Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is so rich and hearty that you won't believe it doesn't include cream. Quick and easy to make, it's the perfect comfort food meal or first course for a fall or winter night.
This Vegan 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 Ingredients
- mushrooms - 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.
- potato - I 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.
- sherry - I like to use cream sherry because it adds a little sweetness.
- olive oil
- onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
- garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without soft spots or green shoots, which is an indication of old garlic. (Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots.)
- salt - I cook with Kosher salt. If you use table salt, use half the amount.
- black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
*Quick Tip. Depending on where you live, if you don't grown your own rosemary, it's likely growing somewhere in your neighborhood. At a neighbors, in the parkway, etc. I see it everywhere.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is delicious with Button or Crimini mushrooms. I find that the Crimini mushrooms have a slightly earthier flavor.
- If you prefer other fresh herbs, use them. Thyme, oregano or tarragon would all also be lovely.
- If you don't have a powerful blender, you can use an immersion blender.
- When you use a standing blender for hot liquids, you have to hold down the lid very firmly. If you don't, the hot liquid, the vibration, and the steam will force the lid off -- be careful!
- If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more vegetable stock.
Other Amazing Mushroom Recipes
- Sherry Mushrooms
- Oyster Mushroom Crostini
- Savory Polenta Cake with Mushrooms
- Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- French Onion Mushroom Casserole Recipe
Making it Ahead and Storage
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup can easily be made ahead.
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.
How to Make it
- Remove ¾ 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 sauce pan 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.
- Turn the heat to low, and deglaze the pan 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.
- 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.
- Pour the soup from the pot into a blender, and blend until the soup is as smooth as possible. 
- Serve with the crispy browned mushroom bits on top.
(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)
More Ways to Make a Vegan Soup Creamy
This Vegan 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
I hope you enjoy every last spoonful of this vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup!
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup onion, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1 pound (about 4 to 5 cups) Button or Crimini mushrooms, washed and dried, divided
- ¼ cup cream sherry
- 1 cup Yukon Gold or Russet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3½ cups vegetable stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the mushrooms. 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.
- Saute the onions, garlic and rosemary. Coat the bottom of a large sauce pan with 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil and place it over low-medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the rosemary, stir, and let it heat until it's aromatic, about 30 seconds.
- Add the mushrooms and deglaze the pan. Turn the heat to high, add another 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil and about half of the larger amount of mushrooms. Cook until they shrink down a bit, about 5 minutes. Then add the remaining mushrooms from the larger amount, and cook until any liquid that comes out has completely evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and deglaze the pan with the sherry. Pour it in and stir. Turn the heat back to high and cook until just about all of it has cooked off. This should only take a couple of minutes.
- Add the potatoes and stock and simmer. Turn the heat down to medium 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 to low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Make the mushroom garnish. While the soup is simmering, heat a small sauté pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Turn the heat to medium and add the ¾ cup of finely chopped mushrooms. Sauté until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Blend and garnish the soup. Pour the soup from the pot into a blender, and blend until the soup is as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the crispy browned mushroom bits on top.
Notes
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Mateo Pedersen
This is one of the best soups I have ever eaten. Thank you so much. Have you tried freezing it? I am the only vegan in the house and like to make big batches of things and freeze them so I can have a good meal while husband and grandson are eating their carnivore meals.
valentina
Hi there! Thank you so much -- I'm so happy you loved the soup. Made my day. 🙂 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. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes
Quick and delicious...I really love the use of cream sherry here..
valentina
Thanks so much, Angie! Hope you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa
This mushroom soup does look impossibly creamy, Valentina! Love that it's vegan!
valentina
Impossibly creamy, indeed. Thanks so much, Marissa! 🙂 ~Valentina
Diane
Looks so creamy and delicious, love that you used potatoes to thicken it!
valentina
Thank you, Diane! 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Since I absolutely love all kinds of mushrooms and , in our winter months, always have a few cartons growing in my garage or laundry, this presents as a very easy and moreish recipe. I do not keep cream sherry but, daresay, the 'ordinary' dry will do . . . 🙂 !
valentina
Dry sherry, will of course be delicious, too. 🙂 Thank you so much and enjoy. ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I have yet to trey this recipe but I know I saved it from an earlier post. I hope this autumn it will find itself on my table! I love mushrooms and sherry together!
valentina
Me too, David. It's one of my all time favorite flavor combinations! Hope you enjoy it. Have a lovely weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
2ots2cook
Perfect week dinner for us, with a slice of bread aside ! 🙂
valentina
Yes, don't forget the bread. Perfect. Thanks, Davorka, and have a lovely weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I'm such a huge fan of mushrooms and this looks delicious! Mushroom soup is so good any time of year, but especially on a cold fall day. Love how this one is vegan too. A big ol' bowl of this deliciousness would be perfect for lunch today 🙂
valentina
Thanks, Dawn! Yes, it's a very cozy recipe for fall. Enjoy and hope you have a lovely weekend! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I'm all about soups right now and boy does this look like a soup packed full of flavor! I love the richness you've gotten from the mushrooms. I can't wait to dive into a bowl!
valentina
Thanks so much, Kathy. I love soup season -- happy to hear you do too. 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
Love cream of mushroom soup! I usually make the kind with, well, cream, but this looks interesting to me. Rice is a great thickener, isn't it? This is much healthier than my soup -- I need to try it. Thanks!
valentina
I'm certain I'd love your version too. As it turns out, I'm not opposed to cream. Ha! 😀 Thanks, John. Enjoy and hope you have a great weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina
Karen (Back Road Journal)
A bowl of your mushroom soup would be a perfect comfort meal on a gray, rainy fall day.
Kim Lange
I'm gonna have to make this for sure. I eat a lot of vegan food and I love mushroom soup. It looks so rich and comforting Valentina!
valentina
Thanks, Kim. I hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
Nice! When I read the title I wondered how you would get a creamy texture without any dairy (or flour). Now I know! As someone who isn't vegan and makes their mushroom soup with cream, flour and meat-based broth, I'd still eat this in a heartbeat!
valentina
Hi Frank. I eat everything and your version sounds delicious too. Thanks so much! 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef
This soup sounds wonderful. I love the way the texture looks.
valentina
Thanks so much, Jeff. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina