Mushroom cream soup - fasting recipe

If I have mushrooms on hand and don't feel like complicated recipes, I quickly make a cream soup. It's one of the simplest options for a vegan soup, but it never seems boring. I've noticed that this soup is made from things you always have at home: mushrooms, a forgotten celery root, some potatoes, onion. Most of the time, I don't weigh everything to the gram, but I make sure there are enough mushrooms – you can really tell if you haven't added enough.

Quick Info

Total time: 55-60 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

500 g champignon mushrooms
200 g potatoes (2 medium potatoes)
100 g onion (about 1 medium onion)
100 g celery root
100 g parsnip
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon flour (optional, for a creamier texture)
1 small bunch of fresh dill
salt to taste
2 liters water
Croutons for serving (optional)

Preparation Method

1. Clean and wash the mushrooms. From the 500 g, set aside about 100 g. Slice the rest roughly.

2. Chop the onion finely. Grate the celery and parsnip. Peel and cube the potatoes, but set them aside for later.

3. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and the 400 g of sliced mushrooms. Add a cup of water (about 200 ml) and sauté everything over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms reduce and soften.

4. Add the grated celery and parsnip. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add a tablespoon of flour and mix immediately to avoid lumps.

5. Pour in the 2 liters of water and bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, add the cubed potatoes. Let everything simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Taste the vegetables – they should be well cooked.

6. When everything is soft, remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon (or carefully pour everything into a sieve over a large bowl to keep the liquid soup). Blend them with an immersion blender while they are hot. You can also blend directly in the pot if it's easier.

7. Put the puree back into the pot over the clear soup. Mix well.

8. Slice the remaining 100 g of mushrooms thinly. Add them to the soup and simmer for another 10-15 minutes over low heat. The fresh mushrooms added at the end give a different texture.

9. Meanwhile, crush the garlic and mix it with a little salt, then add it to the soup. Taste and adjust the salt.

10. Remove the soup from heat and add the chopped dill.

11. Serve the soup hot, with plain croutons or toasted bread.

Why I make this recipe often

It doesn't require fancy ingredients and it's quite quick to make. Plus, it keeps well, so I can prepare a larger quantity. You can adapt the vegetables based on what you have on hand. It's hearty, even though it's vegan. If you want, you can add sour cream at the end, but even without it, the texture is pleasant.

Tips and Variations

Tips
– Don't cut the mushrooms too small. The ones added at the end should be sliced thinner for texture.
– If using an immersion blender, be careful not to splash – the soup is hot.
– When adding flour, mix quickly to avoid lumps. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have flour.

Substitutions
– Potatoes can be replaced with zucchini for a lighter soup.
– Celery can be replaced with carrot if you don't have it or don't like the flavor.
– Olive oil can always be replaced with sunflower oil.

Variations
– For a more intense flavor, you can add some dehydrated forest mushrooms (rehydrated beforehand).
– If you're not vegan, add 200 ml of cooking cream or cream cheese at the end for extra flavor.
– Dill can be replaced with fresh parsley, to taste.

Serving Ideas
– Simple homemade croutons – cubed, drizzled with a little oil, and quickly sautéed.
– It pairs well with toasted whole grain bread.
– For those who want, a little freshly ground pepper can be added when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use frozen mushrooms?
Yes, use them directly frozen. Drain the excess liquid after thawing in the pan.

2. Do I need a blender?
For a creamy consistency, yes, but you can also mash by hand with a potato masher if you don't have anything else.

3. What type of mushrooms are best?
Champignon is the classic option, but you can also use porcini or oyster mushrooms, separately or combined. Porcini gives a more intense flavor.

4. How can I make the soup thicker?
Use less water or add extra potato. You can skip the flour if you want a gluten-free version.

5. Can I freeze the cream of mushroom soup?
Yes, but it's better without cream. It retains a good texture when defrosted, just mix well when reheating.

Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated)

Calories: 120 kcal
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fats: 3-4 g

The soup contains a lot of carbohydrates from potatoes, some fiber from mushrooms and root vegetables, and very few fats.

Storage and Reheating

The soup can be stored in the fridge in a closed container for 3-4 days. When reheating, mix vigorously, as the soup sometimes thickens after sitting. If it has thickened too much, add a little hot water. I don't recommend adding cream except to the portion you serve immediately if you want it non-vegan. It can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.

 Ingredients: 500 g mushrooms 200 g potatoes 100 g onion 100 g celery 100 g parsnip 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves of garlic salt fresh chopped dill

 Tags:  mushroom soup fasting recipes