You see, when it comes to creamy soups (and smoothies for that matter), I'm very particular about the texture. I like them thick and I like them ultra smooth. Thankfully, my blender totally does the job, leaving no lumps behind, but when you're making “cream of” anything soups and you're not using heavy cream, it can be a little challenging to recreate their luxurious nature.
When I was looking for a vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe to base this one off of, I came across a few that used cashew cream as the base – brilliant of course, but I also know that many of you have nut allergies, so that just wouldn't do. Others used things like cauliflower as a thickener, but I felt like that still wouldn't give me the texture I was searching for.
So I went back to the drawing board. What could I use in this soup that would not only thicken the base, but also lend a really creamy texture?
And then it hit me…
AVOCADOS!
Now before you shake your head or think I'm weird for adding avocado to my mushroom soup, let me first explain.
I have a love affair with smoothies (I have one every morning, which you already know) and always add avocado because it makes them extra thick and creamy. But aside from what avocados bring to the texture, it also has a very mild flavor, so you really can't taste it at all – especially when it's up against things like banana, protein power, chocolate and in this case mushrooms.
To make this soup, you don't need very many ingredients all. It's just a mixture of mushrooms, onion and garlic, some broth, some quinoa, a few spices and an entire avocado. Blend it all together and you've got the tastiest, simplest and healthiest cream of mushroom soup ever. Not to mention it's free of all of the top allergens!
And so my friends, today I'm giving you a (here we go…) nut-free, soy-free, corn-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan cream of mushroom soup. Whew, quite the mouthful! I sincerely hope you love it as much as I do 🙂
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 1 lb mushrooms stemmed and chopped (any variety will do)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups organic vegetable broth
- 1 large avocado
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Remove soup from heat and transfer to a high powered blender. Add quinoa and avocado and blend on high until smooth. Return soup to pot, taste again and add any more seasonings if you'd like.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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