Creamy Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup (Vegan!)
This hearty soup is full of seasonal veggies, savory herbs, nutty wild rice, and a flavorful, creamy broth. It's a simple, nourishing autumn meal!
Servings: 5 (2-cup servings)
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 2/3 cup wild rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
For the soup:
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 stalks celery
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups butternut squash*
- 15 oz. can chickpeas
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
For the cashew cream:
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp. tamari
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Optional: 2-3 tsp. cornstarch (for extra thickness)
Instructions
- Soak cashews: Place cashews in a heat-safe bowl. Top them with hot/boiling water until fully submerged. Set aside to soak while you prepare the soup.
- Cook rice: Rinse and drain the rice, then add it to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 40-45 minutes. (Check your package for precise cooking time.) Then rinse and drain when finished.
- Prepare veggies: Meanwhile, dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic. (Peel and cube the butternut squash if you haven't yet. You'll want about 2/3-inch to 3/4-inch cubes.)
- Begin cooking: In a large stockpot, sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding a splash more as needed.) Then add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir and sauté 1 minute.
- Simmer: Add the broth, butternut squash cubes, and chickpeas (rinsed and drained). Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
- Make cashew cream: During the last 5 minutes of simmering time, make your cashew cream sauce. Drain the soaked cashews (discarding the soak water) and give them a good rinse. Then add all cashew cream ingredients to a small, high-speed blender. Blend for about 30-40 seconds until silky smooth.
- Finish: Turn off the heat. Add the cashew cream, cooked rice, and baby spinach (roughly chopped if desired). Stir and let it warm through for 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. When serving, be sure to dig down to the bottom as the wild rice tends to sink.
Notes
*Butternut squash: 3 cups equals about 0.75 lbs. cubed squash. (I find this is roughly a 2 lb. squash.) Or use pre-cut for convenience.
Yield: Recipe makes about 10 cups soup.
Recipe originally published August 2023. Updated September 2026 with better method, texture, simplified ingredients, and more balanced flavors. (If you're looking for the original recipe with kale, mushrooms, and fresh rosemary, just email me and ask!)
Adapted from my Vegetable Chowder.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 338 kcal | Carbohydrates: 52 g | Protein: 14 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Potassium: 838 mg | Fiber: 9 g | Sugar: 7 g | Vitamin A: 12629 IU | Vitamin C: 26 mg | Calcium: 123 mg | Iron: 4 mg
