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We made this recipe in preparation for the birth of our baby boy in January. It was so easy to assemble and we both loved it! We’ve made it a few times since then. I’m trying to minimize dairy, so we used unflavored almond milk and it turned out great. Thank you for helping us eat well during the chaotic newborn phase 😉
Julia
This luscious, comforting, ridiculously savory and delicious soup was prepped in advance, frozen, and made in a snap in the Instant Pot. Can you believe that?
BELIEVE IT, kids. This is one of my all-time favorite freezer meals!
Freezer Meal Wild Rice Soup can be made with or without mushrooms (but strongly recommend using them for an irreplaceable earthy flavor) and with or without chicken (totally your call)! It starts with vegetables, wild rice, and spices, and then gets creamy when you add a simple roux to the brothy soup base.
This is 100% a winter staple in our house. I have the recipe memorized.
How To Make Freezer Meal Wild Rice Soup
First things first – PLEASE USE REAL WILD RICE. None of this wild rice blend stuff. I know you are tempted, because it’s hard to find real wild rice (especially outside of Minnesota, where I am lucky enough to live) but it is very, very worth it to find the real stuff.
Once you’ve located those pure black wild rice grains, you can freeze them together with your veggies and spices. Simple, simple.
When it’s time to get your rice wild on, pop it into the Instant Pot!
While it’s finishing up, you can whisk up your roux (sounds fancy – it’s just butter, flour, and milk to make a creamy sauce situation) and stir that roux into your soup. Voila.
You will definitely need to eat this out of a very large bowl, both hands wrapped around, with a glass of Chardonnay, and a slice of hot uttered bread, while wearing comfy clothes and burning incense in the corner.
Just kidding about the incense.
Not kidding about the rest.
Check Out Our Video For How To Make Freezer Meal Wild Rice Soup:
Freezer Meal Wild Rice Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Freezer Meal Wild Rice Soup! Just freeze in a bag and add to the Instant Pot. So creamy and simple. Perfect for fall/winter nights!
Ingredients
FREEZE TOGETHER:
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice (the REAL stuff, not a blend)
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon each rubbed sage and dried thyme
- 1 lb. chicken breasts (optional)
ADD PARTWAY THROUGH COOKING:
- 5 medium carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
ADD AFTER COOKING:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon umami mushroom seasoning
- 1–2 tablespoons sherry
Instructions
INSTANT POT: From frozen, 45 minutes on high pressure + 10 minutes natural release. After 45 minutes, release steam from Instant Pot and add carrots, garlic, and celery to the pot. Cook for 10 more minutes on high pressure.
SLOW COOKER: From frozen, 4 hours on high. For the last 1-2 hours, add carrots, garlic, and celery.
FINAL STEP: Melt butter, whisk in flour, whisk in milk until creamy and thick. Add to the soup. Add extra water to thin to desired consistency. Finish with a sprinkle of umami seasoning and a drizzle of sherry.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: freezer meal wild rice soup, wild rice soup, freezer meal soup
View original recipe here.
You might also like our freezer meals post.
Your recipes look delicious! I need 8-hour recipes (since I work away from home), so I’m wondering if 8 hours on low is the same as 4 hours on high.
Yep, that should work just fine!
How long can this stay in the freezer before it’s made?
Should be fine for 2-3 months!
my experience is that the rice or pasta aborbs liguid during freezing ant thawing and turns out mushy.
i cook my rice very aldente and then freeze. Or freeze cooked rice separately.
So basically i have a very thick soup and add rice and broth after thawing. Delicious.
Thanks for sharing, Mario!
Why couldn’t you put the rice in a seperate plastic bag and just place on top of the other ingredients, just to keep from getting soggy?
I’ve been making this recipe for a little over a year, and my family of 6 loves it! I skip the mushrooms because of picky eaters. Just dump it all in the crockpot in the morning and thicken at the end. It’s frequently requested even among the kids; and so comforting too!
Glad to hear this, Amy! Thanks for the comment!
I want to make this for my daughter about ready to have a baby. Looks so delicious. Do we need to cook all the veggies, chicken before freezing? Thanks. Mary
Nope – it can all go in raw!
Why is the instant pot cook time (30 mins) less than your non frozen recipe that says 45 mins in instant pot? Is this a mistake? I would think frozen would need to cook same ant of time if not longer (not less)….I have the freezer meal ready to go, just want to make sure cook time is correct. Thank you!
