Rich with umami flavor, this Oil-Free Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is made with both dried and fresh mushrooms, onion, garlic, and a hint of rosemary. The result is a deeply satisfying, deceptively light, vegan cream of mushroom soup you’ll savor to the last spoonful! WFPB and free from oil, gluten, and coconut.
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.
I got the impression that he made this soup multiple times, which is no small feat in the midst of a Florida summer (WTG, Andrew!). I made it a couple of times myself, but really it only took that first glance at his notes for me to know it was going to be a total winner.
My one regret is that I didn’t share this recipe sooner. It didn’t feel pressing in the middle of summer, but before I knew it the holidays were upon us, and I knew I needed to get back to it!
How to Make the Ultimate Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
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. Well, friends, I believe that’s what we call #winning.
The other thing that makes this recipe different from most 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.
But before you start thinking this tea sounds fancy, let me reassure you… if you can boil water, you can do this! Steep the tea for about 20 minutes, and add it to a blender with 1/2 cup raw cashews. Blend until smooth (see photos below). You with me?
While the dried mushrooms and rosemary steep, sauté an onion and 1 pound of cremini mushrooms in a large stock pot. And 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. You can see the progression in color in these two photos.
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.
Let’s eat!
Ideas for Serving Vegan Cream of Mushroom
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 it as a sauce for pasta, or simmer it with vegan meatballs, tofu, tempeh, or seitan. If you choose to go that route, 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. Drop a link in the comments below if you have a favorite casserole recipe that calls for cream of mushroom. Let’s 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.
More vegan soup recipes:
Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup
Cream of Kale Soup
1-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup
Seared Bok Choy Broth With Noodles
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms Often sold in 1 ounce packets, this allows you to make 2 batches of soup from one pack. Feel free to use .75 or 1 ounce for even more flavor.
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 16 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, divided; mince 2 cloves and leave 2 whole
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 3 Tbsp arrowroot starch or corn starch
Instructions
- Combine the porcinis and rosemary in a small bowl. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and pour into the bowl. Steep for 20 minutes.
- Preheat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/4 cup broth. Stirring occasionally, cook 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms, and continue to cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the mushroom-rosemary "tea" with the cashews and 2 whole cloves of garlic in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a bit of the broth to keep it moving, if needed. Set aside.
- To the soup pot add black pepper, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and tamari, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until all moisture has evaporated.
- Add the remaining broth to the soup pot and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the blended mixture.
- Dissolve the arrowroot into the remaining cup of water. Add this to the soup pot, and continue to whisk/stir. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.
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