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 ranch dressing, dairy-free spinach artichoke dip, and plant-based Instant Pot 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
Raw cashews: Look for raw rather than roasted cashews. Halves and pieces are usually less expensive than whole. Store any unused nuts in the refrigerator or freezer.
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.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Instructions
- Select 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 saute for a few minutes more until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the chickpeas, wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, vegetable broth, and water and stir to combine.
- Close the lid and set the timer for 25 minutes high pressure using the Pressure Cook/Manual function. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, prepare the cashew cream by blending the raw cashews with water until very smooth.
- 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
To make vegan wild rice soup on the stove, you can 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.
Serving suggestions
Vegan wild rice soup is a complete meal on its own, but you can also enjoy it with a salad or side dish.
Try it with an Italian-style artichoke hearts salad or simple asparagus and avocado salad.
Or serve it with a cooked vegetable dish like green beans and mushrooms or Brussels sprouts and butternut squash.
And you can't go wrong with some warm crusty bread like my favorite San Francisco sourdough from Bread SRSLY. Use code veggiessavetheday to get 15% off your first order.
Storing
Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container 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.
Recipe FAQs
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 vegan Instant Pot soup and stew recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration & 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.Â
- 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.
Donna Steward
My family doesn't care for the texture of garbanzo beans, can they be substituted with white northern beans?
Amy
Hi Donna, I haven't tried this recipe with other beans, but I don't see why not!
Barbie
I made as instructed. So good! Does it freeze well?
Amy
Thank you, Barbie! I haven't tried freezing it. I have a feeling the cashew cream will "break apart" when defrosted. But if you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
Sara
Curious if you tried to freeze the soup? Would love to know.
Amy
That's a great question, Sara. I haven't had good results when freezing creamy soups like this one. However, you can leave out the cashew cream at the end and then freeze the soup. When you're ready to eat it, reheat the soup and then add in the cashew cream. I hope this helps!
Lexi
I love this! I made it in my Power Cooker XL. I topped with golden raisins, chia seeds & sriracha sauce. Will definitely make again!!
Amy
Your additions sound wonderful! I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Lexi!
Nicole
Made this last night- SOOOO GOOD!
I’m a Minneasotan, also love that famous chicken wild rice soup from that grocery store but haven’t had it in ages since going vegetarian. This definitely holds a candle to the original. I added sliced baby Bella mushrooms, used canned chickpeas mixed in at the end.
The meat loving bf also loved it.
Amy
Thank you, Nicole! That is the greatest compliment ever! I'm going to have to try adding mushrooms next time. Thanks again for trying the soup and leaving a comment! 🙂
drmommypsych
This is yummy! I added diced sweet potato and ginger along with carrots and celery/onion. I also made cream sauce varient--cashew AND sweet potato. My girls dont like vegetable broth so I substituted with seasoning salt and jnstead of bay leaf used cinnamon stick. Makes a warm, yummy, anti-inflammatory soup! I have pic, but couldnt figure out how to attach.
If u have other vegetarian anti-inflammatory recipes, let me know. homemade healthy dishes can help with mood symptoms, so I will recommend to my patients!
Amy
That sounds wonderful! I will have to try your version. If you want to share your photo, you can either post it on Instagram and tag me or share it on the Facebook page. Or you can join the Facebook group here and share it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/veggiessavethedaygroup/ Thank you for trying the soup and sharing your tips!
Margaret Miller
I love this soup! I made it this weekend and it turned out great. I used a can of chickpeas in stead of using the dried ones. I added the chickpeas at the end. Next time I would add the chickpeas sooner. I don't think they would need to cook for 25 minutes but maybe I would add them for the last 5 minutes. Thank you for the great recipe!
Amy
I'm so happy to hear this, Margaret! And thanks for the tip about using canned chickpeas. I'll remember that the next time someone asks me. Thank you so much!
Meredith Peirick
I saw this recipe and just new I had to make it! I did not follow the recipe to a T. I used white rice cause that’s what I had. 4 cups vegetable stock, added a red pepper and used roasted unsalted cashews. It tasted like a chowder and was very filling! Omg the best soup I have ever had!!!! I’m gonna make this again and follow the recipe but add mushrooms to it. Great recipe and thank you!
Amy
Sounds fabulous! Thanks Meredith!
Sam Lancaster
What can i replace the cashews with? I'm terribly allergic to them. Could something like cream or milk work?
Amy
Hi Sam, to keep it non-dairy you could some coconut milk or unsweetened soy creamer. The soup would also be delicious without the cashew cream, but it obviously won't be creamy. You could also try blending almonds if you're not allergic to them. However, I only tested the recipe with cashews, so I'm not sure if the taste will change. I know how tough allergies are. I'm allergic to almonds.
Jamie
The manual button changed to a pressure cook button, so i pressed this. Since it is soup, i am assumi g the pressure level will be low correct?
Amy
Yes, that should work!
Shellie
We had this soup last night. What a delicious recipe. Thanks!
Amy
Thanks Shellie!
Caitlin
This was so delicious! I skipped the onion and bay leaf, used fresh thyme. Oh my goodness! 🤤😋 thank you for sharing!
Amy
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Caitlin! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Karen Ebersold
I have a version of the Instant Pot that doesn't have a manual button. I have a "pressure cook" button, where you select low pressure or high pressure and then set the time. Would I use high or low pressure?
Amy
Hi Karen, you would select high pressure. Thanks for asking!
Carrie
This recipe was soooo delicious, I couldn’t believe it. I used farro instead of wild rice and loved the chewy texture. The flavor was amazing. This was the first time I have used my instant pot for soup. Usually I only use it for making beans or brown rice. Thank you for bringing this yummy dish into our lives!
Amy
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Carrie! And it's good to know it works well with farro, too!
Ashley Warner
Hi Amy,
Could you use brown rice instead of wild rice? Sometimes my kids get strange about things that "look weird" to them, like black rice for example. Also, I tend to have brown rice on hand more often... would I need to change something with the time cooked?
Thanks,
Ashley
Amy
Hi Ashley, You could definitely use brown rice. Brown rice will vary based on the variety and if it's long or short grain. I would try it with the same cooking time as indicated in the recipe. It should be similar. Please let me know how it turns out!
Amanda
Very good recipe! Very comforting. Makes me want to visit Minnesota! Wild rice may be my new fav ingredient. My soup broth was darker, probably due to the veg stock I used. Next time I would like to have more broth so it looks more like the photos. Thanks for a great recipe!
Amy
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Amanda!