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January has been a busy month. The College Football Championship, the Grammys, NFL playoffs, my birthday…

Lots to do and see.

And on top of that, slow cookers and baking get a special highlight this month. However, I didn’t spend much time on one other month — National Soup Month! Today is the last day of the month. I need to include something for that theme right? And it fits in with the slow cooker theme too!

Another Two-fer!

Today’s dish is a vegetarian rice soup. This satisfying, earthy soup is so warm and comforting. The wild rice is filling, while the finely minced and chopped vegetables give the soup a more consistent flavor throughout. What’s more, some of its “creaminess” comes from pureed cannellini beans, rather than a larger amount of high-fat dairy products.

“Creamy” Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Vegetarian Rice and Mushroom Soup

4 from 1 vote

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Course Soup

Cuisine American

Equipment

Food processor

slow cooker

Ingredients

1 c. multi-color wild rice blend uncooked*
1 small white onion roughly chopped
3 stalks celery roughly chopped
2 large carrots peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic peeled
12 oz. fresh mushrooms washed, divided
1 15- oz. can cannellini beans undrained**
1 whole bay leaf
2 t. garlic powder
6-8 c. vegetable stock divided
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ c. half and half tempered
¼ c. fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Rinse the wild rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Let drain and transfer to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock.
Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until very finely minced and transfer to slow cooker crock.
Add 8 oz. mushrooms to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Thinly slice remaining mushrooms and add to slow cooker pot, along with the finely chopped mushrooms.
Puree cannellini beans until smooth and pour into slow cooker crock with other ingredients. Add bay leaf, garlic powder, and 6 cups of vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. Actual cooking time will vary by individual slow cooker, so check for doneness after 2½ hours (or 5½ hours for low) and adjust cooking time accordingly. (The rice should be tender, but not mushy when finished).
When cooking time is complete, remove bay leaf and discard. Add tempered half and half, chopped parsley, and additional vegetable stock, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

*For best results, use a multi-color wild rice blend. Black rice will turn purple when the cream is added.

**For less salt, rinse and drain the beans before pureeing them with a little water.

Tip: To prevent curdling, avoid stirring cold dairy products directly into the hot soup. To temper the half and half, add a couple of spoonfuls of the hot soup to it before stirring into the slow cooker crock.

Keyword mushrooms, slow cooker, soup, wild rice

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