Dairy-Free Mushroom Soup

Dairy-Free Mushroom Soup is made with just a few simple ingredients like fresh mushrooms, leek, fresh herbs, and vegetable broth, along with an unexpected ingredient to make it thick and creamy without milk or dairy-free milk. This easy, homemade soup is healthy, low-calorie, and accidentally vegan.

This homemade cream of mushroom soup is one of those comfort foods that everyone loves. A mushroom lovers dream soup and one of my all-time favorite recipes. A vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe where you won’t even miss the dairy because it is just as thick, creamy with amazing depth of flavor. There’s no need for full fat milk or heavy cream, which makes it lower in fat and calories.

This recipe came about by accident, and I wasn’t trying to make a vegan soup. I had some friends coming over for dinner, and as it can happen, I was informed that one of my guests is lactose intolerant. Well, there went my cream of mushroom soup idea (or so I thought).

That’s when I remembered my recipe for Zucchini and Sweet Potato Soup, where I had learned that cashew nuts make a really good soup thickener, and it turned out really well

There’s no need for any type of milk when it comes to thickening soup; all you need is raw cashew nuts. They soften as the soup cooks and are blended into the soup, resulting in the perfect creamy texture.

I find that almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or soy milk are all too thin to add body and thickness to the soup. Blended cashews create a thick consistency without the need for starches like potatoes, all-purpose flour, or tapioca flour.

Cashew nut substitute

If you don’t want to use nuts of any kind, you can substitute a small potato. Just peel, chop, and add in place of the cashews. Coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk is a consideration, but you may detect a light coconut flavor.

Best mushrooms for creamy mushroom soup

Any of your favorites will work; cremini mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, and portobello mushrooms are my favorite choices. White button mushrooms will work, but they don’t have as much mushroom flavor, in my opinion. You can also use a variety of mushrooms.

I promise, you won’t miss the cream in this creamy vegan mushroom soup, and for those of you who are not able to tolerate dairy and missed out on all those creamy soups, this recipe is for you.

I’ve tried the recipe a few times, and this is the best-tasting version so far. To give the soup texture, I reserve some of the cooked chopped mushrooms before blending the soup. It’s nice to have a meaty mushroom bite.

Flavor tip

If you’re a fan of black pepper, go a little heavier and it really enhances the and brings fantastic flavor to the mushrooms.

Fresh herbs

I like fresh rosemary paired with mushrooms. Fresh thyme is also a delicious option, or use both.

Blending vegetable soup

There are two ways of doing this. To cut down on dishes, I like to use my immersion blender and blend it right in the pan it cooks in. If you blend using a regular blender, make sure the soup is cooled slightly, as hot liquids expand quickly when blended.

Leftover mushroom soup

Store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days. This dairy-free cream of mushroom soup is also perfect for making a vegan green bean casserole.

Freezing mushroom soup

Next time you make this soup, make a double batch and freeze the other half. I’m always glad when I do this. Just seal well in a freezer-safe container and it will keep for up to 3 months.