Mad Alice's Wild Rice Soup

This creamy wild rice soup builds its body the old-fashioned way: a butter and flour roux thinned with chicken broth, then enriched with cream and a splash of wine. The oven finish is what sets it apart, letting everything meld together in a tureen for a velvety texture you won’t get from stovetop simmering alone.

Wild rice kernels need to cook until most of them have “popped” open, showing their pale interior. That’s your sign they’re done. Undercooked kernels stay tough and chewy no matter how long the soup simmers after.

Chef Tips

• Cook the wild rice separately and add it to the soup base. Wild rice releases starch that can make the broth gummy if cooked directly in it.
• Sauté the onions until fully transparent before adding flour. Raw onion flavor lingers in a cream soup.
• Add the cream off heat, then transfer to the oven. Boiling cream directly can cause it to break and turn grainy.
• Leeks work beautifully in place of onion here for a milder, sweeter base. Slice the white and light green parts only.

Variations

• Use mushrooms fresh instead of canned for deeper, earthier flavor. Sauté them with the onions.
• Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken for a heartier one-bowl meal.
• Replace cream with half-and-half for a lighter version that still feels rich.