I’ve got this same question. I’ve tried this recipe from frozen twice. Once with 45 minutes in the instant pot. Once with 30 minutes in the instant pot. I made sure I picked up the real deal wild rice and both times the rice cooked to risotto sized mush. Not what I pictured or what is pictured. (still good though 🙂
Do you add the chicken broth when you freeze this or add it when you put it in insta pot?
When we freeze it!
Hi, may I cook it then freeze it? Will the texture/taste be okay? Wanted to make just heat up meals without any cooking.
Thanks!
I was wondering the same thing! 🙂 If I can just make it in advance and then freeze it. I usually cook from scratch if I can but need to save myself time by doing meal prep. Scared about compromising the flavours.
How long can this stay in the freezer before it’s made?
I want to make this for my daughter about ready to have a baby. Looks so delicious.
Hi, may I cook it then freeze it? Will the texture/taste be okay? Wanted to make just heat up meals without any cooking.
Hello! I want able to find the rice you mentioned and I was desperate and still used the blend. My soup just seems… very thick. Guessing it’s the fault of the brown rice that was in the blend? Do I add more broth to thin it out ? I don’t want to throw this soup out 🙁
Yes, totally possible that it’s the brown rice. You could add more broth to thin it out!
Just wondering what to do with the chicken? Do you cube it, put in whole and shred once cooked?
We put it in whole and shred after it’s cooked!
Tip: freeze it in a shape that will actually fit in your instant pot!!! Otherwise you need an axe to cut it into pieces 😉
This looks great! How could you cook it (fresh or frozen) in a regular pot? We don’t have an instant pot or a crockpot.
This is soooo delicious. I added 3/4 cup of dry white wine since the rice needed a little more liquid and it was one of the best soups I’ve ever had!
We made this recipe in preparation for the birth of our baby boy in January. It was so easy to assemble and we both loved it! We’ve made it a few times since then. I’m trying to minimize dairy, so we used unflavored almond milk and it turned out great. Thank you for helping us eat well during the chaotic newborn phase 😉
I wanted this to work (as I could use some good freezer-to-Instant Pot meals); however, my family said, “Please don’t make this again.” They loved your Freezer/Instant Pot Beef Stew, however.
I made and froze some of your instant pot recipes while baby sitting my son’s home while they were on vacation. My daughter-in-love gives the wild rice soup 2 thumbs up, but recommends a little more broth before it is frozen. She says they loved the Beef Ragu and served it with potatoes.
How long would you cook it without being frozen??
Hi Elizabeth! We have directions for that here. Enjoy! 🙂
I’m wondering if this could be made with a cream base instead of a roux. Like half and half instead or milk or cream?
Hi, Theresa! You could definitely use half and half instead of whole milk here. We’d still recommend using the butter and flour though just to help thicken it up and add more flavor. Enjoy!
What other veggies would you recommend in place of mushrooms in here?
Hey there, Jennifer! Unfortunately there isn’t another veggie that works well here that would mimic the taste of a mushroom. You could keep the mushrooms out and add in more of the other veggies (onion, carrots, celery) plus even potato or sweet potato could work here, too.
We love this soup and want to gift a few freezer meals to my father in law but he has neither an instant pot nor a slow cooker – what would the cook time be if just making over the stove?
Hi, Tanya! We haven’t tested this out on the stovetop from frozen yet, but we’d guess it’d take a couple hours or so. Let us know how this goes for you!
I really want to try this after successfully making your Sweet Potato Stew and Lentil Soup! Just wondering if the milk can be replaced with almond milk?
I made exactly as described except I didn’t add the broth until I put everything in the instant pot. It came out perfect- May add a little extra garlic next time but otherwise very happy with our easy weeknight dinner!
So happy to hear you enjoyed this, Melissa!
Amazing flavor. Easy to make and freeze. I didn’t use all the thickened milk mixture, but maybe 80% of it. Hubby raved about it. I had frozen chicken thighs that I put in whole when I packaged it and after it cooked, I cut them up and tossed them back in before adding the milk mixture. Picture.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this, Lori!
What would the cook time be in the Instant Pot if cooking this fresh instead of frozen?
You can find those instructions here. 😊 https://pinchofyum.com/instant-pot-wild-rice-soup