Description

This Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup is a cozy, creamy, and hearty dish packed with earthy mushrooms, tender wild rice, carrots, and celery. Made effortlessly in the pressure cooker, it combines savory herbs and either a rich heavy cream or a buttery flour-based sauce to create a velvety texture. Perfect for a comforting night in, this soup offers a satisfying blend of flavors and textures that warm you from the inside out.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

2 tablespoons butter
½ onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup uncooked wild rice
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (optional)

Creamy Sauce (Option A)

1 ½ cups heavy cream
Optional: Additional broth to thin soup if needed

Creamy Sauce (Option B)

6 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk (2% recommended)
Salt to taste

Additional Seasoning

1 teaspoon umami mushroom seasoning
1-2 tablespoons sherry

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Instructions

Sauté Onions and Mushrooms: Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onions and thinly sliced mushrooms, cooking them until they soften and release their moisture, enhancing their flavor.
Add Rice and Broth: Stir in the uncooked wild rice, broth, salt, rubbed sage, and dried thyme. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes to tenderize the rice and infuse the broth with mushroom and herb flavors.
Cook Additional Vegetables: After releasing the pressure, add the chopped carrots, minced garlic, and celery (if using). Seal the pot again and cook on high pressure for another 10 minutes to soften the vegetables without overcooking.
Release Steam: Use the valve on top of the Instant Pot to safely release the steam after the second cooking cycle.
Prepare Creamy Sauce Option A (Heavy Cream): Pour 1 ½ cups of heavy cream directly into the soup inside the Instant Pot. Stir well to combine. If the soup seems too thick, add additional broth until your desired consistency is reached. The cream will impart rich flavor with a slightly thinner texture.
Prepare Creamy Sauce Option B (Butter, Flour, and Milk Roux): In a separate saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in ½ cup of flour, cooking the mixture for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in 1 ½ cups of milk until the sauce smooths and thickens. Add salt to taste.
Combine Sauce with Soup: Add the prepared roux sauce to the Instant Pot soup and stir thoroughly. This will thicken the soup significantly; adjust the consistency with broth if it becomes too thick.
Add Final Seasoning: Stir in 1 teaspoon of umami mushroom seasoning and 1-2 tablespoons of sherry. This step elevates the savory depth and adds a subtle richness to the soup.
Serve: Ladle the creamy wild rice soup into bowls while hot. Enjoy this comforting and hearty meal perfect for chilly days.

Notes

Wild rice adds a nutty flavor and chewy texture that complements the creamy broth.
You can choose between heavy cream for richness or a butter-flour-milk sauce for a lighter alternative to thicken the soup.
Sherry adds subtle depth and complexity but isn’t overpowering; it’s worth including if available.
The celery is optional but adds nice aromatic flavor and texture.
Adjust broth quantity depending on your preferred soup thickness, especially when using the roux method.
Use the sauté function on the Instant Pot to save time and reduce dishes for cooking the mushrooms and onions before pressure cooking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Calories: 310 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 580 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 7 g
Cholesterol: 50 mg