Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe
For the mushroom lover in the back – today’s we are making a Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe! Bringing you all back to my 11th grade French class, where we were asked to bring in a dish from a country of our choice. It seems that everyone else had gotten the memo way before I had, because once the announcement was out, students were already jotting down their teams to be able to work together. Me on the other hand? I didn’t have a team, I didn’t have a country chosen, and I didn’t have an inkling of what dish I could bring.
Fast forward a couple days later – I was forced to work on my own, since everyone was already paired up. All the popular countries were taken (and the first one to go? You guessed it: France. Bonus points to impress the teacher with a French souffle dish). I ended up choosing Monaco, a tiny (and super luxurious) country bordered by the Mediterranean sea to the South, and France on all other sides.
A Touch of White Wine Vinegar
The dishes I brought to class were lentil soup (which was an Indian dish, but I called it “Mediterreanen Lentil Soup”) and mini onions in gravy – I forget the name of the dish, but I didn’t know mini onions existed at this point in my life, or the fact that white wine vinegar was a way to flavor food. I bought a large bottle of white wine vinegar, only to use 2 spoons of it. Aaaaaand then it sat in my cupboard for about – 7 years??? I STILL have the bottle, and hadn’t opened it from 2014 until now: 2020, during quarantine. I started experimenting with food again, and I wanted to make a cream of mushroom soup because I knew it was one that vinegar would taste pretty good in.
This mushroom broth doesn’t just use the regular vegetable stock base. It uses that plus the aforementioned white wine vinegar, which is the perfect way for me to start using up that bottle again. This delicious soup tastes just like how it sounds – creamy, tangy, and with a ton of mushroom flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe
Meal Prep: This healthy soup recipe makes for a great meal prep! It only takes about a half hour and can be frozen into ice cube trays for reheating the next day. These SouperCubes are a great way to freeze soup! Alternatively, make it in advance and keep it for up to three days in the refrigerator to take along to work or school.
The fresh ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store as well: yellow onion, garlic cloves and mushrooms are the main vegetables. Did you know that white mushrooms (aka, button mushrooms, the ones used today) are also the type of mushroom with the most vitamin C? The health benefits of mushrooms on the immune system are just one of the reasons to make this recipe!
Seasonal Soup: This comforting soup is one of my favorites to make during the fall season. It warms up your insides and makes you want to curl up on the couch with a big bowl (and you can see the fall leaves in the background of the photo too)! Fresh mushrooms are also the most plentiful during the fall, so this is the perfect time to get in this vegetable.
No Cream: Traditional ultra-creamy mushroom soup uses heavy cream or another heavy dairy substitute. This vegan and gluten free mushroom soup uses cashew milk and cornstarch to thicken it, while at the same time not make you feel very heavy after eating.
Substitutions: Seasonings
There are a few simple ingredients here that can act as substitutes without comprising too much on flavour or texture.
Veggie Cube: Usually, soup stock cubes require about 2-3 cups of water per one cube. I didn’t mix this extra cube with water. Instead, I took a quarter of the cube and tossed it into the soup. This added more flavour without the extra liquid, so it was more concentrated.
You can also substitute this with another three-quarter cup of broth. Then allow the soup to simmer for longer to thicken to the desired consistency. This way, more water evaporates and still leaves you with a thick soup.
Italian Seasoning Mix: I bought a pre-made mix from Costco, but any blend of Italian spices will work. Feel free to use your own mixture of freshly ground spices, with a pinch of dried oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary. Or throw in some fresh thyme or other fresh spices (add a bay leaf!) to infuse the flavour, rather than the dried mix. Only add in a tiny bit, as it may overpower the dish.
Black Pepper: The unique taste of black pepper should not be substituted. Soup with black pepper is more aromatic and adds a kick of spice that isn’t found elsewhere.
Substitutions: Vegetables
Yellow Onion: Yellow onions make the best onion for sauteeing for a soup base. However, white onions can work too.
Mushrooms: I use white button mushrooms in this recipe. I don’t recommend to use cremini mushrooms or portobello mushrooms. They are actually the same as the button mushroom, just older in age. This makes them more brown, hence they also taste different and are larger!
Substitutions: Other
Cashew Milk: Try another creamy plant-based milk such as full-fat canned coconut milk for a richer flavor. Be wary that it would also have a coconut taste then. Soy milk, unsweetened almond milk or oat milk can be other options as well.
Cornstarch: All-purpose flour can be a gluten-containing substitute. Currently, the recipe is gluten-free using corn starch.
Avocado Oil: Olive oil would be the best substitute. Specifically, I have tried extra virgin olive oil in this recipe and it works great.
White Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar would work best. Apple cider vinegar or a pinch of lemon juice can also add that sourness to the recipe. Start with half the required amount of white wine vinegar and taste test as you go along, if using substitutes.
Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe Notes
- As stated in the recipe card below, whisking the cornstarch with the vegetable broth before adding it into the soup ensures that the cornstarch doesn’t clump inside the soup itself.
- Serve this recipe with a salad and a side of couscous, quinoa, wild rice, brown rice or another whole grain to make it a meal!
More Soup & Stew Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe, leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Stovetop Pot or Non-Stick Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups white button mushrooms sliced
- ⅛ tsp italian seasoning mix
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp pink salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth use hot water for the broth
- ¼ bouillon veggie cube only the dry cube, not the water needed to make it into broth
- 1 cup cashew milk
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil. Once it's hot enough, add in the garlic and onion.
- Sautee these together until the onions are becoming tender – for about 2 minutes.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the cashew milk, veggie broth and cornstarch.
- Allow the mushrooms to sautee in the spices for a few minutes. I would give this maybe 4-5 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the veggie broth so it doesn't cause clumps in the soup.
- Whisk the cashew milk and the broth + cornstarch mixture into the soup.
- Whisk to incorporate all ingredients, and turn the heat to medium-high to allow it to come to a boil.
- Once it boils, keep stirring it and reduce the heat to low, to let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. The soup will thicken a lot! Stir it every couple minutes (I would say every 2 minutes).
- Once the soup is thickened, flavor it with any other seasonings to taste, and turn off the heat. Enjoy hot! See storage details below.
Notes
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
