This is truly the best Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup! Luscious, smooth, and deeply flavorful, it's one worth savoring! Made with fresh and dried mushrooms and a hint of rosemary, this soup is easy enough for a weekday yet special enough for holidays and other occasions.
This vegan cream of mushroom soup is oil-free, gluten-free, and coconut-free.
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The Inspiration
Y'all, this soup has me so excited! It's not just some copycat of the congealed-looking, condensed stuff from a can that we grew up with. This dairy-free cream of mushroom soup is truly a celebration of mushrooms! And credit for the recipe idea goes to my friend Andrew.
I met Andrew through mutual friends when we crossed paths at a few events. We quickly identified our common interest in cooking healthy plant-based recipes and became instant foodie friends.
After I launched the blog, 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.
As soon as I saw his recipe notes I knew it was going to be a total winner!
The recipe isn't complicated at all, and the result is a delicious cream of mushroom soup, vegan in all its glory, that does NOT call for butter, all-purpose flour, or coconut milk.
Key Ingredients
One step that makes this recipe different from most vegan cream of mushroom soups is the "tea" made by steeping dried porcini mushrooms with rosemary (preferably fresh but dried works in a pinch). This tea adds an extra layer of flavor that really puts this soup over the top.
A handful of raw cashews plus arrowroot or corn starch provide thickening and create an ultra-creamy mushroom soup.
How To Make Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Before I scare you into thinking this "mushroom tea" sounds fancy, let me reassure you! If you can boil water you can make this tea.
The basic flow goes like this:
- Steep the dried mushrooms and rosemary in hot water for about 20 minutes.
- While you're waiting, sauté the onion and 1 pound of cremini mushrooms in a large stockpot.
- Add the mushroom tea to a blender with ½ cup raw cashews. Blend until smooth.
- Back to the saute. Since this is an oil-free recipe, you can add a splash of broth or water to the pot if needed, to prevent sticking. But 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). Add the garlic and 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.
- Finally, add the broth to the pot and bring 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!
Ways to Serve 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.
Add a side salad for a light lunch.
Another option is to omit the water to produce a slightly thicker soup. Then use it like a condensed cream of mushroom soup to create 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.
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, and no one wants that!
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.
For a lighter colored soup, more reminiscent of the canned stuff, reduce the soy sauce and add salt to taste.
Storage
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
With no 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 enjoy it as much as we do.
As always, I would love to hear from you. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and share your feedback!
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Recipe Video
Tap to play the video and see how the soup is made!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms - Often sold in 1 ounce packets, this allows you to make 2 batches of soup from one pack. See Notes.
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 16 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, divided; mince 2 cloves and leave 2 whole
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons tamari (GF) or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons 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 ¼ 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.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Craig
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. My wife who is plant focused, not vegan like me, said it tasted as good as my pre-vegan recipe of cream of mushroom soup that I used to make. I did add 2 tbsp of marsala wine to mushroom and onion mixture to deglaze the pot. I also had Trader Joe's Truffle Soy Sauce which added another level of unami to the dish. One note - when looking at the metric value of the ingredients the cashews are way off. It says 645g when it should be approximately 75g.
Lori
Thanks so much for pointing our that typo in the metric amount! Glad you and your wife both enjoyed the soup!
Dana
This is without a doubt the best mushroom soup. I have tried about 10 or so different recipes. Over the top with rosemary mushroom tea.
Thanks for sharing!
Jenny
I've made this 4 times now. The first time I made it exactly as written and its the yummiest mushroom soup I've ever had, vegan or not. Another time I had some leeks that I needed to use and added those with the onions and the taste was amazing. The last time I made it, I ran out of arrowroot but added 3/4 cup of barley when I added the broth and the nut mixture to the mushroom mixture and let it simmer on low for about 1/2 an hour till the barley was done. It got nice and thick and one bowl was a nice belly full with the Barley added. Great recipe!!
mppaul
Would this work with portabella mushrooms
Lori
Yes, absolutely.
Andrea
I’ve made mushroom soup for years, the traditional way with butter and cream. While looking for a vegan, oil free version to use some dried mushrooms I had on hand I landed on your recipe and all I can say is wow!! I can’t believe how rich and creamy it is, better than my traditional recipe and healthy enough to enjoy anytime!
Lori
What a wonderful review! Thanks, Andrea. I'm so glad you loved it.
Michelle
My favourite mushroom soup recipe! (Vegan or not)
Lori
Thanks, Michelle! So glad to hear it. 😀