for a bit of a smoky spice.
Mary Pearson
I added some sliced mushrooms, but otherwise followed your recipe exactly. It was delicious, and my husband loved it so much that he asked me to make it again. Thanks for a lovely soup recipe.
Flo
I made this for the first time today. I used a wild rice blend. It will definitely go into my menu plan.
Thanks for the flavourful and nutritious soup.
Karen
This is one of the first recipes I made when I went vegan about 4 1/2 years ago, and now it's one of my top go-to recipes, and I have always wondered where I got it! Took it to my book club last month, and everyone wanted the recipe. So glad I found it, and thank you, Amy!
Amy Katz
Thank you so much, Karen! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Marge
Finally made it and so glad I did. It smells great. Next time I'll add 2C of sliced mushrooms and a chopped zucchini or okra to the saute, 1/2C more of both the wild rice and garbanzos and possibly 10 garlic cloves. It needed something, and the 1T of dukkah I added to the first bowl I ate hit the spot. Not sure what I'd add while cooking. It needed something but I don't use soy sauce or hot stuff like siracha. I cooked 1 lb minus 1C of soaked garbanzos after the soup was done and added 1/2T umami blend from Trader Joe, 1/2T of powdered bay leaves, and 1T each of garlic and onion powder to the cooking water. It’ll be very flavorful aquafaba. Adding those beans to the soup might add the additional flavor that I'm craving. Either way, a GREAT RECIPE that I'll be making again soon and I'll report back! Thanks, Amy!
Megan
Wholesome, warm and beyond expectations. A forever addition in our home! Thank you so much.
Amy Katz
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Megan!
dr frank
Excellent soup - I made this and my wife was surprised how good it tasted - she was hesitant that the cashews would give it an 'odd' flavor.
Thanks for posting the recipe
Amy Katz
This is wonderful to hear, Dr. Frank!
Sandra
Delicious, healthy, and oh so easy to make.
Anna
We love this soup! We've made it again and again. It's hard to believe that it's so healthy because it tastes so hearty and creamy. It's definitely one recipe that is in my constant rotation.
Amy Katz
Thanks so much, Anna!
Kristen
I can't believe I haven't rated this soup yet! I've made it at least 10 times now and it's a full 5 stars, for sure. I grew up in Minnesota and adore wild rice. If I'm making this soup for company, I prefer to cook it on the stove as I feel like the rice stays intact better, and the total cooking time really isn't that much longer. When I make it in the Instant Pot, I'll let the pressure release naturally for about 20 minutes, and then quick-release the rest. Either way, it's an amazing cozy fall soup that couldn't be easier to prepare. Pure wild rice (instead of blends) can be tricky to find out west, but it's worth searching out. Trader Joe's and Sprout's sells it if you have those stores in your area.
Amy Katz
Thanks so much for your helpful tips, Kristen! I'm so happy you have been enjoying the recipe.
Annie
I purchase the wild rice from WalMart. Making this for the first time today.
Amy Katz
That's great they have it there. I hope you enjoy the soup!
Annie
Soup is delicious! Cashews could have been blended a bit more(used my Ninja and only have a tall cup!), but didn't alter the taste.
Amy Katz
Fabulous!