Creamy Harvest Soup

This Creamy Harvest Soup is basically everything I want to eat once the weather starts to cool down. It’s cozy, creamy, and packed with fall flavors from butternut squash, apple, wild rice, savory sausage, and fresh herbs.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy harvest soup

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 517kcal

Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

1 lb. mild Italian sausage
Olive oil, as needed
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 medium Honeycrisp or Gala apple, peeled and grated (I use the larger holes on my box grater)
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider, NOT apple cider vinegar
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed because soup thickens with the rice
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, I use a microplane to get fine shreds
4 packed cups chopped kale, tough stems removed (or baby spinach if you don’t care for kale)

For Serving

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley or sage
Cracked black pepper
Crusty bread

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Brown the sausage: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 7-9 minutes Start Timer, breaking it into bite-size crumbles, until cooked through and browned on the edges. Avoid stirring constantly so the sausage has time to caramelize against the pot. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat in the pot, draining any excess. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the pot looks dry.
1 lb. mild Italian sausage, Olive oil
Cook the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for ~5-6 minutes Start Timer, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the grated apple and cook for another 2-3 minutes Start Timer, until the apple softens and nearly melts into the vegetables. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 medium yellow onion, 2-3 medium carrots, 3 celery ribs, 1 medium Honeycrisp or Gala apple, 5-6 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage, 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Add the flour and cider: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute Start Timer, stirring constantly, so no dry flour remains. Slowly pour in the apple cider while stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the cider has reduced slightly. Start Timer
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
Simmer the rice: Gradually stir in the chicken broth. Add the wild rice blend and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes Start Timer, stirring once or twice to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend, 1 bay leaf
Add the squash: Stir in the diced butternut squash and return the browned sausage to the pot. Cover and continue simmering for ~20-25 minutes Start Timer, or until the rice is tender and the squash is easily pierced with a fork but still holds its shape. Cooking times vary among wild rice blends, so begin checking the rice according to its package directions. Add additional broth as needed if the rice absorbs more liquid than expected.
4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
Finish the creamy broth: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Add the Parmesan a little at a time, stirring after each addition until melted. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the cream and cheese.
1 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Add the kale: Lastly, stir in the kale and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes Start Timer, until wilted and tender. Taste and add more salt or black pepper as needed. For a thinner soup, stir in additional broth. For a thicker soup, let it rest uncovered for 5-10 minutes before serving. Start Timer
4 packed cups chopped kale
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with more Parmesan, herbs, and cracked black pepper. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Chopped fresh parsley or sage, Cracked black pepper, Crusty bread

Notes

Slow Cooker Option: Brown the sausage on the stovetop as directed and transfer to the slow cooker. Then, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, apple, garlic, and seasonings for 3-4 minutes. Omit the flour. Transfer everything to a 6-quart slow cooker except the cream, Dijon, Parmesan, and kale. Add the cider, broth, wild rice, squash, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the rice and squash are tender. Stir in the cream, Dijon, Parmesan and kale. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes, until the kale is tender. Finish with lemon juice and season to taste. Because rice brands cook differently, check the soup early and add warm broth if it becomes too thick.
Store: Let the soup cool slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The wild rice will continue absorbing the broth as it sits, so add a splash of chicken broth when reheating if needed.

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