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My Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is silky smooth, full of umami, and “creamy” without any cream. The porcini mushrooms take center stage, giving this soup that deep, restaurant-level flavor you’ll crave all winter long.
❤️ Why You’ll Love
My Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup is naturally gluten-free, high in protein and fiber (thank you, beans!), and tastes like something you’d find at a cozy French bistro. Plus, it’s weeknight-easy. You get all the earthy richness of mushrooms, the velvety texture of cream soup, and none of the dairy drama. Even the most devout butter lovers in my family had no idea it was vegan until I told them.
🍲 Ingredients
My Vegan Cream of Mushroom is proof that simple ingredients can make magic. We’re layering flavor with every step—starting with dried porcini mushrooms that give this soup its signature umami depth.
🍄 The dried porcini mushrooms are the flavor bomb. You’ll use some whole for texture and some blitzed into a fine dust to season and finish the soup.
🧅 Onions and leeks form the aromatic base—sweet, mellow, and just slightly earthy.
🥔 Yukon Gold potatoes bring body and creaminess without any dairy.
🫘 Cannellini beans add a luscious texture and subtle nuttiness while giving the soup plant-based protein power.
🌿 Fresh thyme and oregano infuse every spoonful with herbaceous warmth.
🧂 And finally, my homemade porcini salt—a mix of porcini dust, kosher salt, and crushed Aleppo pepper—turns this into a chef-level dish right in your own kitchen.
👩🍳 How to Make Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Start by rehydrating one ounce of dried porcini mushrooms in boiling water. Let them soak for about 30 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth. Save that liquid—it’s pure gold—and chop up those rehydrated mushrooms. Next, take the remaining half ounce of porcini and blend it into a fine dust. That’s your secret weapon for later.
Soak and clean your sliced leeks (trust me, they love to hold onto dirt). Pat them dry. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, then toss in your onions, leeks, a pinch of salt, and a crack of pepper. Let them soften until they’re tender and fragrant—about five minutes.
Now, the good stuff: add potatoes, cannellini beans, the porcini soaking liquid, your chopped mushrooms, veggie broth, thyme, oregano, and two tablespoons of that glorious porcini dust. Bring it all to a boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer until your potatoes are fall-apart tender.
Fish out the oregano stalks, then blend until perfectly smooth. I adore my immersion blender, but for the silkiest, restaurant-worthy texture, pour the soup into a high-speed blender and let it work its magic.
For the finishing touch, mix your porcini salt (porcini dust + kosher salt + Aleppo pepper), sprinkle it over your bowl, and top with chopped parsley.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Don’t skip the porcini dust—it’s where the magic happens.
- If your soup feels too thick, thin it with a splash of vegetable broth or even a bit of oat milk.
Substitutions
- No cannellini beans? Use great northern or navy beans.
- Can’t find porcini?
- Try dried shiitake or morel mushrooms.
- Don’t love leeks? Sweet onions or shallots will do the trick.
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👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store your vegan cream of mushroom soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It actually gets better as it sits—like most soups do—so don’t be afraid to make it ahead.
🤔 Common Questions
Can I freeze vegan “cream” of mushroom soup?
Yes! Let it cool completely and freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Do I need a blender?
Technically no, but blending gives it that signature creamy texture—so if you can, do it!
VEGAN “CREAM” OF MUSHROOM SOUP
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces dried porcini mushrooms
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 3 small leeks, sliced (approximately 2 cups)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- 3 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes-, peeled and cut into cubes
- 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh oregano sprigs
- parsley, chopped
Porcini Mushroom Salt
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp porcini mushroom dust
- 1 tsp crushed Aleppo or crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms and leeks. Add 1 ounce of dried porcini mushrooms to a bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth. Reserve the liquid and the mushrooms; throw away the cheesecloth.
- Add the remaining dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 ounce) to a blender and blend until they turn into a dust-like consistency. Set aside.
- Soak sliced leeks in water and then strain and pat dry.
- Make the soup. To a large pot, add olive oil, onions, leeks, salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add potatoes, cannellini beans (with liquid), porcini mushroom “juice”, rehydrated porcini mushrooms, 2 tbsp of the “porcini dust”, veggie broth, thyme, and oregano.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer until the potatoes are VERY tender.
- Remove the oregano stalks and blend. I love my immersion blender, BUT you will get the best results if you blend this soup in a blender.
- Make the porcini salt. Add all of the porcini salt ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
- Serve. Pour into a giant soup bowl and top with parsley and porcini salt!!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
