minnesota wild rice soup

aka my favorite soup

it’s hard for me to pick favorites. i’m not someone who freely dabbles in sharing (or even having) strong opinions, probably because i’m introverted and no matter how inconsequential the subject, i tend to take it seriously, needing time to internally deliberate before coming to, and then stating, my own opinion. i could (and maybe should?) loosen up, but honestly, i probably won’t. i’m happy to retreat into my mind, quickly thinking things through while offering up non-answers or clarifying questions to buy myself my time in response to a query as seemingly straightforward as, “what’s your favorite restaurant in berlin?”

when it comes to my favorite soup though, i know where i stand. it’s wild rice soup, a roux-and-cream-suspended medley speckled with carrot and onion, often hunks of chicken or ham, and plenty of ruptured, curled grains of nutty, chewy wild rice.

last year, i wrote about one of my other favorite ways to eat wild rice and when i went to my pantry and saw my wild rice stash (one i replenish every time i’m back in minnesota) was getting low, i decided i wanted to use that last bit of rice to make this soup and share the recipe here. it’s my time-tested adaptation of a very popular recipe from a local grocery store chain in minnesota that was, if my memory serves me correctly, the first wild rice soup i ever ate.

it’s a simple, humble soup, where the wild rice is undeniably the star. the northern strain of wild rice (zizania palustris) is native to the great lakes region and has been a staple of indigenous peoples in the area for at least two thousand years, which is amazing and awe-inspiring. there are many tribal nations in minnesota that still harvest wild rice by hand, using traditional methods to process the rice as well which you can see here. minnesota is the number one producer of wild rice in the united states, offering both hand harvested and commerically cultivated wild rice, so if you can buy minnesota grown (ideally hand harvested), do! and thus ends my unpaid ad for minnesota wild rice, lol.

moving on: there are a few things you can do to change this recipe if you’d like. i’ve added an equal amount of shredded potato in addition to carrot which is really nice, especially if you want to make a hearty vegetarian soup and leave out the chicken. if you don’t have a box grater or anything to shred the vegetables, finely chop them instead. many wild rice soups also add celery in with the onion, but i personally find the texture and flavor of the celery distracting and not necessary in this soup. if you want to highlight the nutty, earthy flavor of the rice with a smoky foil, fry some chopped bacon in the pot before adding the onions and butter.

you might already have guessed this, but i want to state it clearly: don’t make this soup without wild rice. you can not substitute it—flavor- or texture-wise—with another kind of rice. if you did, you might think, “yum, still tasty”, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but it would be an altogether different soup and i would simply ask you, “why?” if you’re wondering how widely available wild rice is, let’s just say that i’ve seen it in plenty of grocery stores here in berlin—not discounters, but regular ones like rewe and edeka, and not just specialty ones—so i feel confident that it’s an ingredient you’ll be able find if you do some digging.

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this time last year:

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minnesota wild rice soup

serves 4

1 yellow onion (about 100 grams)

1 carrot (about 100 grams)

4 tablespoons salted butter

60 grams all-purpose flour

1.25 liters chicken or vegetable broth

400 grams cooked wild rice (boil 130 grams wild rice like pasta in a big pot of salted water, once the grains start to burst and curl up, about 40 minutes, they’re ready to drain; you can cook the rice up to 3 days in advance)

150 grams shredded or cubed chicken or ham

3 tablespoons slivered almonds (substitute: flaked almonds, chopped marcona almonds)

150 ml heavy cream

freshly grated black pepper

minced chives for serving

1. peel 1 yellow onion and 1 carrot. carefully grate the onion with a large box grater and add to a large pot or dutch oven. grate the carrot onto a cutting board or into a bowl.

2. add 4 tablespoons salted butter to the pot with the onion and set over medium heat. let cook until tender and just starting to take on color, about 5 minutes.

3. add in 60 grams flour, using a whisk to stir constantly, then slowly stream in 1.25 liters broth, as you continue whisking. once all the broth is added, bring up to a boil over medium-high heat.

4. once boiling, reduce heat down to medium-low and add in 400 grams cooked wild rice, 150 grams chicken or ham and 3 tablespoons slivered almonds. let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until everything is warmed through and the soup has thickened.

5. remove from the heat, add in 150 ml heavy cream and stir to combine. season with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste. serve immediately, garnished with minced chives if desired.

   the soup will keep stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. to reheat, add some water, plus a splash of milk or heavy cream to loosen and heat in a pot on low heat until simmering. season once more to taste before serving.