🥘 Ingredients
- dried porcini mushrooms or other dried mushrooms 1 oz
- fresh mushrooms 16 oz
- extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
- large sweet onion 1
- garlic cloves 8
- vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- Kosher
- dry white wine ½ cup
- Bouquet garni: large sprig of rosemary 2 sprig
- good-quality vegetable broth 3 cup
- raw cashews ½ cup
- white miso or red miso for a more robust taste 1 tbsp
- soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard ¼ tsp
- fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley 1 handful
The dried mushrooms + mushroom stock are optional. If skipping them, use 4 cup vegetable broth instead of 3 cup. If you have porcini mushroom powder, add 1/2 tsp with the broth to make up for the savory flavor. Alternatively, if you have my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, there’s an excellent mushroom broth in Chapter 1 that would make this soup sing even more! If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews in boiling water while you prep everything else. This soup is definitely on the creamy side, and thickens as it rests. If you want a thinner soup, add a bit more broth. You can serve this with a slice or two of good-quality toasted bread and simple green salad on the side. If you want to add some protein, a great pairing would be some cooked white beans, lightly dressed with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. If you’re looking for a gourmet soup and salad pairing, either this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad or this Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad would be good! Storage: Store cooled leftovers in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. You can freeze this soup, though the texture will be slightly different. Storage: I like to freeze the soup in single-serve Souper Cubes (affiliate link) so they defrost very quickly.
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1Gather: dried porcini mushrooms or other dried mushrooms , fresh mushrooms , extra virgin olive oil , large sweet onion , garlic cloves , vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, dry white wine , Bouquet garni: large sprig of rosemary , good-quality vegetable broth , raw cashews , white miso or red miso for a more robust taste , soy sauce or tamari , Dijon mustard , fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley .
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2Optional – make mushroom stock: Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cup room temperature water. Place a smaller bowl or something heavy on top to ensure they stay submerged. Soak for 30 minutes , or until softened.
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3Scoop out the mushrooms. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to catch any sediment, reserving the stock. Add the rehydrated mushrooms to a bowl of water and agitate with your hands. Drain the water and repeat a few times until the sediment is gone. This ensures the grit won’t make it into the soup. Slice mushrooms and set aside.
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4For fresh mushrooms like cremini and shiitake, slice them (remove shiitake stems). For oyster or maitake mushrooms, tear them into strips with your hands, discarding any tough ends.
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5Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt, and saute for 4-5 minutes , or until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter to the pan, and once melted, add the fresh mushrooms and rehydrated dried mushrooms, if using. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
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6Pour in the white wine and use it to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3-4 minutes , or until the smell of alcohol has dissipated and some of the liquid has bubbled off.
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7If using, pour in the mushroom stock but reserve the last tablespoon or so, as it’s usually sediment-heavy. Add the vegetable broth too (use 4 cup if not using mushroom stock). Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes .
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8Scoop out ⅓ to ½ of the soup (about 2 1/2 cup), including some mushrooms but not the bouquet garni. Transfer this to a blender and add the cashews, miso and soy sauce. Start slowly then move to high speed and blend until smooth.
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9Stir the blended soup back into the remaining soup in the pot. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5-10 minutes , until the flavors have developed and the soup has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper. If you want a slight pop of acidity, add the Dijon mustard. Remove the bouquet garni.
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10Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top each with a tiny drizzle of good-quality olive oil, if a little extra richness is desired, and garnish with a small handful of chopped parsley/chives.