Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe (With Vegan Option)

Warm up with this cozy, deeply umami, earthy and creamy mushroom soup. If you are a mushroom lover this is the best soup is for you.  This creamy soup is comfort food in a bowl and a very delicious way to add more veggies to your diet. 

We love mushrooms for their earthy notes and meaty texture.  They add a distinct flavor to vegan and vegetarian dishes. During the colder months, we crave hearty and filling soups like vegan mushroom barley soup or creamy wild rice soup filled with fresh veggies.

Why You'll Love This Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe

It's not often that we cook with butter and cream, but for this recipe, we wanted to try a richer more decadent version. See our tips and the recipe card for how to make this soup vegan. 

• This soup is easy to make, has a velvety creamy texture. control how creamy or chunky the soup will be by adjusting how much of the mixture to blend. 
• Use your favorite variety of mushrooms.  
• Mushroom soup is a good fit for a variety of dietary preferences. 

How is this recipe different: We added a little miso for extra umami flavor, chestnuts for a cremier texture and nuttiness. We don't use flour  or a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup so this recipe is gluten-free, and there is no white wine added. 

Ingredients

• Butter or extra virgin olive oil 
• Miso Paste. Use red miso or white miso to add amazing savory flavor. Red miso has the deepest umami flavor and white is more mild. Find miso in Asian grocery stores and depending where you live, you can find it in a large supermarket and Whole Foods Market. 
• Shallots. We like shallots as opposed to onions in this recipe for their sweeter and milder flavor so they don't overpower the mushrooms. 
• Celery and Fresh Garlic. Add flavor to the soup. 
• Mushrooms. Any variety you love will work. We used half white mushrooms and half cremini mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms).  Other great mushrooms that are great for soup are oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, portabella mushrooms. Using a mixture of fresh mushrooms and wild mushrooms your soup will have a deeper and more complex flavor. 
• Salt, Thyme, and Black Pepper. It's always important to season your soup.
• Mushroom Broth. Store-bought or homemade. Alternatively,y use vegetable broth. 
• Heavy Cream. Makes your soup creamy and comforting. You can replace it with coconut milk or coconut cream if you want to keep it dairy-free. 
• Roasted Chestnuts. Optional, but they add so much flavor and texture. 
• Soy Sauce. Adds another layer of salty savoriness.

How to Make 

1. Step 1: Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. 

2. Step 2: Stir in the miso and cook until creamy. 

3. Step 3: Add the mushrooms, herbs, and spices, and stir to coat with the butter and miso. 

4. Step 4: Cook until the mushrooms begin to caramelize. 

5. Step 5: The mushrooms will cook down considerably. 

6. Step 6: Blend with broth and chestnuts in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender. Stir and simmer. 

Substitutions and Variations 

The roasted chestnuts add extra creaminess and nuttiness while the miso adds a deep umami flavor. Both ingredients can be omitted, but we believe they add something really special to this dish. 

To make this a vegan mushroom soup: Swap out the butter for extra virgin olive oil. Instead of cream, use unsweetened canned coconut milk or homemade cashew cream. 

Serving Suggestions

We love a nice crusty bread to sop up this divine soup. Top with some sautéed mushrooms, sour cream, fresh parsley, or crispy shallots. A big warm bowl is enough to fill you up and keep you satisfied. You can also add a fresh salad or serve alongside your favorite protein.

Storage and Reheating 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. We do not recommend storing in the freezer as the cream is likely to separate when frozen and reheated. 

More Savory Mushroom Recipes 

• Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
• Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms
• Tagliatelle With Mushroom Ragu & Swiss Chard
• Mushroom Risotto
• Easy Vegan Mushroom Gravy
• Rice Bowl with Shawarma Spiced Mushrooms and Chickpeas
• Sautéed Mushrooms
• Mushroom Barley Soup
• Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms