Step 1

Aromatics: Warm the butter or oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms, garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have reduced to about half their size.

Step 2

Add the Rice: Add the wild rice, vegetable broth, and 3 cups of the water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 3

Simmer: Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stop cooking when the majority of the wild rice has split open to look like a hot dog bun (do not overcook!). The soup should get pretty thick at this point, but if it looks too thick you can thin it out with additional water.

Step 4

Make the Miso Cream: In the meantime, add the cashews, miso paste, and remaining 1 cup of water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds.

Step 5

Finishing Touches: Add the miso cream to the soup and mix well; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until warm. Adjust the soup as necessary here (more liquid, salt, pepper, etc).

Step 6

Serve & Store: Serve warm; store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The rice will absorb some of the soup’s liquid as it sits, so you may want to add extra water or vegetable broth when reheating.