Wild Rice + Mushroom + Tarragon Soup with Cashew Cream + Spinach + Walnuts
Oh Fall, how I love thee… It’s funny how your love for summer changes as you get older. Maybe it’s just me, but I definitely prefer fall more than summer now. The cool crisp air + hoodies + (football for all you football lovers) + soups that just warm my soul. You guys, this soup was a bit of an experiment, but HOLY YUM! I was so surprised at just how delicious this was. I’m seriously craving some right now. My hubby agrees that it might be one of my best meals to date. This soup is simple too, which means there are going to be lots of fall + winter evenings with this on the menu. As a thought (and I will surely be doing this next time I make it), double or triple the recipe and freeze it for even faster go-to dinners or lunches. Now that’s SOUPer! I think we’ve already established my nerdiness and love for puns, so just indulge, or better yet, why don’t you just go indulge in this soup!
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Wild Rice + Mushroom + Tarragon Soup with Cashew Cream + Spinach + Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 large handfuls spinach
- 1/4 cup tarragon (fresh), (leaves only)
- 4 oz package mushrooms
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp arrowroot flour/starch
- 2 32 ounce vegetable/no chicken broth, (I use Imagine Organics)
- 3 stalks celery
- 1/2 bag baby carrots (sliced)
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp olive oil, (for sauteeing the veggies)
- 2 tbsp butter, (I use Earth Balance)
- walnuts, (for garnishing)
Optional (but HIGHLY recommended)
- cashew cream, (recipe below)
Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews, (soaked for about an hour in hot water)
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup almond milk, (to thin)
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions in vegetable/no chicken broth
- Heat a large skillet to medium. Add the olive oil
- Chop your veggies, then add the onion and garlic to the skillet, followed by celery + carrots + mushrooms + rosemary + salt + pepper. Sautee for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently
- Next, add the veggies to a soup pot (keeping the burner on). Return the skillet to the burner and make a roux
- Make the roux with the butter + arrowroot + wine. Melt the butter first, then whisk in the arrowroot. Let it bubble for a few seconds, then slowly whisk in the wine
- In your soup pot, add the remaining broth (about 6 cups) and the roux. Stir to combine. Bring the pot to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let your soup boil while you make the cashew cream topping
Cashew Cream
- Drain + rinse your cashews
- Blend the cashews + nutritional yeast + almond milk in your blender until smooth
Serve
- Right at the end, add 2 large handfuls of spinach to the soup
- Serve drizzled with cashew cream + garnished with chopped walnuts
