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You won’t believe this vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe is dairy-free! It's decadently rich, creamy, and full of flavor and texture.
It's so good, it's often mistaken for classic mushroom soup and is a key player in this reader favorite vegan green bean casserole. The reviews make this soup speak for itself!
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Why you'll love vegan cream of mushroom soup
This velvety, creamy vegan cream of mushroom soup is a hit with everyone – you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy it! It’s so rich and smooth that even non-vegans are often surprised it’s plant-based.
What makes this soup even better is that it’s budget-friendly and made with mushrooms and pantry staples. It’s naturally gluten-free, with an easy option to use all-purpose flour if you prefer.
Even beginner cooks have successfully made this on their first try. Plus, it doubles as a versatile soup or sauce for your favorite dishes! If you're looking for vegan Thanksgiving recipes, I have a bunch of reader favorites in one spot!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Find ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive Oil: You can use any cooking oil, like canola, coconut, or avocado oil.
- Mushrooms: I recommend white button or baby bella mushrooms, but portobello or any variety will work.
- Shallots: Milder than onions, shallots can be swapped for onions in this recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder can be used in small amounts if needed.
- Chickpea Flour: This natural soup thickener adds protein while keeping it gluten-free. You can try other gluten-free flours or use all-purpose flour as noted in the recipe.
- Dry Sherry: Adds depth of flavor; substitute with any cooking liquid if needed.
- Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk: Any non-dairy milk, such as coconut, oat, or soy milk, will work. However, I prefer to use almond milk for the flavor.
- Nutmeg: Adds a classic, nutty flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste after cooking. This soup may taste bland until you add the right amount of salt.
- Optional: Cornstarch + Milk or Water: Use this to thicken the soup as a casserole base.
How to make vegan cream of mushroom soup
First, sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic over medium-high heat until very tender, stirring as needed.
Next, add the flour and stir until the vegetables absorb it. This is a roux.
Add the dry sherry to deglaze the pot. Then, add milk in very small amounts, whisking vigorously to ensure no lumps. Continue this process until all of the milk is used. Add the nutmeg. Then add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring everything just to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the soup thickens to your liking.
Note: To use as condensed mushroom soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold milk or water, stir into hot soup, and cook 1–2 minutes to thicken.
Serve warm. To store, allow to cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Test kitchen recipe tips
- Sauté the mushrooms well: Cook mushrooms until they release moisture and start to brown to deepen flavor.
- Flour color: The longer you brown the flour for the roux, the darker the soup will be. To keep the soup light in color, avoid over-browning the flour.
- Cooking liquid: Use any non-dairy milk of choice. For a lower-calorie option, substitute 1 cup of almond milk with vegetable broth.
- Avoid lumps: When adding milk to the vegetables, do it gradually and whisk quickly to prevent lumps, ensuring a smooth sauce.
- Don’t rush simmering: Let the soup simmer for at least 10-15 minutes to build the flavors and texture of this soup.
- Consistency: The soup thickens as it simmers. If it’s too thin, let it simmer to reduce. If it’s too thick, whisk in small amounts of liquid until you reach your desired consistency.
More vegan soup recipes
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- Chickpea and Kale Soup
- Vegan Tortilla Soup
- Thai Coconut Soup
On a personal note: This vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe is dedicated to my mom who helped test and finalize it in my test kitchen back in 2009. Thanks, Mom, for helping me dial this one to perfection!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1 small Shallot, minced (or ¼ cup Onion)
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup Chickpea Flour, or All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Dry Sherry or Wine, optional
- 3 cups Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk, I prefer almond milk
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt, or more to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
Optional
- Fresh Parsley, for garnish
- Cornstarch + Milk or Water, if using for casseroles
Instructions
Note: If using this recipe as canned cream of mushroom soup for a casserole, see footnote below *
- Heat the soup pot over medium heat. Add OLIVE OIL and warm until shimmering.
- Add MUSHROOMS, SHALLOT, and GARLIC. Sauté 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has been released from the mushrooms.
- Stir in FLOUR and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
- Add (optional) DRY SHERRY and a splash of MILK, scraping the pot to deglaze any browned bits.
- Gradually whisk in remaining MILK to avoid lumps. Stir in NUTMEG.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
- Season with SALT and PEPPER. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Top with PARSLEY and serve warm with your favorite bread or crackers.
- To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- silicone spatula or any stirring utensil
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Stephanie says
I love cream of mushroom soup in so many things but don't like to buy the canned stuff. This sounds like the perfect recipe for it and so creamy looking.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Stephanie! If you like canned cream of mushroom, you'll love this one!
