Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup Indulge in the comforting goodness of the best homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup with this delicious dairy-free recipe. Full of earthy and wholesome ingredients, this dish is perfect for cozy evenings or special occasions.
Few foods are quite as alluring as the rich aroma of sautéed mushrooms. This velvety thick cream of mushroom soup is loaded with fantastic umami flavor and a luscious creamy texture. Best of all, it is easy to prepare with simple dairy-free ingredients like vegan butter and milk, cashews, vegetable broth, flour, white wine, aromatics (onion and garlic) and seasonings.
A bowl of this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup makes a cozy and satisfying meal all on its own and is also the perfect partner to pair with savory herbed tofu, vegan seitan chicken fillets, or these delicious vegan scalloped potatoes with cabbage.
★★★★★ "Best mushroom soup recipe I've tried." Karen
What is a vegan substitute for cream of mushroom soup?
You might be wondering how to make creamy soups without adding dairy? Traditional cream of mushroom recipes often rely on dairy such as cream or butter.
For those of us who grew up using Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup in recipes like classic Thanksgiving green bean casseroles, finding a suitable store-bought vegan substitute can be challenging. Even the popular brand Amy's Cream of Mushroom Soup contains animal-based dairy products.
In this dairy-free version, we will use non-dairy (vegan) milk and butter, flour, and cashews to create a perfectly rich and creamy consistency. I think you are going to love it.
🌱 Ingredient Notes
🥕 See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details
- Mushrooms - Fresh cremini, brown or button mushrooms are our first choices for flavor and texture. Some people love shiitake or mini portobello mushrooms, but I find they can sometimes be too chewy and strong, at least in this soup.
- Onion - Fresh brown or yellow onion
- Garlic - Fresh is best, but can be substituted with garlic powder (if needed).
- Dairy-free Butter - your choice of dairy-free butter
- Flour - All purpose. If you want to prepare this soup gluten-free, replace flour with cornstarch or arrowroot. (See FAQ's below).
- Vegetable Broth - We use packaged broth
- Vegetable Bouillon - We really like this brand, but any vegan vegetable bouillon will work.
- White Wine - any variety of dry (not sweet) white wine is fine.
- Fresh or dry herbs - Thyme and basil. If you use dried, sweet basil is our favorite.
- Raw Cashews - whole or pieces
- Dairy-free Milk - Your choice of unflavored dairy-free milk such as rice, oat, or soy.
- Salt & Pepper
🌱 Instructions
Step One - Cashew Cream
Cashew cream is the secret sauce that adds to the luscious, rich, and smooth texture in this fabulous dairy-free soup.
- Pre-soak the cashews in boiling hot water in a bowl for 1-½ hours or in a saucepan on a stovetop and boil in water until soft (10-15 minutes).
2. Drain the cashews. Place into a blender.
3. Add the dairy-free milk and pulse on high speed until it becomes a thick, smooth, pourable consistency.
4. Transfer the cashew cream to a bowl or measuring cup. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step Two - Mushroom Soup
- Place dairy-free butter, onions, garlic, and sliced mushrooms in a deep soup pot over medium heat.
2. Cook until onions are soft and mushrooms start to sweat.
3. Sprinkle flour into mushrooms, onion, garlic, and butter. Stir to combine.
4. Allow the flour to cook with the mushrooms for about one minute.
5. Mix the bouillon into the broth and pour over hot mushrooms, stirring to combine. As the broth begins to thicken, stir in the wine, thyme, basil, salt and pepper.
6. Increase heat to bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until mushrooms are tender and soup becomes a rich golden-brown color.
7. Gradually add cashew cream to the soup, whisk or stir to fully combine.
8. Allow the soup to continue simmering over low heat about 5 more minutes (do not boil).
That's it! Your dairy-free (vegan) cream of mushroom soup is ready to enjoy!
🌱 Serving Tips
This dairy-free cream of mushroom soup is absolutely delicious all on its own. However, you can also dress it up with a few sautéed mushrooms and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like chives, parsley, or basil for a splash of color. A piece of soft baguette or a slice of garlic toast is the perfect something extra to enjoy with this rich and flavorful cream soup. Note: This soup thickens over time. Add a small amount of vegetable broth or dairy-free milk to thin the soup, if desired.
