Mushroom Rice Soup

It seems like spring is right around the corner, thank goodness. But last weekend was still chilly enough for me to crave a warm earthy bowl of soup. I love mushrooms of all kinds—I find them fascinating and tasty. (If you get a chance, go see the movie Fantastic Fungi (Megan, can you add the link to it: https://fantasticfungi.com) it’s really mind-blowing!) I usually do a creamy mushroom soup, but wanted something a little bit lighter, so this mushroom and rice soup fit the bill. Perfect for that one last cozy night before everything springs anew!

A few notes: I used oyster mushrooms from Primordia, but any mushrooms will do. Just chop them into uniform sizes. I had a bag of a wild rice mix in my pantry so that’s what I used, but regular brown rice will work here too. Finally, if you like your soup more…soupy, add a cup or two of extra stock.

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped 

1 pound mushrooms, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 

1 cup wild rice blend (or whatever rice you have) 

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp poultry seasoning

Salt & pepper 

Melt the butter in a 3-quart pot over medium heat, add onion, carrot, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes . Add stock, rice, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer the soup, covered, until rice is cooked, about 45 minutes (check your rice package for timing). Optional: for a little extra texture, reserve 1/2 cup of the chopped mushrooms and cook them in a skillet with butter until crispy, then top the soup with a little fresh parsley and the crispy mushrooms. Serves 2-4