Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

Truly the BEST Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup! Made with whole-food ingredients, this soup is so incredibly luscious and rich tasting. Don't be surprised if you find yourself savoring every spoonful! With both fresh and dried mushrooms and a hint of rosemary, this vegan cream of mushroom is easy enough for a weekday and amazing enough for special occasions. Oil-free, gluten-free, and coconut-free.

The Inspiration For Vegan Mushroom Soup

Calling all mushroom fans! Portabella, baby bella, shiitake, porcini, or even white button mushrooms; if you love them you are in the right place! 

Oh boy, does this soup have me excited! Although I wish I could take credit for this beautiful mushroom soup, credit for this recipe goes to my friend Andrew. 

I met Andrew through mutual friends when we crossed paths at a few events. Quickly we identified our common interest in cooking healthy plant-based recipes and from then on we were instant foodie friends.

Andrew has moved south to sunny Florida, but we stay in touch on Facebook. Recently, 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 amid a Florida summer. I made it a couple of times, too, but it truly 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 result is a delicious soup, vegan in all its glory, that does NOT call for butter, all-purpose flour, or coconut cream milk.

One crucial 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 tea adds an extra layer of flavor that puts this soup over the top.

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

How To Make Vegan Cream of Mushroom

Before I scare you into thinking this "mushroom tea" sounds fancy, let me reassure you, it is not! If you can boil water you can make this tea.

The basic flow goes like this:

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

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

1. 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 you shouldn't need to add any broth while that's happening (just listen for the sizzle).

Next, add minced garlic to the pan, more broth if needed, and two tablespoons of tamari.

Continue to cook, occasionally stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms and they're looking lovely and soft.

The 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.

What To Serve With 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 the condensed mushroom soup as a sauce for pasta, or simmer it with vegan meatballs, tofu, tempeh, or seitan.

Tips

Make a delicious recipe better with my tried and true recommendations:

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

If 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 don’t think it needs it, but if you like, add salt and pepper to taste once the soup is done.

I haven't tried this 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:

• Vegan Mushroom Stew With Potatoes
• Easy Vegan Mushroom Gravy (oil-free)
• Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Cream of Kale Soup
• Easy Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
• Whole-Wheat Crackers (oil-free)