Creamy Mushroom Soup

Cream of mushroom soup just got a makeover with this Vegan Mushroom Soup. With a creamy bisque-like texture and incredible savory flavor, this is a gourmet soup that will wow your tastebuds. Perfect for holiday dinners!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 oz (28g) dried porcini mushrooms or other dried mushrooms (optional)*
  • 16 oz fresh mushrooms, ideally a variety, such as cremini, shiitake, oyster and/or maitake**
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter (or more olive oil)
  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) dry white wine***
  • Bouquet garni: 1 large sprig of rosemary, 2 sprigs of thyme, and 2 bay leaves****
  • 3 cups (720 mL) good-quality vegetable broth (4 cups if not using homemade mushroom stock)
  • 1/2 cup (70g) raw cashews
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste (or red miso for a more robust taste)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for GF)
  • 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
  • 1 small handful of fresh chives and/or parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Optional – make mushroom stock: Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 ½ cups (360 mL) room temperature water. Place a smaller bowl or something heavy on top to ensure they stay submerged. Soak for 30 minutes, or until softened.
  • Scoop out the mushrooms. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to catch any sediment, reserving the stock.
    Add the rehydrated mushrooms to a bowl of water and agitate with your hands. Drain the water and repeat a few times until the sediment is gone. This ensures the grit won’t make it into the soup. Slice mushrooms and set aside.
  • For fresh mushrooms like cremini and shiitake, slice them (remove shiitake stems). For oyster or maitake mushrooms, tear them into strips with your hands, discarding any tough ends.
  • Heat a Dutch oven or soup pout with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. 
    Add the butter to the pan, and once melted, add the fresh mushrooms and rehydrated dried mushrooms, if using. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
  • Pour in the white wine and use it to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the smell of alcohol has dissipated and some of the liquid has bubbled off.
  • If using, pour in the mushroom stock but reserve the last tablespoon or so, as it’s usually sediment-heavy. Add the vegetable broth too (use 4 cups if not using mushroom stock). Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Scoop out ⅓ to ½ of the soup (about 2 ½ cups or 550 to 600g), including some mushrooms but not the bouquet garni. Transfer this to a blender and add the cashews, miso and soy sauce. Start slowly then move to high speed and blend until smooth.
  • Stir the blended soup back into the remaining soup in the pot. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the flavors have developed and the soup has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper. If you want a slight pop of acidity, add the Dijon mustard. Remove the bouquet garni.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top each with a tiny drizzle of good-quality olive oil, if a little extra richness is desired, and garnish with a small handful of chopped parsley/chives.

Notes

* The dried mushrooms + mushroom stock are optional. If skipping them, use 4 cups (960 mL) vegetable broth instead of 3 cups (720 mL). If you have porcini mushroom powder, add a 1/2 teaspoon with the broth to make up for the savory flavor. 
** I like using some shiitake for that meaty depth of flavor.
*** Dry white wine varieties that work well include Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinto Grigio, or Pinot Blanc. Avoid oaky wines like Chardonnay. 
If you don’t consume alcohol, replace the wine with 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable broth + 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, or just skip this step. You may want to finish the soup at the end with a squeeze of lemon juice or one of these vinegars to brighten the soup.
**** You can replace thyme or rosemary with sage. 
*****If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews in boiling water while you prep everything else. If allergic to cashews, you can sub with ½ to 1 cup of lite coconut milk. We did try substituting with 1 cup (160g) cannellini beans + ½ cup plant-based milk and it worked fine, but it was not as creamy and the soup tasted a bit bean-y.

Recipe by Rainbow PlantLife

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