Vegan “Cream” of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup that’s so creamy and satisfying you would never guess that it’s vegan and made with a secret healthy ingredient!

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

Hi friends! I hope you had a nice weekend.

Brandon came home on Friday night after being away for a week so that made it an automatic win for me. He was actually in-flight when the tragedy took place in Paris which made me even more of a nervous wreck than I usually am when he travels.

I try to keep things upbeat around here but I can’t help mentioning how heart broken I am for the people of France. Paris was the first city I was able to visit overseas and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s so painful to imagine such a romantic and magical city haunted by such ruthless violence.

Tour de Eiffel

I know it’s awkward to discuss things like this with a recipe for mushroom soup but it’s what’s at the forefront of my mind today. The people effected by the tragedy are in my thoughts and prayers.

Let’s try to transition to a lighter topic, shall we? Like comfort foods. Soup is one of the best, in my opinion. Warm, soothing, and packed with nourishing ingredients.

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

I’ve had this recipe on my to-make list for a while now but I intentionally waited until we were right around the corner from Thanksgiving to share it because I thought it might be useful for those of you that are dairy-free to have as a healthy alternative option for your green bean casserole.

It’s honestly kind of crazy how much it tastes like a real cream of mushroom soup. It starts with the same base as the classic using shallots, celery and diced mushrooms cooked in sherry vinegar.

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

However, instead of using heavy cream, we’re boiling cauliflower in the mix until it’s nice and tender, then pureeing it with plain almond milk (you can use soy milk for nut allergies) to give the soup a rich and creamy texture that’s vegan to boot.

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

Served topped with fresh chives and crispy shiitake bacon alongside a small salad, it makes for a healthy and flavorful meal. If you’re interested in using it for a green bean casserole, you can have it for dinner one night and then save the leftovers for later in the week.

That’s what I did because I initially planned on sharing a vegan green bean casserole to follow but the semi-burnt shallot topping didn’t look very pretty in the pictures so I decided to scratch that idea. However, I did link up to one in the notes below that you can use this soup for, if you want!

Vegan "Cream" of Mushroom Soup- so rich and creamy you would never guess it's dairy-free!

Vegan “Cream” of Mushroom Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8 cups or 4 bowls

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Ingredients

For the Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, diced  (approx. 1 and 1/2 cups)

2 celery stalks, diced (approx. 1/4 cup)

4 garlic cloves, minced (approx. 1 tablespoon)

16 ounces mushrooms, diced (approx. 4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari sauce (or soy sauce)

4 cups cauliflower florets

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or soy milk)

chopped chives for topping

Crispy Shiitake Bacon

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Begin by warming the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat.  Add the shallot and the celery and cook for 3 minutes, until fragrant.
  2. Add the garlic and the mushrooms to the pot then sprinkle with salt & pepper. Sauté for another 3 minutes then add the oregano, thyme, and sherry vinegar. Bring to a low boil and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.
  3. Next, add the cauliflower florets and pour in the tamari sauce and vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. Once the pot has cooled down, transfer the mixture to a blender along with the white wine vinegar and plain almond milk. Alternatively, you can leave everything in the pot and blend with an immersion blender. If you like bits of mushroom in your soup then you can separate about 1 cup and set aside before blending. Blend until smooth then transfer back to the pot to reheat.
  5. To make the shiitake bacon, preheat the oven to 400°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the olive oil, tamari, salt & pepper, and smoked paprika in small bowl. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir until they are well coated. Transfer them to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on each side, until brown and somewhat crispy. Serve on top of the soup with fresh chives and enjoy!

Notes

If you want to use this for a green bean casserole, reserve 2 cups and follow {this recipe|http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/lighter-green-bean-casserole-24465?fm=recipes_related], using it in place of the condensed soup. You can omit the 1/4 cup of milk since it isn't quite as thick.

https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/vegan-cream-of-mushroom-soup/

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup Nutrition