This Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup is so rich you won’t miss the original! Vegan and Paleo, it makes a great stand in for recipes that call for condensed cream of mushroom. We use this for our Thanksgiving casserole recipes.
Contents
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup – Made Healthier!
Cans of soup are convenient, but a quick look at the label is enough to make me shy away.
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup is not only so much better tasting, it’s so much healthier. Skip the preservatives and laundry list of flavor enhancers.
This dairy free cream of mushroom soup is something you’ll feel good about serving to your family. I make this a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving, and it’s ready to make those classic casserole recipes, like this Homemade Green Bean Casserole.
Years ago I wanted to recreate Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana dairy free. I blended cashews with steamed cauliflower and a new obsession was formed. This easy, nutrient-dense combo makes the best creamy soup base.
Whether you follow a dairy free paleo or vegan diet, or are just trying to cut down on calories, this cauliflower and cashew base makes an incredible substitute!
The water from the cauliflower thins out a rich cashew base, so there is no need for non-dairy milk or starches like tapioca starch. Just the good stuff in this version!
What You’ll Need
- Cashew Butter (or raw cashews – if you start with cashews, they need to soak for a couple of hours)
- Cauliflower
- Avocado Oil (or olive oil)
- Onions
- Garlic
- Fresh Mushrooms (I use cremini mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, but white mushrooms or your favorite variety works!)
- Vegetable Broth (or chicken broth)
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Fresh Thyme (or dried thyme)
How to Make Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
Step 1: Use a steamer basket to steam cauliflower for 15 minutes, until very tender.
Step 2: In a dutch oven or large soup pot, add the avocado oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 10-12 minutes until very soft.
Step 3: Into the pot, add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Season the mushroom and onion mixture with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add cauliflower, cashew butter, and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to a blender. Process until very smooth and creamy. This step is key to a very creamy soup base, so once you think it’s done, continue to process for another minute or two. *This is best done in a blender, not a food processor, to make the sauce as creamy and smooth as possible.
Step 5: Add the cashew cauliflower “cream” into the soup pot, and stir to combine.
Step 6: Season the soup with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
Step 7: The soup is ready to be use as a substitute for condensed cream of mushroom soup at this stage. Use the soup immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Step 8: To serve as soup, thin the soup out with more vegetable broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Tips for Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
To use as a condensed soup: After adding the cauliflower and cashew cream, season the soup generously, remembering it’s supposed to have condensed flavor (saltier than you would typically enjoy!). Use the soup immediately, or refrigerate it for 3 days, or freeze the condensed soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To make soup: Thin the soup out with addition vegetable or chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached. Delicious served alongside salads or sandwiches, all year round!
How to Serve Creamy Mushroom Soup
Many comfort foods recipes use a cream soup as a base. Thanksgiving casseroles, like the popular green bean casserole with fried onions, use a condensed cream of mushroom soup. Have this on hand before the holidays and sub it for the canned version!
For 1 can of traditional cream of mushroom soup: Substitute 1 1/4 cups of this homemade mushroom soup. Thin with vegetable broth to reach the desired consistency, if necessary.
As a side or starter: Serve bowls of cream of mushroom soup as a starter to meal. For a light lunch or dinner, serve this soup alongside a protein-rich salad or sandwich.
More Creamy Dairy Free Soup Recipes
- Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
- Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper
- Dairy Free Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cashew butter (or 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water overnight)
- 1 cauliflower medium (7-8 inches in diameter), chopped into florets
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced thinly (any variety you love)
- 3-4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or sub 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use a steamer basket to steam cauliflower over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, until very tender.
- In a dutch oven or large soup pot, add the avocado oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 10-12 minutes until very soft.
- Into the pot, add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Season the mushroom and onion mixture with salt and pepper.
- Add cauliflower, cashew butter, and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to a blender. Process until very smooth and creamy. This step is key to a very creamy soup base, so once you think it’s done, continue to process for another minute or two. *This is best done in a blender, not a food processor, to make the sauce as creamy and smooth as possible.
- Add the cashew cauliflower “cream” into the soup pot, and stir to combine.
- Season the soup with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
- The soup is ready to be use as a substitute for condensed cream of mushroom soup at this stage. Use the soup immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To serve as soup, thin the soup out with more vegetable broth until the desired consistency is reached.
O I love this lovely o so creamy vegan soup!!
I have never been into cream soups– but this is one I can get behind!
My family is gluten and dairy free, and this looks amazing! So creamy, yet hearty and healthy! We can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoy it! I can’t wait to make more variations of it soon. I’ve used cauliflower for years to make “cream” soups, but the addition of cashews is amazing!
Great idea to make condensed cream of mushroom soup and freeze it. Planning and working doubletime when the kids were napping was my only way I could get anything done when my boys were small. It gets better I promise.
It’s already getting better 🙂 He now likes to sit on the counter and help me cook– it’s a huge mess, but he has fun and I can get things done!
I love mushroom soup. Lots of folks with dietary restrictions will benefit from your great recipe. I’ve loved cauliflower since before it became popular. Happy to see it used so much now.
I’ve always loved cauliflower too– but now it’s a staple in my grocery cart!
What a great idea, to use cauliflower and cashews instead of cream
It works so well! Great for those who can’t tolerate dairy like me 🙂
This one looks like a perfect soup for chilly fall days. Bookmarking and surely making it!
Thanks Igor 🙂 I’m making it again this week and testing out a few of those Thanksgiving recipes!
looks like a delicious recipe! we have a nut allergy in our house, so have done dairy free creamy soups using silken tofu.
I love all the creativity in recipes for different food allergies/intolerances. I have a soy allergy, so the tofu ones don’t work in our house!
Noticing an overload on delicious soups here lately… Pinned this one for later! I really love mushroom soup but I had many bad recipes before! Curious at this one!
I would love to hear what you think Simon! I have never had mushroom soup because I don’t like cream based soups — but my mom loves Cream of Mushroom and she told me this is better. It really is pretty simple in it’s ingredients, nothing fancy– just creamy and comforting!
Made this last week…it is absolutely scrummy. I’m going to use this as the base of my green bean casserole for Thanksgiving…Thank you so much for creating this recipe….I’m sure I’ll make it again, and again, and again!
That green bean casserole is exactly why I developed this recipe! It was my brother’s favorite dish growing up, but now he is gluten free and can’t have the canned soup- and I am lactose intolerant. We really love this soup for so many uses.Thank you for letting me know, and Happy Thanksgiving!
My girl has dairy, egg and nuts allergy.. what can I replace the cashews with? Tks
Hi Firah– food allergies are so tough! Can she have coconut? I would try using full fall coconut milk- maybe 1/2-3/4 cup in place of the cashews. With the cauliflower, you most likely won’t notice a coconut flavor at all, but it will add some richness. If you try this, let me know how it goes! I’ve used coconut milk in soups before and have loved the results.
Any suggestion for replacing cashews that aren’t soy?
You can use full fat coconut milk as a sub for cashews! If you don’t need to keep it dairy free, you can use cream as well. I could sub 1/2 cup of coconut milk in place of the soaked cashews, and omit 1/2 cup of water.
Perfect vegan side dish for the cold season! Love it!