Sylvie's Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup

➤ by Sylvie Fulson

I love, love, love creamy mushroom soup! Growing up, my absolute favorite soup was Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup. I haven’t had that soup in years, but this recipe for creamy vegan mushroom soup, aka cremige vegane Pilzsuppe, inspired in part by Oma Gerhild’s German recipe for cream of mushroom soup, brings me back to my childhood and the wonderful memories of eating this classic comfort food.

The first time I made this soup, I used water instead of vegetable broth, and it had such a wonderful mushroomy flavor. The next time I made it, I decided to use vegetable broth, thinking it would taste even better. But the broth I used has a very strong flavor and it overpowered the taste of the mushrooms. It was still good, but it wasn’t the classic mushroom soup flavor I was going for.

I ended up using the veggie broth version as a pasta sauce, and oh my goodness, was it ever good! For some reason, when mixed with the pasta, the mushroom flavor really stood out and the broth flavor was barely detectable. As I’m typing this out, I’m having a sudden craving for that pasta dish again. Yum!!

Ways to use cream of mushroom soup

Just like the canned version, there are so many uses for homemade mushroom soup as well. Its strong earthy mushroomy taste brings so much flavor to many different dishes. Like the example above, it makes a wonderful pasta sauce.

You can also use it as a sauce or gravy with your favorite German meatballs or Schnitzel or served over rice. You can incorporate it in casserole dishes like Shepherd’s Pie or scalloped potatoes. You may have to adjust the thickness of the soup depending on how you plan to use it.

And of course, it is absolutely wonderful to have just as a soup with some crackers or a slice or two of Oma Gerhild’s Artisan Bread. Delicious!

What is the difference between cremini and white button mushrooms?

My creamy vegan mushroom soup calls for either white button or cremini mushrooms. But what is the difference between the two? Well, cremini mushrooms, or baby bellas, are white button mushrooms that have aged and turned brown. They have a firmer texture and are more flavorful than their white counterpart.

And, interestingly enough, portobello mushrooms are just overgrown white mushrooms! They have been left to grow for longer until they develop a large dark brown cap with a rich flavor and meaty texture. I think using portobellos in this recipe would work just as well. In fact, I think I may need to try it next time!

Regardless of the variety you choose, they’re delicious, fat-free, low in calories, and packed with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. How can you go wrong?

Oma says:

• I chuckled when Sylvie told me her absolute favorite soup was Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup when she was growing up. It was mine as well. Actually, it's what my Mutti used to make her super quick "homemade" mushroom soup.
• By garnishing this soup with grated nutmeg, Sylvie's adding that extra hint of Germany that so pleases our German tastebuds.

How do you make cream of mushroom soup from scratch?

Start by prepping and chopping the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. I like to use red onions, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Cook onions in a little bit of water. (Alternately, you can chop your onions first and while they’re cooking, chop the rest of the veggies. I’m quite slow at prep work, so I like to have everything ready ahead of time so that I don’t get into trouble!)

Once onions are translucent, add the mushrooms and garlic, and continue to cook until onions are completely soft and mushrooms have browned. Smells so good when they’re cooking!

Add the seasonings; in this case, thyme, salt, and pepper.

In a blender, add water or veggie broth, cashews, salt, and half of the mushroom mixture.

Blend until completely smooth. Blending half of the mushroom mixture with the cashews makes for a very yummy, creamy, and mushroomy broth. So good!

Pour the delicious contents of the blender back into the pot with the rest of the mushrooms.

Stir, and heat through.

Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, and voilà! A deliciously satisfying creamy vegan mushroom soup. Enjoy!

Ready to make this vegan mushroom soup?

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