Wild Rice and Mushroom Stew

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2 min read
Summary

This savory, earthy soup is wonderfully comforting and features wild rice, which is often underutilized in plant-based cooking. It’s also super nourishing and healing with the nutrient-packed mushrooms, as well as the herbs (oregano, parsley, and thyme) and spices (clove).

Yields4 ServingsPrep Time25 minsCook Time1 hrTotal Time1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
 1 tbsp water (+1 Tbsp as needed, for sauté)
 2 cups red onion (chopped)
 2 pinches salt (optional)
 ground black pepper (optional, to taste)
 4 garlic cloves (+1 as desired, minced)
 10 cups mushrooms (+1 cup as desired, thickly sliced, see Chef's Notes)
 1 cup wild rice (uncooked)
 4 cups water (+1 cup as desired)
 2 cups vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
  cup organic tamari (+⅛ cup as desired, reduced sodium, or coconut aminos)
 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
 2 tbsp fresh oregano (chopped)
 1 ½ tbsp fresh thyme (+½ Tbsp as desired, chopped)
 1 large bay leaf
 2 tbsp arrowroot flour (+1 Tbsp as desired, mixed with 3 Tbsp of water)
 fresh parsley (optional, minced, for garnish)
 toasted pecans (chopped, for garnish)

Directions

1

In a large soup pot, heat vinegar and 1 tbsp water over medium heat.

2

Add chopped onions and a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes.

3

Add garlic and continue to sauté for another 1–2 minutes, until the onions soften, then add sliced mushrooms and another dash of salt. Add additional tbsp water if needed to prevent sticking.

4

Cover and let cook, occasionally tossing mushrooms gently, for 6–7 minutes, until they start to wilt.

5

Stir in rice, water, vegetable stock, and remaining ingredients (except optional arrowroot and fresh herbs) and stir. (If using fresh herbs instead of dried, add them during last minutes of cooking so that they do not overcook and lose their wonderful flavors).

6

Turn heat up to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover and let simmer for 45–55 minutes, or until wild rice is completely cooked and has opened to expose the inner white part of the grain (if you use another rice, you will not need to cook as long).

7

To thicken the stew a little, add the optional arrowroot mixture, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat again.

8

Season with additional sea salt and black pepper if desired.

9

Remove bay leaf, pour into individual bowls, and garnish with a sprinkling of parsley and toasted pecans.

Chef's Notes

Mix up the Mushrooms
The combination of mushrooms is up to you! For example, about 4–5 cups of button mushrooms, 3–4 cups of portabella, and shiitake, oyster, or chanterelle for the remainder. Adding just a few cups of wild mushrooms will greatly deepen and enhance the flavors.

Herbs
If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can substitute dried (about 2 tsp of each). If using dried, add them earlier in cooking, during the saute process.

Serving Suggestions
Serve with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.

Or, try the stew on top of ‘smashed’ potatoes.

Recipe from The Everyday Vegan by Dreena Burton adapted for WHOLE Life Club (WLC)

Ingredients

 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
 1 tbsp water (+1 Tbsp as needed, for sauté)
 2 cups red onion (chopped)
 2 pinches salt (optional)
 ground black pepper (optional, to taste)
 4 garlic cloves (+1 as desired, minced)
 10 cups mushrooms (+1 cup as desired, thickly sliced, see Chef's Notes)
 1 cup wild rice (uncooked)
 4 cups water (+1 cup as desired)
 2 cups vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
  cup organic tamari (+⅛ cup as desired, reduced sodium, or coconut aminos)
 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
 2 tbsp fresh oregano (chopped)
 1 ½ tbsp fresh thyme (+½ Tbsp as desired, chopped)
 1 large bay leaf
 2 tbsp arrowroot flour (+1 Tbsp as desired, mixed with 3 Tbsp of water)
 fresh parsley (optional, minced, for garnish)
 toasted pecans (chopped, for garnish)

Directions

1

In a large soup pot, heat vinegar and 1 tbsp water over medium heat.

2

Add chopped onions and a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes.

3

Add garlic and continue to sauté for another 1–2 minutes, until the onions soften, then add sliced mushrooms and another dash of salt. Add additional tbsp water if needed to prevent sticking.

4

Cover and let cook, occasionally tossing mushrooms gently, for 6–7 minutes, until they start to wilt.

5

Stir in rice, water, vegetable stock, and remaining ingredients (except optional arrowroot and fresh herbs) and stir. (If using fresh herbs instead of dried, add them during last minutes of cooking so that they do not overcook and lose their wonderful flavors).

6

Turn heat up to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover and let simmer for 45–55 minutes, or until wild rice is completely cooked and has opened to expose the inner white part of the grain (if you use another rice, you will not need to cook as long).

7

To thicken the stew a little, add the optional arrowroot mixture, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat again.

8

Season with additional sea salt and black pepper if desired.

9

Remove bay leaf, pour into individual bowls, and garnish with a sprinkling of parsley and toasted pecans.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Stew