This vegan mushroom soup recipe is one of Nava Atlas', author of 5-Ingredient Vegan, all-time favorites. You can choose between cannellini beans or silken tofu to create a creamy base for a soup sure to please mushroom fans. Leftovers make a great pasta sauce or topping for grains.
Following a plant-based diet is easier than ever, with more compelling reasons to take the leap. If you’re just starting to explore veganism, here’s a quick overview. Vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs, dairy products and even honey. Vegetarians avoid meat, fowl and seafood, and are often in it for the health aspects. Ethical veganism goes beyond diet—animal welfare is the top motivation for this designation. Concern for animal welfare means that any animal-derived products, including leather and wool, are avoided. Environmental issues weigh in as well.
As for food, the ideal vegan diet is based on fresh produce, whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts and seeds. Often in the mix are nondairy milks, soy foods, and, for some, meat and cheese alternatives. Even if you’re not planning to go full-on vegan, anyone can benefit from enjoying plant-based meals on a regular basis. They’re delicious and satisfying, and you just might feel more amazing than you ever thought possible. Read all of Nava Atlas' reasons for going vegan in our previous article here.
Vegan Mushroom Soup Recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or
12.3-ounce container firm silken tofu
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed 10 to 12 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced (Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste)
1. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
2. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a food processor along with the cannellini beans or tofu and a little of the broth. Process until smoothly pureed.
3. In the same soup pot, combine the mushrooms with enough water to keep the bottom of the pot moist. Cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the bean mixture from the food processor to the mushrooms in the soup pot. Add the remaining vegetable broth and stir to combine. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.
5. Heat the soup slowly until nicely heated through, but don’t let it boil. Season with salt and pepper, and serve. Or, if time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so to develop flavor, then heat through as needed.
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
Garnish each serving of soup with chopped parsley. Top each serving of soup with crisp croutons.
Shared with permission from 5-Ingredient Vegan © 2019 by Nava Atlas, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.