Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
This Creamless Mushroom Soup is reprinted with permission from Pamela Salzman's fabulous book Quicker Than Quick. She offers some topping suggestions - I loved using plant-based sour cream and fresh parsley!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- ½ large onion diced
- 1 large leek washed, white and light green parts sliced*
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 medium stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 2 pounds whole cremini or white mushrooms wiped clean with a damp paper towel, sliced**
- 5-6 cups vegetable or mushroom stock
- 1 Tablespoon shoyu, tamari or coconut aminos
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt depending on saltiness of the stock
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- optional accompaniments: minced fresh chives vegan Kite Hill cream, cheese, crème fraiche, truffle oil, a few sliced mushrooms that have been sauteed
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add the onion, leek, carrots, celery, and garlic, and sauté until the onions are tender and translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the thyme and fresh mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, shoyu, salt and pepper and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
- Remove the sprig of thyme. With an immersion blender, puree half the soup (or all of it if you want a smooth soup) in the pot or carefully puree in batches in a food processor or blender. Taste for seasoning. Serve with suggested accompaniments, if desired.
Notes
*Wash and save the dark green part of the leeks in the freezer for the next time you make chicken or vegetable stock.
**For a time-saver, buy pre-cleaned and pre-sliced mushrooms or slice in food processor
Other suggestions: cook rice or cauliflower rice in the soup. Add with the stock.
***It’s nice to add a drizzle of wine such as Madeira or Sherry at the end before serving.
For an extra boost of deep mushroom flavor, add 1 ounce (around .06 pound) dried wild mushrooms, ground in a coffee grinder or spice grinder to the pot in step 2. This will also thicken the soup, so go with the 6 cups of stock.
**For a time-saver, buy pre-cleaned and pre-sliced mushrooms or slice in food processor
Other suggestions: cook rice or cauliflower rice in the soup. Add with the stock.
***It’s nice to add a drizzle of wine such as Madeira or Sherry at the end before serving.
For an extra boost of deep mushroom flavor, add 1 ounce (around .06 pound) dried wild mushrooms, ground in a coffee grinder or spice grinder to the pot in step 2. This will also thicken the soup, so go with the 6 cups of stock.