Description

This comforting Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup is a creamy, hearty dish loaded with fresh mushrooms, wild rice, and vegetables, perfect for a cozy night in. Featuring a flavorful blend of herbs and a choice between a rich heavy cream base or a lighter flour-butter-milk thickened sauce, this soup combines ease with gourmet taste in one pot.

Ingredients

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Base Ingredients

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 Options

Option A: 1½ cups heavy cream
Option B: 6 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
1½ cups milk (2% recommended)

Additional Flavoring

1 teaspoon umami mushroom seasoning
1–2 tablespoons sherry

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Instructions

Sauté Vegetables: Using the Instant Pot’s sauté function, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms, cooking until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add Wild Rice and Broth: Stir in the uncooked wild rice, broth, salt, sage, and thyme. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set to cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
Release Steam and Add Vegetables: After cooking, release steam carefully using the valve. Add chopped carrots, minced garlic, and chopped celery (if using). Close the lid again and cook on high pressure for an additional 10 minutes. Release steam once done.
Make Creamy Sauce Option A: For a rich and smooth soup, stir in 1½ cups of heavy cream directly into the soup. Adjust consistency by adding more broth if needed. Skip to step 6.
Make Creamy Sauce Option B: To prepare a thickened milk sauce, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ½ cup of flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in 1½ cups milk, a bit at a time, until smooth and thickened. Season lightly with salt.
Combine and Season: Mix your chosen creamy sauce into the soup in the Instant Pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon umami mushroom seasoning and 1–2 tablespoons of sherry to enhance depth and flavor. If the soup is too thick, thin with additional broth to your preferred consistency.
Serve: Ladle hot soup into bowls and enjoy the hearty, creamy wild rice delight.

Notes

This recipe uses the Instant Pot for pressure cooking, reducing the overall cooking time while intensifying flavors.
Wild rice absorbs liquid and expands greatly; do not substitute with other rice varieties directly.
Celery is optional and can be omitted if preferred or unavailable.
Choose between heavy cream for richness or a lighter milk-thickened sauce to tailor creaminess.
Sherry is subtle but essential for balancing umami and adding complexity.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups (approximately 300g)
Calories: 313
Sugar: 8.1 g
Sodium: 1103.4 mg
Fat: 13.7 g
Saturated Fat: 8.1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5.5 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrates: 39.7 g
Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 10.1 g
Cholesterol: 35.5 mg