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.
Paula says
Hi, Amy! I just found your site. Your soup recipes look really good. However, I don't have an insta-pot (no room to store one). I wish you would post how long a soup takes to cook using a regular pot or maybe a crock-pot. Thanks
Amy Katz says
Thanks for the feedback, Paula! I don't use a crock pot, but I will add stove top instructions in the future. Thanks again!
Heather says
I’m using my Instant Pot for the first time to make this soup. How long should it take to do a Natural Pressure Release?
Amy Katz says
Hi Heather, depending on the model, it may take about 15 minutes.
John says
My wife has a nut intolerance so what would you recommend as a substitute for the cashew creek? Looks tasty and appreciate your sharing.
Amy Katz says
Hi John, Thank you! Some readers have blended a little of the soup and added it back in or used a little coconut milk from a can instead.
Yvonne says
I have a 6 qt Instant Pot. Can I double this recipe for that size of pot without going over the maximum fill level?
Amy Katz says
I'm going to err on the side of caution and say no.
Pam says
Hi Amy!
My daughter and I made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Personally, I loved the ability to make truly delicious (and nutritious) soup from scratch in less than an hour.. Very easy and repeatable! Thank you for a wonderful recipe. 🙂
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Pam!
Brooklyn says
Really yummy, although I didn’t find it creamy at all. I tripled the amount of cashew cream in hopes it would make it creamier. But still tasty!
Amy Katz says
Glad you liked it, Brooklyn!
Raquel Elias says
Hello. Is this recipe something I can make in my instant pot zest? It’s a pot for grain. It does not have a manual setting.
Amy Katz says
Hi Raquel, I don't think that model works for making soup.
Hillary says
Great recipe! The cook time really produced the perfect texture for wild rice. I have a family of 6 so I bulked it up by adding a chopped sweet potato, a large chopped red potato, more carrots, and some frozen corn at the end. I also added some ground sage because I love it along with thyme. Really, really delicious. Could not believe the richness that the cashew cream added. My whole family loved it. Will be making this throughout the winter for sure. Thank you!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Hillary! And I love those additions. I'll have to give them a try, especially the sage.
Lamar Chairez says
Made this tonight! Used my new instant pot I got for Christmas!!
I’m in love with it!! Instead of chick peas I added mushrooms and kale and boy was it good!
I topped it with some nutritional yeast and the follow your heart Parmesan and oh my god...delicious! Thank u for the recipe !!
Amy Katz says
That's fantastic, Lamar! Enjoy your new Instant Pot!
Casey says
OMG this recipe is delicious!!! I left out carrots because I don’t like them but I will for sure be making this again and again and again!!!!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Casey!
Raquel Elias says
Could this be made in the Instant pot Zest? It’s for rice & grains
Amy Katz says
Hi Raquel, it doesn't look like that model has a regular pressure cook option.
Charlotte says
Great soup. Love that it's plant-based and no added oil. I have made this a few times and haven't bothered sautéing the vegetables lately... after 25 min in the IP, they are nice and soft either way! I also wait to add the thyme until after the cooking, as I feel I get more thyme flavour that way. And for the kids, I throw in a handful of frozen corn or peas and it cools the soup quickly for them 🙂
I make this one often!
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Charlotte! That is such a great idea to add frozen veggies!
Paul says
Probably the best soup and my partner wants me to cook it everyday!!
Amy Katz says
Thanks so much, Paul! I'm so happy you both enjoyed it!
Angie D. says
This soup is delicious. So good! I can't get over how easy it was to make and how yummy it turned out. Followed a suggestion and added a teeny bit of liquid smoke (1/4 tsp) and a teeny bit of cayenne (1/4 tsp). Will be making it again tonight, as one batch was not nearly enough. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe - it is wonderfully simple and absolutely scrumptious!
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Angie! I never get tired of this soup either. 🙂
Lisa Hatten says
I love this recipe. It was easy to make and tasted delicious.
Now I'm going to make it for 27 people. I'm planning to make 2 double recipes in my 8qt instant pot. Any suggestions for doubling?
Amy Katz says
Wow! That's a lot of people! The recipe and cooking time will still be the same, but the IP will take longer to come up to pressure, so overall it will take more time. I'm so glad you are loving the recipe, Lisa!