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Cozy Slow Cooker Fall Vegetable Wild Rice Soup

cozy slow cooker fall vegetable wild rice soup - featured image
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A hearty, hands-off slow cooker soup made with wild rice, butternut squash, carrots, and celery in a creamy coconut milk broth. Perfect for busy weekdays or lazy fall Sundays, this naturally gluten-free and vegetarian soup is a happy accident turned into a seasonal favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 medium squash)
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium recommended)
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  2. Transfer to slow cooker: Scrape sautéed vegetables into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add cubed butternut squash, rinsed wild rice, fresh thyme sprigs, dried sage, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Pour in vegetable broth and stir well.
  3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until wild rice is tender and squash is soft. About 30 minutes before serving, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in coconut milk and let heat through.
  4. Adjust seasoning: Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
  5. Serve and garnish: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread or a side salad.

Notes

For best results, sauté aromatics before adding to slow cooker. Rinse wild rice to prevent cloudy soup. Add coconut milk at the end to avoid curdling. Soup thickens as it sits; add extra broth when reheating. This soup tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker soup, wild rice soup, fall vegetable soup, butternut squash soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup, cozy soup, meal prep soup

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/cozy-slow-cooker-fall-vegetable-wild-rice-soup/