Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

This Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is made with whole-food ingredients and is so luxuriously creamy and rich tasting. With both fresh and dried mushrooms and a hint of rosemary, you'll find yourself savoring every spoonful of creamy mushroom goodness! Oil-free, gluten-free, and coconut-free.

The Inspiration

Calling all mushroom fans! Oh boy, does this soup have me excited! Credit for this recipe idea goes to my friend Andrew. 

I met Andrew last year through mutual friends, and we crossed paths at a few events. Quickly we identified our common interest in cooking healthy plant-based recipes.

Not long after that Andrew moved south to sunny Florida, but we were able to stay in touch on facebook. This past summer he reached out and suggested we partner up to create this creamy mushroom soup recipe. He had an idea in mind for the method, and we started emailing back and forth. 

Andrew tested this soup recipe multiple times, which is no small feat in the midst of a Florida summer. I made it a couple of times, too, but really it only took one glance at his recipe notes for me to know it was going to be a total winner!

Key Ingredients

This soup isn't complicated at all, and the end result is a delicious vegan cream of mushroom soup that does NOT call for butter, all-purpose flour, or coconut milk.

One important step that makes this recipe different from most vegan cream of mushroom soups is the "tea" made by steeping dried porcini mushrooms with rosemary (fresh or dried). This adds an extra layer of flavor that really puts this soup over the top.

A small amount of raw cashews plus arrowroot or corn starch provide thickening and an ultra creamy mushroom soup.

Instructions

But before I scare you into thinking this "mushroom tea" sounds fancy, let me reassure you... if you can boil water, you can do this! 

The basic flow goes like this...

Steep the dried mushrooms and rosemary in hot water for about 20 minutes.

While the dried mushrooms and rosemary steep, sauté an onion and 1 pound of cremini mushrooms in a large stock pot.

Then add the "tea" to a blender with ½ cup raw cashews. Blend until smooth (see photos below). You with me? 

Back to the saute... because this is an oil-free recipe, you'll use a small amount of vegetable broth to soften the onion and mushrooms, prevent sticking, and help them along in the process.

The mushrooms will release a lot of moisture, so while that's happening (just listen for the sizzle) you shouldn't need to add any broth. 

Next, add minced garlic to the pan, more broth if needed, and 2 tablespoons of tamari. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms, and they're looking lovely and soft.

Total cook time for the sauté is around 25 minutes.

With the tea/cashew mixture blended and the mushrooms cooked, all that's left is to add the vegetable broth to the pot, and dissolve a bit of arrowroot (or corn starch) in cool water. 

Bring the broth to a simmer. Add the contents of the blender and the arrowroot slurry to the pot. Whisk and cook until thickened.

Voila! Swoon-worthy vegan cream of mushroom soup.

Serving Suggestions

Obviously you can enjoy a bowl of this velvety soup all by itself. It's also fantastic served over brown rice or quinoa with a side of steamed broccoli or kale.

Another option is to omit the water to produce a slightly thicker soup. Then use the condensed mushroom soup as a sauce for pasta, or simmer it with vegan meatballs, tofu, tempeh, or seitan.

Tips

If omitting the water to create a thicker condensed soup or sauce, whisk the arrowroot into the broth before adding it to the pot.

In case you're not familiar with thickeners like arrowroot and corn starch, the idea is to dissolve them in cool liquid first because as soon as they hit the heat they begin to thicken. If you add the starch directly to the hot soup you'll end up with clumps of starch, which is no good.

I haven't tried this soup yet in a casserole that calls for cream of mushroom, but I'm sure it would work beautifully. Be sure to let us know in the comments below if you experiment.

With zero coconut milk, oil, or butter in sight, you won't believe how wonderfully rich and satisfying this Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as we do. 

As always, I would love to hear from you if you try this soup. I'm sure it would make Andrew's day, too! So please leave us a comment and a star rating below to share your feedback.

You can also show off your soup on instagram. Be sure to tag me with @myquietkitchen so I'll see it.

You might also like:

Easy Vegan Mushroom Gravy (oil-free)
Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup
Cream of Kale Soup
Ultimate Vegan Mushroom Mac and Cheese
Whole-Wheat Crackers (oil-free)

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