Although it is somewhat unusual (at least for me) to add wild rice or any rice to a mushroom soup, this dish came out very satisfying and absolutely delicious. Even my non-vegan husband really loved it and asked for a second serving, which is usually a good indicator of a successful recipe. So, I knew it had to be featured in a blog.
Get the recipe here.
Many of the vegan mushroom soup recipes that I tried are loaded with coconut milk to make them thick and creamy and have a lot of sweetness in their taste. This soup is savory and is full of the deep. earthy, umami-rich flavor. Fresh cremini mushrooms
and ground dried shiitakes provide a winning combination of meaty texture and flavor, which makes this soup a great dish if you are transitioning to a plant-based diet. It definitely won't leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied with your meal.
It also has quite a bit of substance from rice, which makes it hearty and filling. If you are not able to find wild rice, you can use Country Wild rice mix, which also works well for this recipe. Simmering the rice with baking soda decreases the cooking time and brings out more robust flavor. I used the excess simmering liquid as a bouillon, infusing the entire soup with rice flavor.
The addition of arrowroot starch made this soup thick and velvety, and a moderate amount of coconut milk added just enough creaminess and non of the sweet taste that I didn't want. The final result is a well-balanced and deeply satisfying dish that everyone would enjoy.
And not only that. This soup is also brimming with health benefits from cremini mushrooms and wild rice. I didn't know that before, but cremini mushrooms are full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Besides, they are very low in calories and high in dietary fiber, they contain Vitamin D, good amounts of zinc, iron and copper, they improve your metabolism and fertility (who would have thought?), help reduce estrogen dominance and keep you younger for longer. (See article 10 Proven Health Benefits of Crimini Mushrooms for more details). Wow, that is quite a list!
Like that wasn't enough, wild rice brings a powerful arsenal of health benefits of its own. It is high in fiber, which helps to optimize digestion and boost heart health, it contains significant amount of Vitamin C, which helps boost immunity, it improves bone health and helps prevent aging due to the impressive level of antioxidants... The list goes on and on.
So do yourself a favor, try this recipe, your body and taste buds will thank you. It takes a bit of work, but the result, I assure you, is well worth it.
Get the recipe here.
Happy cooking!
Julia