Description
Savory, earthy, and packed full of flavor, this Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup takes less than 30 minutes and yet is so full of flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter OR 2 tablespoons broth or water (see note 1)
- 2 medium sweet or yellow onions, finely diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 30-32 ounces mushrooms, sliced (see note 2)
- 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided (can use 1 3/4 teaspoons dried thyme, divided)
- 1/2 cup vegan marsala/white wine/sherry or just use broth (see note 3)
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour (use gluten-free if needed, see note 4)
- 4 cups vegan chicken or vegetable broth (see note 5)
- Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup canned coconut cream/coconut milk/cashew cream
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Saute onions: Start by heating a large pot over medium high heat. If you’re using vegan butter, melt it in the pot before adding the onions. If you’d prefer to use broth or water, add the onions and then only add a tablespoon of broth or water whenever it starts to stick. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have softened and become somewhat translucent.
- Saute garlic: Add the garlic and saute another minute.
- Cook mushrooms: Now add the mushrooms and half of the thyme and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add wine: Add the half cup of wine or broth, stir again, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the flour: Sprinkle the flour over the whole pan. Stir constantly for until the flour has thickened the mixture and you don’t see any flour remaining. Cook an additional minute, stirring frequently or constantly, depending on the quality of your pan and if things are sticking.
- Stir in broth: Now add all the broth while stirring it into the mixture. Once all the broth has been added, bring the soup to a boil.
- Add spices and simmer: Once at a boil, add the remaining thyme and other spices (not the fresh parsley yet), and turn the heat down to medium low. Let the soup simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Make it creamy: Add the coconut cream and stir until dissolved. Let heat for about a minute.
- Serve: Finally, add the parsley, stir, and remove from heat. Serve and enjoy! This is great with crusty bread.
- Using in another way? If using in a casserole or another dish, I recommend chilling in the fridge for a few hours. It thickens in the fridge making it perfect for that application.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If soup has become too thick, reheat it with a bit of water or broth. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Note 1: This is completely optional--but it does help make the soup richer and more luscious, as butter sauteing onions is a classic French (as far as I can tell from my research) technique and for a reason. It adds a lot, however I have tested this recipe without it and as long as you’re using a good nonstick pot, you’ll be fine to use just broth or water to saute your onions and garlic. Once you add the mushrooms they will release a lot of water and you won’t have to worry too much about sticking.
- Note 2: Brown mushrooms are the pick for this recipe--we used crimini, AKA Baby Bella mushrooms, but other mushrooms such as white button or portobello will also work well.
- Note 3: A good vegan white wine is another layer of flavor in this recipe--and the alcohol cooks off. I would have preferred to use marsala wine but I couldn’t locate a vegan one near me and didn’t have the forethought to order online. I ended up using a chardonnay and it was great, though I think Sauvignon Blanc, pinot grigio, or even a sherry would work well too. Barnivore is my favorite resource for locating vegan beer and wine. Oh, and if you don’t want to use wine, just add an extra half cup of broth to the soup.
- Note 4: The flour adds thickness and substance to the soup--any you won’t taste it. I just used unbleached all purpose flour but if you’re vegan you could use rice flour or an all purpose gluten-free flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour.
- Note 5: I used my fave Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base. Carton, bouillon cube or powder base, or even vegetable broth will all also work. But I highly recommend giving the Better Than Bouillon a try, it’s so flavorful!
- Note 6: Want ways to customize this recipe like adding a protein, starch, or more veggies? Check out my Customize this Soup section in the article above.
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vegan soup, vegan cream of mushroom soup, easy vegan recipes