🌱 Equipment
Here are the few kitchen tools you will need to prepare this recipe:
- High speed blender
- Large soup pot
- Measuring spoons
- Long spoon for stirring
🥕More delicious vegan soup recipes
If you love this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup, you might like to check out these other souper yummy recipes like this cozy cream of tomato soup, my popular 1-pot minestrone soup, and this hearty congressional bean soup.
FAQ's
Are there any gluten-free options for thickening the soup?
Yes, you can use gluten-free alternatives like cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken the soup without adding gluten.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a popular gluten-free thickener that works well in soups. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water to create a slurry before adding it to the soup. This helps prevent clumping and ensures even thickening.
Arrowroot powder: Arrowroot powder is another gluten-free thickener that works similarly to cornstarch. Mix it with cold water before adding it to the soup to thicken it. Arrowroot powder tends to give a glossy finish to the soup.
When using either of these alternatives, start with a small amount and gradually add more until you reach your desired consistency. Keep in mind that some thickeners may alter the taste or texture slightly, so it's best to experiment and adjust according to your preferences.
How long does dairy-free cream of mushroom soup last in the refrigerator?
Vegan cream of mushroom soup typically lasts up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly before serving.
Can I freeze dairy-free cream of mushroom soup?
Yes, you can freeze vegan cream of mushroom soup for up to 3 months. Store it in a freezer-safe container and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup (Vegan)
Equipment
- 1 soup pot
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 Long spoon
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- ½ cup cashews raw
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
Mushroom Soup
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ brown onion or yellow onion - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms button or cremini - sliced
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh
- 1 teaspoon basil dried or fresh
- ½ cup white wine dry (not sweet)
- ½ cup flour all-purpose
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt (add more to taste if needed)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon
Instructions
Cashew Cream
- Pre-soak the cashews in boiling hot water in a bowl for 1-½ hours or in a saucepan on a stovetop and boil in water until soft (10-15 minutes).
- Drain the cashews. Place into a blender.
- Add the dairy-free milk and pulse on high speed until it becomes a thick, smooth, pourable consistency.
- Transfer the cashew cream to a bowl or measuring cup. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Mushroom Soup
- Dice onion. Finely mince garlic.
- Thoroughly rinse mushrooms. Trim stems if needed. Slice into thin pieces.
- Place dairy-free butter, onions, garlic, and sliced mushrooms in a deep soup pot over medium heat.
- Cook until onions are soft and mushrooms start to sweat.
- Sprinkle flour into mushrooms, onion, garlic, and butter. Stir to combine.
- Allow the flour to cook with the mushrooms for about one minute.
- Mix the bouillon into the broth and pour over hot mushrooms, stirring to combine. As the broth begins to thicken, stir in the wine, thyme, basil, salt and pepper.
- Increase heat to bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until mushrooms are tender and soup becomes a rich golden-brown color.
- Gradually add cashew cream to the soup, whisk or stir to fully combine.
- Allow the soup to continue simmering over low heat about 5 more minutes (do not let it boil).
- That's it! Your vegan cream of mushroom soup is ready to enjoy!
Notes
Serving Tips
This dairy-free cream of mushroom soup is absolutely delicious all on its own. However, you can also dress it up with a few sautéed mushrooms and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like chives, parsley, or basil for a splash of color. A piece of soft baguette or a slice of garlic toast is the perfect something extra to enjoy with this rich and flavorful cream soup. Note: This soup thickens over time. Add a small amount of vegetable broth or dairy-free milk to thin the soup, if desired.Storage
Dairy-free cream of mushroom soup typically lasts up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly before serving. You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Store it in a freezer-safe container and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Karen says
Best mushroom soup recipe I’ve tried. A little too salty but that’s just my preference. The family thought it was perfect.
Connie says
Thank you for the 5-star rating Karen! I'm so glad your family enjoyed the soup. BTW, I just reduced the amount of salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon since it's easy to add a little extra to individual servings if desired.
Connie says
For those of us who love mushrooms, this recipe is for you! Velvety smooth and so satisfying with rich intense umami flavor, this cream of mushroom soup as good as it gets.