Vegan wild rice soup is creamy and comforting like the Minnesota classic, only made with whole-food, plant-based ingredients. It's easy to prepare in an Instant Pot or on the stove.
When I first visited Minnesota in my 20s, I could not wait to try wild rice soup. It's basically the unofficial state soup. I wasn't vegan yet, but I was lactose intolerant, so discovering it was cream based was a letdown.
Now I know how to make traditionally creamy soups dairy free, like my vegan potato corn chowder and potato leek soup, by blending raw cashews instead of adding heavy cream. Swap the chicken for chickpeas and you get all the cozy flavors and textures you love, no dairy required.
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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.
- Kristen
Ingredients for making vegan wild rice soup
- Raw cashews: For a nut-free version, 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.
- Wild rice: If you can't find 100% wild rice, substitute a wild rice blend made with a mix of wild rice, brown rice, white rice, and/or red rice.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Instant Pot instructions
Even though wild rice soup takes 25 minutes to cook, keep in mind that it takes additional time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and to release the pressure. 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.
- 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.
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.
- Cook the wild rice by adding it to a saucepan with and 4 cups water 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 and enjoy.
Leftovers
Store any leftover wild rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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.
Made this recipe? Have a question? Please leave a comment below. 💙 And for even more recipes, join my email list for community, inspiration & to chat directly with me!
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Vegan Chickpea Wild Rice Soup (Instant Pot + Stovetop)
Equipment
- high speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, 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
Instant Pot instructions:
- Using the Saute function, saute the onions in a splash of water until they are softened and slightly translucent.1 cup diced onion
- 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.2 cloves garlic, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery
- Add the chickpeas, wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, vegetable broth, and 1 cup water and stir to combine.1 cup dried chickpeas, 1 cup wild rice, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup water
- 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.½ cup raw cashews, ½ cup water
- 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!salt and pepper
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.1 cup wild rice
- Saute the onions in a little water in a large pot over medium heat until soft and slightly translucent.1 cup diced onion
- Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for a few minutes until soft.2 cloves garlic, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery
- Add the cooked chickpeas, cooked wild rice, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth. (You won't need the extra cup of water.)1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 4 cups vegetable broth
- 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.½ cup raw cashews, ½ cup water
- Discard the bay leaf. Pour in the cashew mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!salt and pepper
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Lisa says
This recipe is a family favorite! It's on the top of the most requested meals at large family gatherings. Thank you so much for this delicious, satisfying and nutritious plant based meal!
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Lisa!
Andrew says
This is one of my favorite recipes, easy to make and incredible flavors.
Thanks Amy
Amy Katz says
Thanks so much, Andrew!
Julie says
Wow! This soup was so amazing and so easy to make. My husband even tried some and liked it and he usually doesn't like bean soups. Although I accidentally used wild rice and brown rice mixture it turned out perfectly. I have never made cashew cream before and I can't believe the soup was so creamy without milk. I will definitely be making this on a regular basis.
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy everyone enjoyed it, Julie!
Kendra says
I just made this as written and it is phenomenal! Husband loved it too. It will join my regular recipe rotation.
Amy says
So happy you both enjoyed it, Kendra!
Sondy says
We tried this soup for lunch today and loved it. This recipe is outstanding and I can't wait to make it again. Thank you for sharing it!
Amy says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Sondy!
Thea says
Love this soup! Took it to pot luck at work and everyone loved it too, even the omnivores! Several people asked for the recipe.
If you’re on the fence about this soup, just try it you’ll be very pleasantly surprised.
Kelley WEld says
i've never made cashew cream before - is it possible just to add unsoaked cashews to the pot before cooking. Wouldn't the cooking turn it to cream? Or is there a reason you shouldn't cook cashews?
Amy says
Hi Kelley, the cashew cream needs to be added at the end. Raw cashews and water are blended together until completely smooth. This is in place of dairy in the recipe.
Cathy says
Tried this tonight and loved it. We will be eating this a lot. Super easy, not too heavy, and so good!
Lauren Baker says
I've made this twice and just love it! Thank you!
Amy says
Thank you, Lauren!
Brigette says
This was AMAZING!!! I look forward to making it again. It was so creamy and comforting- and easy to make! I didn’t have dried Chickpeas, so I used a can of white northern beans- worked out great!
Amy says
So happy to hear it, Brigette! Thank you for leaving a rating and review. 🙂
Becky says
Loved this! I did everything as written except that I cooked for 18 minutes on high pressure instead of the full 25 because I didn't want the garbanzos getting too mushy. Will definitely make it again!
Andrea T. says
I have enjoyed this soup EVERY day since I saw it posted weeks ago. I made a pot (Instant Pot) of it this morning before work, because it comes together that quickly. Unfortunately, today I used chickpeas I cooked two days ago, which I drained and added with the other ingredients. Apparently the recommended uncooked soaked beans make a thicker soup because my cooked beans made a thinner broth (natural aquafaba??). Still delicious and fragrant, but be aware pre-cooked beans may result in less 'luxurious' broth. Love, love love this soup EVERY day for lunch or dinner ~ sometimes both. Thank you 😋
Jessica S. says
My husband and I both adore this recipe. My son doesn't like chickpeas, so I subbed quartered mushrooms instead. That was fabulous too. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
I need to try it with mushrooms. I'm happy to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Kim says
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe. I loved eating a variation of this before going vegan and have definitely missed it. Was so excited to find this, and even more excited after tasting it 🙂
Art Carlson says
This soup is fantastic! I wish I could give it six stars. I used canned garbanzos rather than soaking the dried ones overnight, and the soup turned out fine. After it was made, we decided to try adding a little liquid smoke to each bowl as we ate it. The liquid smoke gives the soup a little of that ham or bacon flavor that we vegans secretly crave. Next time I'll try, perhaps, a quarter tsp of liquid smoke when I make the soup. Don't want to overdo a good thing. Cant wait to make it again.
Amy says
Thank you so much, Art! Great suggestion about adding liquid smoke!
kat says
Did you reduce the liquid (broth) because you used canned? I would assume some of the broth is absorbed into the beans during cooking. So by using canned, perhaps less broth is needed? I am planning to make this tonight and only have canned chickpeas, so wanted to try that rather than stopping at the store. Thanks!
Amy Katz says
Hi Kat, I wanted to reply in case Art doesn't see your message before it's time for you to make dinner. A lot of the liquid is absorbed by the rice, so I would keep the amount the same.
Dara says
Made it two nights in a row! Delicious .
MaryB says
Would like to try this soup, but I don't have an Instant Pot. I could cook on the stove top or I do have a slower cooker. Do you have alternate instructions for someone who does not have an instant pot? Thanks. Looks delicious!
Amy says
Thank you, Mary! You can make it on the stove top. I haven't tried it myself, but another reader left a comment with how they successfully did it: " I made this tonight on the stove, cooked according to the directions for my wild rice (added 2.5 cups of water, bring to a boil, simmer covered for 45 min) It came out delicious!"
Kelly says
Yum this is so good. I did not have dried chickpeas so I used canned and it was perfect. I will be making this again for sure.