Golden Beet Wild Rice Soup
This is not just another soup. My wild rice soup is an experience.
There are a million wild rice soup recipes out there, and as I write this I can’t help but picture myself as a brown haired goldilocks explaining why this one is “just right!”
Every grocery store hot bar has their version, and every family has there one wrinkled up recipe that they use… but why is wild rice soup something so delicate that it often gets over looked as a recipe candidate to mess with?
We had a short stint in our family where one of my little guys needed to be dairy free, and being that wild rice soup is my absolute favorite meal, (yes I would even order it in the summertime I love it so much, even if it was at the expense of my core temp ha!) I needed to perfect this meal and make it healthy and dairy-free. He actually does not require a totally dairy-free diet anymore, but I will forever keep this recipe as it is, because it is so much tastier dairy-free and has the perfect consistency and you don’t blow up like a balloon when you’re finished with a couple bowls of it! It’s truly one of a kind, which is why I cherish it so much more!
I find that wild rice soup can often be too thick or too thin and it is really hard to find a happy medium, but I will go into more detail on how to create the perfect consistency with this one without having to use things like cornstarch or excessive flour. Ick!
I added sweet potato and beautiful golden beets to my recipe and it has become not just an extra ingredient or two but main staples of the whole recipe, to add just a touch of sweetness and earth tones, mingling throughout the whole experience.
It’s the dead of winter here in Minnesota and it’s the week of Christmas! My family is getting together to do our annual Lefsa making party and my mom asked me to bring a little lunch spread. With the holidays coming up and a lot of big and heavy meals in sight, I wanted to bring something easy, light but also filling and also in one pot so it was easy to haul over! We typically have 20ish people to feed, so I will often times double the recipe for this one and if you have leftovers, it is the absolute best “leftover meal.” So delicious and keeps its integrity if you put it back in the fridge for later.
NOTE: I know following instructions and measurements can be hard sometimes, but with this recipe I highly recommend exact measurements! Also if you are debating between a slow cooker and a crockpot, my opinion is the crockpot for this one! It is a few less steps and makes the wild rice cooking far easier!
XX Shea Steady
Size reference for cubing root vegetables
This is a visual for how many servings! I have a 9L Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Pictured: Raw golden beet.. in the case that this is a new vegetable to you! Here is what you look for!
Yields: 15 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1hr (Dutch) 5-6hrs (Slow cooker) Author: Shea Steadman
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Shredded Carrots
1 Cup Celery (about 2 sticks)
1.5 cups (about 1 medium) peeled and 1/4 in cubed Sweet Potato
1 cup Uncooked Wild Rice
1 1/2 cups golden beats (about 1 medium) peeled and cubed in 1/4 in cubes (see photo for reference)
3 Quarts Chicken Broth
1 can Drained Garbanzo Beans
1/2 Cup finely chopped Kale
4 oz (1/2 cup) sliced baby bella mushrooms (omit if mushrooms aren’t your thing!)
2 cups cooked chicken: Rotisserie Chicken or grilled chicken shredded or cubed (I do both shredding and cubing combined)
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium sized onion)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme Leaves
1 3/4 Teaspoon plus more Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Raw Honey
NOTE: Do not add the following ingredients until Part II:
1/3 Cup Arrowroot Powder thoroughly Mixed into 1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free Flour 1:1 (See Photo) thoroughly mixed into 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons Hummus
2 cups Dairy-Free Heavy Cream (Silk Heavy Whipping Cream)
Fresh parsley, chopped and 1-2 avocados (for garnish)
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
PART I. Place the following ingredients in slow cooker
on high and cook for 4-6 hours (until wild rice is curly (important!) and vegetables are soft)
1 Cup Shredded Carrots
1 Cup Celery (about 2 sticks)
1.5 cups (about 1 medium) peeled and 1/4 in cubed Sweet Potato
1 cup Uncooked Wild Rice
1 1/2 cups golden beats (about 1 medium) peeled and cubed in 1/4 in cubes (see photo for reference)
3 Quarts Chicken Broth
1 can Drained Garbanzo Beans
1/2 Cup finely chopped Kale
4 oz (1/2 cup) sliced baby bella mushrooms (omit if mushrooms aren’t your thing!)
2 cups cooked chicken: Rotisserie Chicken or grilled chicken shredded or cubed (I do both shredding and cubing combined)
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium sized onion)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme Leaves
1 3/4 Teaspoon plus more Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Raw Honey
2. PART II: turn slow cooker to warm setting and add “PART II) ingredients. mix well and serve. Do not allow to boil, or the cream mixture will “cake”
3. Enjoy and comment on your experiential Golden Beet Soup!
DUTCH OVEN INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425°
2. Prepare the Wild Rice: Rinse the wild rice under cold water to remove any debris. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth to a boil. Add the rinsed wild rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the wild rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Drain any excess liquid and set the cooked wild rice aside.
3. Bake: Place sweet potato and golden beets on a baking sheet with drizzled olive oil and bake in oven until golden brown ~15 mins
2. Saute the Vegetables: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and saute until they become translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the carrots, celery, and sliced mushrooms, and saute for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the Herbs and Spices: Sprinkle the dried thyme, and bay leaf into the pot with the sauteed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to coat the vegetables and release the flavors of the herbs and spices.
4. Simmer the Soup: Pour the cooked wild rice into the pot and give it a good stir to combine with the vegetables and herbs. If using cooked chicken, add it to the pot as well. Pour the Chicken broth and bring to a boil, turn heat down to low, Pour in the heavy cream, and bring the soup to a simmer over medium-low heat. Allow the soup to simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the flavors have melded together. (DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL CREAM)
5. Garnish and Serve: Once the soup has finished simmering, remove the bay leaf. Ladle the warm wild rice soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!
Note: This wild rice soup is so delicious as is, but other things I have added to it in the past are: peas or corn, adjust the seasoning by adding rosemary or even add some cooked bacon for extra flavor, so customize it to suit your taste! Enjoy this comforting and hearty wild rice soup on a cozy winter day or if you’re like me, enjoy all summer long!
