These days, I still love mushroom soup, but I make it from scratch without dairy. What is the secret to the creaminess without the cream? By blending cooked beans with vegetable broth, you end up with a totally luxurious texture that mimics heavy cream but is virtually fat free. In addition, beans deliver healthy, vegetarian protein and a serious dose of filling fiber. It tastes as if you are eating the richest soup of all time, but it’s a delicious illusion that warms you up, fills you up, but doesn’t fill you out!
To take this delicious soup to the next level, you must make the Garlic Herb
Croutons. They are ridiculously rich, perfectly seasoned, and extra
crunchy. You’ll be finding reasons to make soup just to eat them!"
https://food52.com/recipes/75760-luxurious-cream-of-mushroom-soup-with-garlic-herb-croutons
Ingredients
For Luxurious Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1large leek
- 1tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
- 3medium yellow onions, chopped
- 1teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried), plus more for garnish
- 4bay leaves
- 4garlic cloves
- 14ounces / 400 grams cremini mushrooms
- 2cups / 500 vegetable broth
- 1cup / 250 ml plant-based milk of your choice
- 1 1/2cups / 250 grams (about 1 15-ounce an) white beans, such as navy, butter, cannellini, or great Northern, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Garlic-herb croutons (recipe follows)
For Garlic-Herb Croutons (makes 4 cups)
- 1 1/2teaspoons coconut oil
- 1/2teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4cups 330 grams cubed whole-grain bread
Directions
For Luxurious Cream of Mushroom Soup
- To prepare the leek, cut the white and light-green parts in half lengthwise and then crosswise into chunks.
- In a large stockpot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, salt, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook until the onions and leeks are soft, about 5 minutes. Mince the garlic, add it to the pot, and stir.
- While the onions, leeks, and garlic are cooking, clean the mushrooms by removing any dirt or natural debris with a damp cloth (do not wash them in water). Cut the mushrooms into quarters and add them to the pot. Cook until they are dark brown and very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the broth and stir.
- Meanwhile, combine the milk and beans in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
- When the mushrooms are cooked, add the vinegar and about one third of the soup to the blender with the blended beans. Blend on high until creamy, then pour the mixture back into the pot with the remaining soup, stir well, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Thin the soup with water if desired.
- Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the croutons and some fresh thyme sprigs.
For Garlic-Herb Croutons (makes 4 cups)
- Preheat the oven to 325F/160C.
- In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion powders, thyme, oregano, and salt, whisking to combine.
- Place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and pour the oil mixture over the top, tossing very well to coat the bread. Bake until the croutons are golden, fully toasted, and dry, 35 to 45 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight glass jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
My notes: I made the soup. I used two large onions, two leeks, and fresh thyme. I also used coconut milk as the plant-based milk of choice and I opted for ghee and not coconut oil. I used canelini beans. Overall the soup is okay. I think I want more mushrooms and more depth than this soup offered. Frankly it tasted like the vegan mushroom gravy from the first mess but without as much oomph. However, it is a relatively healthy recipe and TK liked it, so maybe would make again?
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