Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup is so rich and hearty that you won't believe it's made without cream. Quick and easy to make, it's the perfect comfort food meal or first course for a fall or winter night.

This Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup has incredibly deep, rich flavors and the creamy consistency is out of this world!

It's also gluten-free as it does not contain any flour. (Many Cream of Mushrooms Soups do.)

Like my Creamy Parsnip Soup and my Vegan Asparagus Soup, this recipe is made with a small amount of potato. I've found this is the best way to make soups rich and creamy without the use of cream.

The Key Ingredients

• mushrooms - This recipe calls for Crimini and Button mushrooms. You can use both types of mushrooms, one or the other. You can substitute with Portobellos. A mix of all of them is okay, too. You can also use Shiitakes, but I'd mix them with one of the others. Choose mushrooms with a smooth appearance and be sure to wash them very well.
• fresh rosemary - Look for perky bunches and avoid any brown, bruised or yellow leaves. When you rub a few leaves between your fingers, the aroma is should be obvious. The softer the leaves, the better. Though they offer different flavors, oregano, tarragon and thyme are good substitutes. They all pair well with the earthy mushrooms.
• potato - The potato is the thickener for this soup, and it give it iI use Yukon Gold potatoes. Russets are also a good choice. Choose potatoes that are firm, smooth and free of sprouts.
• vegetable stock - Always try to use stock rather than broth in recipes. Broth will usually include a lot of salt and often other seasonings. If you do use broth, low sodium is best. If you don't need to keep this a vegan soup, chicken stock also works well.
• sherry - I like to use cream sherry because it adds a little sweetness. Vermouth can be used to substitute the sherry, or you can omit it and make up the difference with more of the stock.

Pro Tip: Depending on where you live, if you don't grow your own rosemary, it's likely growing somewhere in your neighborhood. At a neighbors, in the parkway, etc. I see it everywhere.

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How to Make it

- Remove ¼ pound (about 1 cup) of the mushrooms and finely chop them. Set aside. Roughly chop or slice the remaining mushrooms and set them aside separately.

- Coat the bottom of a large pot with 1½ tablespoons olive oil and place it over low-medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.

- Add the rosemary, stir, and let it heat until it's aromatic, about 30 seconds.

- Turn the heat to high, add a little more oil and about half of the roughly chopped mushrooms. Cook until they shrink down a bit, about 5 minutes. Then add the remaining roughly chopped mushrooms. Cook until all of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown. (This is the same delicious cooking process I use when cooking Oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms.)

- Turn the heat to low, and deglaze the pot with the sherry. Turn the heat back to high and cook until just about all of it has cooked off.

- Turn the heat down and stir in the potatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes and then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

- Pour the soup from the pot into a blender, and blend until the soup is as smooth as possible.

Tips: When you use a standing blender for hot liquids, hold down the lid very firmly. If you don't, the hot liquid, the vibration, and the steam might force the lid off -- be careful. (If you don't a powerful blender, you can use an immersion blender.)

- While the soup is simmering, heat a small sauté pan with olive oil. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté until they are nicely browned and crispy. Season them with salt and pepper.

- Serve with the crispy browned mushroom bits on top.

* If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more vegetable stock.

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

More Ways to Make a Vegan Soup Creamy

My Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup is made creamy with potatoes. You can often achieve a very creamy vegan soup just from blending the vegetables -- however, adding the potato, in this case, kicks up the level of creaminess even more.

There also other ingredients you can add to soups to get a creamy consistency without the use of dairy.

• cooked rice
• coconut milk
• flour or cornstarch
• ground nuts
• bread

And for a great variation, try my Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms.

Serving Suggestions

Below are a handful of things that would be delicious to serve with the soup. (Please note that the Italian Herb Bread is the only one that's not vegan.)

Making it Ahead and Storage

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup can easily be made ahead of time.

Refrigerator. This soup can be stored for three days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove. Sometimes a soup like this will thicken in the refrigerator. Add more vegetable stock to get it to the consistency you want, as you're reheating it.

Freezer. You can freeze the soup in an airtight container for about six weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove. If it's too thick, add more vegetable stock to get it to the consistency you want, as you're reheating it.

Other Outstanding Recipes with Mushrooms

• Sherry Mushrooms
• Oyster Mushroom Crostini
• Savory Polenta Cake with Mushrooms
• French Onion Mushroom Casserole Recipe

I hope you enjoy every last spoonful of this dairy free Cream of Mushroom Soup!

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