Am I allowed to squeeze in one more soup recipe?
It’s looking more and more like spring time every day!!!
I’m trying not to get too giddy. It’s that teaser time of year when the flowers start peeking and you get a couple of glorious 70 degree days….
…but the weather could turn on you any second and you just never know when it’s gonna snow.
Think of this soup as insurance. When that freak March snowstorm hits, you will be prepared with some coziness.
Love this soup. It fits my quick and easy criteria. I did throw in some ingredients that don’t really fit my “cheap and probably already in your pantry” criteria but LUCKILY! they’re unnecessary. Delicious, though. Highly recommend.
((what can I say…the Whole Foods bulk bins got me))
I know what you’re thinking. The title “cream of mushroom soup” conjures images of jiggly greyish goop….
I have not made jiggly goop for you.
No glop that holds the shape of a can here!
It’s “creamy” but it’s sneaky….there’s no actual cream involved! ((I know that sounds weird too…trust me on this.))
It’s warm comforting soup that feels a little lighter….because spring is coming!
Spring!!!
Warmth and sunshine!!!
I’m so excited!!!
Can you tell?
I’ll stay calm, it’s still cold.
Here’s some warmth for your belly while we wait.
The secret:
Those guys become nutty delicious cream.
I know.
It’s pretty cool.
They need to soak for a bit, though. You can just dump them in some water before you start preparing the rest of the soup. They’ll be ready by the time you need them. ((You are SO cooperative cashews, thank you.))
((Afraid of cashew cream? Can’t afford it? Flat out don’t wanna?
Ok. Then don’t. Regular cream works just fine! ))
Here’s the other thing that’s a little bit different:
Dried porcini mushrooms. These guys will make sure the soup smacks you upside the head with mushroom flavor. It’s a deep, earthy, means business kind of thing that you just don’t get with regular mushroom.
((Again…unnecessary…but seriously delicious))
They’re dried so they need to rehydrate. Let them soak up the sun (er…water)
Ok now that the divas are taken care of…it’s time to get chopping.
Slice
and dice
Onions in a pot
now garlic
Baby bellas and celery…plus Worcestershire and soy sauces
Broth and pepper…rosemary and thyme…porcinis in their soaking juice…simmer down now…
While it simmers…you can deal with the cashew cream. Just dump the cashews and water in a blender and blend until it’s smooth.
Oh hey look…
Cream of Mushroom.
Enjoy!
❤ Ellen
Cashew Cream of Mushroom Soup
Recipe adapted from Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
olive oil (to saute)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
about 1/2-3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (measured when dried)
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups broth of choice (vegetable suggested)
salt to taste (though I don’t think it needs any more…the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce took care of that…)
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 1/2 cups hot water, divided
1. Place the cashews in 1/2 cup water and set aside to soften
2. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of water and set aside to soften
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook until softened and beginning to brown. Add the celery and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the baby bella mushrooms, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the mushrooms begin to break down and brown, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the broth, black pepper, rosemary, thyme and porcini mushrooms (including the water they soaked in). Allow the soup to simmer until the mushrooms are completely softened.
6. While the soup simmers, put the cashews and 1/2 cup of water in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour the resulting cream into the soup and stir to combine.
**If you want you could make truly creamy soup using and immersion blender or by blending the whole soup in a regular blender in batches. In that case, stir the cashew cream into the soup AFTER it has been pureed. We like chunky soup in this house. To each his own =)
Ellen in the Kitchen 