Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is like a warm hug in a bowl. It’s deliciously creamy, herby, and hearty.  It’s made with lots of vegetables, whole milk and cream but the special ingredient is small bites of sweet and tart dried cranberries.  It’s also the perfect way to use leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I love the festive look of this soup from the flecks of green herbs and red bites of dried cranberry.  Autumn Wild Rice Soup is the perfect easy recipe for any holiday event, especially if you follow the meal with Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake.

This nourishing soup delivers a comforting, flavorful, and heartwarming meal that's perfect for sharing with anyone.

For more cozy recipes to warm your heart in the cold months visit my recipes for Creamy Carrot and Parsnip Soup, Vegetarian Stroganoff, Spicy Sausage Pasta and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• This soup contains all the flavors you associate with autumn, Thanksgiving or even Christmas dinner. It's the ultimate comfort food!
• Ideal for using up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• The addition of dried cranberries adds delightful bursts of sweet and tart flavor in every bite.
• Nutritious and filling!
• Freezer-friendly.

Ingredients

• Broth - I used a bouillon soup cube and dissolved it in 4 cups of water for this recipe. But homemade broth or store bought liquid broth would work wonderfully! The more flavorful the broth, the more flavorful the soup.
• Wild rice - I have used various types of rice blends over the years for this recipe. Choose your favorite rice blend and just taste test grains of rice to ensure they are tender before proceeding to adding the dairy.
• Carrots and Celery - finely dice these vegetables for a more enjoyable texture in the final soup.
• Milk and Cream - purchase dairy products that contain simple ingredients. Many store bought creams contain unnecessary stabilizers and additives.
• Celery seed - In my opinion, celery seed is one of the most crucial soup ingredients. I love the flavor it imparts!

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• Wild Rice: If you don't have wild rice on hand, you can use brown rice or barley or even swap for orzo. (Note the cook time on the packages so you can know approximately how long each grain would take to cook in the soup.)
• Chicken: Feel free to substitute the chicken with turkey or store bought rotisserie chicken for a big time saver!
• Top the soup with homemade sugar free granola for a delicious garnish that adds a satisfying crunch to each spoonful.

I have not experimented with any other substitutions or alterations for this recipe. If you decide to make any changes by adding or substituting ingredients, I would love it if you could share your results with us by leaving a comment below.

How To Make Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Here are the step-by-step instructions to make this recipe.

Step 1: Chop vegetables and prep ingredients.

Before beginning, chop all your vegetables and set out all the ingredients.

Step 2: Cook the chicken.

Cook the cubed chicken in a large soup pot or Dutch oven until lightly browned and fully cooked. Set aside.

Step 3: Soften the onions.

In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoon of butter. Add the chopped onions and cook for several minutes until softened.

Step 4: Cook the carrots and celery.

Add the finely diced carrots and celery and cook for several more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add the broth, wild rice and bay leaves.

Add the chicken broth, wild rice and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots and rice grains are tender.

Step 6: Add spices, cranberries and dairy.

Reduce the heat, remove the bay leaves and add the remaining spices, dried cranberries (snip each cranberry two or three times with kitchen scissors for smaller bites), milk and cream.

Step 7: Add chicken and adjust for seasoning.

Stir in the cooked chicken and taste the soup. Take your time to carefully adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed.

Step 8: Thicken the soup (optional) and garnish and serve.

If the broth requires thickening, make a slurry by melting ¼ cup of butter in a separate small saucepan and whisking  ¼ cup of flour into it.  Stir for several minutes. Add the slurry to the soup to thicken. Bring the soup back to temperature, stirring constantly.

Taste again for seasoning. Serve the soup with a garnish of fresh herbs (such as parsley or thyme) and a sprinkle of snipped dried cranberries.

Expert Tips

• Prepare all ingredients before beginning. This makes for a more enjoyable and stress free cooking experience.
• For smaller bites of cranberry throughout, I snip the cranberries two to three times with kitchen scissors. 
• I provide the option to thicken the soup.  Depending on the brand of wild rice sometimes the rice itself lends enough starch to thicken the broth but if you find the broth too thin, you can add a slurry of butter and flour to thicken. Instructions below in the recipe card. 
• Before you add the milk and cream, check that the carrots and rice grains are cooked and tender. 
• Once you’ve added the milk and cream ensure to not let the soup reach a boil again. If the dairy gets too hot it will separate. 
• For a beautiful presentation when serving, sprinkle fresh herbs and a few dried cranberries on each soup bowl.

Recipe FAQs

More Cozy Recipes