Sherried Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms
A creamy, elegant soup combining tender wild rice with sautéed leeks and mushrooms in a rich chicken broth base enriched with butter, flour, light cream, and dry sherry. The roux-thickened broth melds mushroom earthiness with subtle sherry notes for a sophisticated starter or light main.
Ingredients
- ⅝ cup wild rice, raw
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium leeks, washed and trimmed
- 3 large mushrooms
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup flour
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 cup light creamheavy cream1:1dairy
richer texture
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- salt, to taste(optional)
- pepper, to taste(optional)
- parsley, minced, for serving(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Thoroughly wash wild rice and place in heavy saucepan with water and salt.
- 2
Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until tender but not too soft, about 45 minutes.
- 3
Fluff rice with a fork and simmer uncovered another 5 minutes.
- 4
Drain rice well.
- 5
Wash, trim, and chop leeks, leaving some green part. Chop mushrooms.
- 6
Sauté leeks and mushrooms in butter in large saucepan until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- 7
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook 1 minute, stirring with wooden spoon.
- 8
Slowly add chicken broth while blending, then add rice.
- 9
Stir with whisk until thickened.
- 10
Blend in cream and sherry.
- 11
Remove from heat before soup comes to a boil.
- 12
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 13
Sprinkle each serving with minced parsley.
Tips
Use a heavy saucepan for even heat distribution when cooking wild rice.
Do not allow soup to boil after adding cream and sherry to prevent curdling.
Drain rice thoroughly to prevent soup from becoming too watery.
Good to Know
Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight container. Freeze up to 2 months; reheat gently on stovetop.
Prepare wild rice and chop vegetables up to 1 day ahead. Complete soup up to 1 day in advance; add parsley garnish just before serving.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip draining the wild rice to avoid oversaturated, mushy soup.
Do not boil soup after adding cream and sherry to avoid curdled texture.
Do not use instant or quick-cooking wild rice to avoid mushy consistency.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
thinner consistency