This is the best vegan cream of mushroom soup ever! It’s dairy free, gluten free, and nut free too. Combining 3 delicious things- creamy food, mushrooms, and soup! How can you go wrong? When I was a kid, my favorite thing to eat was Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. It has been over 18 years since I have had a can, but I can easily say this dairy-free alternative is much better than Campbell’s!
Do you love mushrooms?
If you are a mushroom lover like I am, you won’t be able to get enough of this recipe! I am the only one in my house that loves mushrooms, so I usually make this for lunch when I am the only one home. It makes about 6 serving, but I have to stop myself from eating the whole pot in one sitting.
What type of mushrooms should I use in cream of mushroom soup?
Any mushroom that you like will work well – white, button, and portabella mushrooms are all good choices. My favorite ones to use for this recipe are crimini, also known as baby bellas.
What type of plant milk should I use to make vegan cream of mushroom soup?
You can use any PLAIN plant milk like soy, almond, oat, coconut, or even hemp milk. I usually use plain soy milk because I think it tastes the most similar to what I loved as a kid. For this recipe, I prefer the West Soy brand soy milk. They actually sell it at The Dollar Tree of all places – for that’s right, a dollar! It is a little waterier and less sweet than most other plain soy milk, so I don’t prefer it for drinking, but it works great for savory cooking!
How to make vegan cream of mushroom soup…
- Start by washing and cutting up mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces.
- Add them to a soup pot with some oil and sprinkle them will salt. (The salt flavors the mushroom and helps it to release its juices to flavor the broth).
- Saute the mushrooms for about 5 minutes until they release their juices.
- Then add the plant milk and spices. Heat until it just begins to boil.
- Mix potato (or corn) starch with cold water and pour into the soup. (This will thicken it quickly).
- Stir consistently for about 1 more minute until your soup is thick and creamy.
How does it get creamy?
This vegan cream of mushroom soup can be thickened one of 2 ways. The easiest way is to use corn starch and cold water. (This method also makes it gluten-free). The other way it to make a rue out of a ¼ cup of oil and ¼ cup of flour. Heat the oil and flour in a saucepan until it gets bubbly and starts to brown slightly then slowly add the broth to the rue, stirring constantly, until it thickens. The method using the rue adds, gluten and fat, but it also adds a rich creaminess to the soup!
Tips for making perfect vegan cream of mushroom soup:
- Potato starch gives it a slightly better texture and flavor than corn starch, but if you don’t have it corn starch will work well too.
- If you are using thicker soy milk to make this like Silk brand or equivalent, use 2 cups milk and 2 cups water.
- You can also use unsweetened plant-based milk in this recipe.
- Do not use vanilla flavored plant milk.
- You may also thicken this soup by adding 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of flour to the bottom of a second soup pot. Heat the flour and oil for a minute then slowly ladle in the hot broth stirring with a whisk between each scoop of liquid until all of the soup is added and it begins to bubble.
- If using the method with oil and flour, still add the extra cup of water, just don’t add the cornstarch.
Want to make it more of a meal?
Add these amazing gluten-free cheesy bread sticks and you have a hearty meal!
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This is a creamy dairy-free soup packed with mushrooms. It can be made gluten free and soy free too!
- 8 oz. package of mushrooms (I use cremini)
- 1 tbsp canola oil or other neutral flavored oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups PLAIN soy milk or other plain milk of choice or 2 cups plant milk 2 cups water
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup potato starch or corn starch
- 1 cup cold water
- Chop the mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces.
Put oil and mushrooms in the pan with the salt and sauté the mushrooms at medium heat until they get darker and release their juices.
Add milk, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
Heat until the soup just barely begins to bubble then reduce the heat to low.
In a separate bowl, mix the potato or corn starch and water. Stir until it dissolves completely.
Pour the starch mixture into the hot soup stirring constantly.
Continue to heat the soup on low until it thickens and just starts to bubble.
Turn off heat and serve hot.
- Potato starch gives it a slightly better texture and flavor than corn starch, but if you don't have it corn starch will work well too.
- If you are using thicker soy milk to make this like Silk brand or equivalent, use 2 cups milk and 2 cups water.
- You can also use unsweetened plant-based milk in this recipe.
- Do not use vanilla flavored plant milk.
- You may also thicken this soup by adding 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of flour to the bottom of a second soup pot. Heat the flour and oil for a minute then slowly ladle in the hot broth stirring with a whisk between each scoop of liquid until all of the soup is added and it begins to bubble.
- If using the method with oil and flour, still add the extra cup of water, just don't add the cornstarch.
Can you make a larger batch and freeze it?
It should work fine to freeze. I always eat in it the first day or two, so I’ve never needed to do that, but my other cream soups freeze well, so I think that this one would too. Enjoy! 🙂
Yum! I only had coconut milk on hand and it still tasted amazing. Next time I make it will be with a little different milk.
Yum! Coconut milk is delicious too! I do that some times as well and add green curry to it. Glad that you liked it! 🙂
This soup is absolutely delicious! I was so excited to find a vegan and gluten free cream soup! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy that you liked it! Sometimes you just need a good creamy soup! 🙂