Creamy Mushroom Soup

Why This Recipe Works

Flavorful & Simple: This creamy mushroom soup with cashews is full of rich, umami flavor without putting in much effort. Simply sauté, simmer, and blend, and you’ll have an absolutely delicious creamy soup in no time! Pair with some crusty bread to soak up all of that creamy goodness!

Good For You: Not only is this mushroom soup super flavorful, but it is also good for you! It is made with wholesome ingredients and there are no meat or dairy products in sight, making this a great option for our vegan friends. Both mushrooms and cashews are packed with vitamins and nutrients and make this soup filling and satisfying!

Ingredients

Our creamy mushroom soup without cream uses simply pantry staples that you might already have on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Onion: To start building flavor, we will start with onion! You can chop it however you want, since we are going to blend it all at the end.
• Salt & Pepper: To taste!
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but the canned will work as well.
• Thyme: I like to add fresh thyme sprigs here. If you prefer to add dry, go for it!
• Mushrooms: I used baby bella mushrooms, but any small button mushrooms will do, like white or cremini mushrooms!
• White Wine: I like to add a splash of white wine for a depth of flavor! If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, add an extra splash of broth.
• Vegetable Broth: For a vegan mushroom soup, use vegetable broth. If you prefer to use chicken broth, you can definitely use that.
• Raw Cashews: Raw cashews will get tender in the soup and make it super creamy once it is blended! This is a great way to make soup creamy without any dairy products.
• Truffle Oil: Add a bit of truffle oil at the end for added flavor! If you don’t have truffle oil, you can add a drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil instead.

Here’s How to Make It

Step by Step Instructions

1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium high heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until soft and starting to color. Stir in the garlic and thyme, and cook for a further minute. (photos 1-2)
2. Add Mushrooms: Stir in the mushrooms and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the mushrooms are soft, starting to color, and most of the liquid given out by the mushrooms at the bottom of the pan has evaporated. (photos 3-4)
3. Deglaze the Pan: Add a generous splash of wine to the pan and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon while it evaporates. Alternatively, use a splash of the vegetable broth. (photos 5-6)
4. Add Broth: Add the broth and the cashews and raise the heat to high to bring the pan to a boil. Instantly reduce the heat to medium low and allow to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the cashews are tender. (photos 7-8)
5. Remove Thyme & Blend: Remove the thyme sprigs and using a stick blender, blitz the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt (to make the soup more savory!) and black pepper before blitzing in the truffle or olive oil. Serve in warm bowls. (photos 9-10)

Expert Tips

• Don’t have an immersion blender? No problem! You can blend this soup in a regular blender, but you can only blend it after it has cooled down. If you blend it hot, it can cause pressure in the blender and can be dangerous to blend. After blending, place back in the pot to heat up again!
• If you prefer not to cook with wine, skip the splash of white wine and use a little broth. However, if you have white wine on hand I highly recommend using a splash for the added flavor in this creamy mushroom soup recipe!
• Truffle oil can be a strong mushroom flavor! If you don’t want that extra flavor, you can add less and replace the rest with olive oil, or simply use olive oil.