Vegan Wild Rice Soup

Vegan Wild Rice Soup

Mom's Vegan Wild Rice Soup

My mom shared this recipe with me and it was so good I had to share! Whether you are a vegan, dairy free, vegetarian, want to reduce the amount of animal products in your life or simply love good food, you MUST try this recipe!!! It has gotten rave ratings from my meat and potatoes Dad, my husband that swears vegan meals aren't filling, and my oh so picky 8 year old son! You would never guess there is not any (dairy) cream in this soup! It is rich, creamy, and a crowd-pleaser! You will not be disappointed! Bonus, there are no "weird" ingredients. Pantry friendly soup! Try it and let me know what you think!  

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked wild rice and set aside (pre-cook 1 cup of wild rice, per package directions, to yield approximately 2 cups cooked rice). 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
• 1  1/2 onion (diced)
• 3 celery sticks (diced)
• 3 carrots (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1  1/2 quart vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1  1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1  1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I use fresh because it is what I had on hand)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I used freshly ground - whole nutmeg with a micro-plane)
• 1  1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight or *quick soak)

Instructions

Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot to medium and melt coconut/olive oil. Add in the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until the vegetables are tender and the onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds.

Add bay leaf, salt, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg and cook until herbs are fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add broth and simmer for 20 minutes.

While soup is simmering drain cashews and place in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend until smooth.

After soup has simmered for 20 minutes add cashew mixture to pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes - be sure to stir as soup will thicken. Serve!

*quick soak cashews: add raw cashews to a pot of boiling water (enough water to cover all cashews). Remove pot from heat, add cashews, place lid back on and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain and done!

 Yield 6 servings