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Close-up of a bowl of rich Creamy Mushroom Soup No Canned Soup topped with sautéed mushrooms and chives.

Creamy Mushroom Soup Without Canned Soup

This recipe makes a creamy mushroom soup using fresh and dried mushrooms, avoiding canned soup for a richer flavor.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Mushroom Soaking Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Mushroom Stock (Optional)
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms or other dried mushrooms optional
For the Soup Base
  • 16 ounces fresh mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, maitake) variety recommended
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion finely chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter or more olive oil
  • 1 Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine 120 mL
  • 1 Bouquet garni 1 sprig rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups vegetable broth Use 4 cups if not using mushroom stock (720 mL)
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews 70g
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste use red miso for stronger taste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari Use tamari for gluten-free
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
  • 1 small handful fresh chives and/or parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or soup pot
  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Blender

Method
 

  1. If using dried mushrooms, place them in a bowl and cover with 1 ½ cups of room temperature water. Place a heavy object on top to keep them submerged. Soak for 30 minutes until soft.
  2. Scoop out the soaked mushrooms. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the stock. Place the rehydrated mushrooms in clean water, agitate them by hand, drain, and repeat until the grit is removed. Slice the cleaned mushrooms and set them aside.
  3. Slice fresh mushrooms like cremini and shiitake. Remove shiitake stems. Tear oyster or maitake mushrooms into strips by hand, discarding tough ends.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.
  5. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the fresh mushrooms and the rehydrated dried mushrooms, if you used them. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper at the end of this step.
  6. Pour in the white wine and use it to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the alcohol smell is gone and some liquid has evaporated.
  7. Pour in the mushroom stock, reserving the last tablespoon due to sediment. Add the vegetable broth (use 4 cups total if you skipped the mushroom stock). Add the bouquet garni and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  8. Scoop out ⅓ to ½ of the soup (about 2 ½ cups or 550 to 600g), making sure to include some mushrooms but not the bouquet garni. Transfer this portion to a blender. Add the cashews, miso paste, and soy sauce to the blender. Start blending slowly, then increase the speed and blend until the mixture is smooth.
  9. Stir the blended soup back into the remaining soup in the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the flavors develop and the soup thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper. If you want a slight acidic flavor, add the Dijon mustard. Remove the bouquet garni.
  10. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Add a small drizzle of good-quality olive oil for extra richness, if desired, and garnish with the chopped parsley or chives.

Notes

If you skip the dried mushrooms, use 4 cups of vegetable broth instead of 3 cups plus mushroom stock.