Ashley says
This looks so good, and I can see it being very versitile too!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Ashley! Yep, it's very versatile as a soup, for casseroles, or as pasta sauce 🙂
S.E.W. says
So happy to find this. Made substitutions based on what I had on hand and in spite of that, it worked and tasted great.
I look forward to making it again exactly as you have created to take it to a "whole 'nother level"
Subbed onion for Shallot, gluten free all purpose for chick pea flour, and chardonnay for Sherry.
Traci Antonovich says
Yay! Sounds like exactly the subs I would have done 🙂 So glad it worked out for you...it's really a great soup! Every time I eat it, I still can't believe it's vegan LOL 🙂
Luna says
I followed the recipe and cannot get the sauce to thicken. It's been on low-medium heat for over 20 minutes. Could it be the type of mushroom I used? I used portobello instead of cremini.
My thought was to add more garbanzo flour, but I was worried about clumps. Guidance is appreciated. Thank you 🙂
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Luna, I can't determine where it went wrong for you, but keep in mind that it will thicken upon cooling. If you find it too thin when it's heated, mix together 1 part garbanzo flour with 3 parts milk (example: 1 tsp flour + 3 tsp milk). Whisk this mixture into the soup, heat and stir until desired consistency is reached. You may need to repeat this step again if it's not enough to thicken the soup. Also, the type of mushrooms shouldn't matter at all, as long as they were fresh, not dried. Hope this works for you 🙂
Perry says
I would think dried mushrooms could work AND thicken the soup because they absorb so much liquid. Just a thought passing through my mind as I read the comments.
Traci Antonovich says
Perry, love the weigh-in. I think I need to try this one with dried mushrooms b/c it has come up a few times. Thanks!
Julie Kennedy says
For some reason, I have a whole (unopened) bag of tapioca flour in my pantry. Having never used tapioca flour OR chickpea flour... this may be a stupid question... but do you think I can use the tapioca flour in place of the chickpea flour? Thanks!
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Julie, not a stupid question at all. But, I can't answer the question for two reasons. 1) Because I've never used tapioca flour; and 2) I'm not sure if you can substitute it equally with chickpea flour, especially in an application like this. Perhaps you'll want to google "can I substitute tapioca flour for chickpea flour?" I can tell you this recipe is delicious with the chickpea flour...and I'm not sure how the tapioca flour would make it taste. Ok, hope that helps!
Laura says
I made this last night for dinner and love it! I didn't have chickpea flour so I used bistro gravy mix to thicken it. I will use this base for many things now. Thanks for sharing.
Traci Antonovich says
Yay Laura...so glad to hear this! Yep, I use it for a base too...it's perfect for that. Thanks for the feedback...really appreciate it! 🙂
janet says
How long would this keep in the fridge? Also, do you think I could can it for later use.
Traci Antonovich says
Great questions! I've stored it up to 4 days...only with really fresh mushrooms. If they're in the need-to-be-used-asap status, that cuts the time down. As for canning, I'm sorry but I cannot speak to that experience b/c I've not done it. Let me know if you test it though 🙂
Janelle Holyoak says
Have you tried freezing it? If so how did it hold up? How long do you think it would keep in the freezer?
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Janelle, I haven't tried to freeze it. If you do, I recommend that (once thawed) if it's too thick, whisk in a little almond milk when heating. If it's too thin, mix a little chickpea flour with a little almond milk, whisk it in to the soup and heat thoroughly (it will thicken as it heats). Hope that helps 🙂
Ania says
Hi, this recipe sounds so yummy for the cold east coast weather. Can I substitute fresh mushrooms for dehydrated ones? I have a ton we harvested last fall and trying to find ways to use them.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Ania, interesting question. I don't see why you couldn't use dried mushrooms instead of freshies, but I also don't have experience doing that with this recipe. I think you'll want to fully rehydrate them. Also, not sure about the measurement. Love to hear back from you with your experience! 🙂
spikeymandy says
Late to the party but i have just used your soup as the basis of a *chicken* (quorn) and mushroom pie and it was absolutely lush! thank you so much
Traci Antonovich says
Well then, this party's just getting started! Seriously, I love it that you found this recipe and I love the way you used it! That's exactly how I've always intended it 🙂 Thanks SO much for reporting back...much appreciated!
John Harris says
On the question of the Chicpea flour, we are huge fans of these legumes. When chicpea flour is called for in a recipe we take dried chicpeas and grind them in the blender/food processor/coffee grinder/etc. until it resembles flour. That makes an acceptable substitution. You wouldn't normally see any chunks or large pieces if you have enough liquid in your recipes.
Traci Antonovich says
John, I love hearing this. I'm totally going to try grinding chickpeas for this purpose in the future. Can't wait, actually! Thanks so much for weighing in your experience here. Really appreciate it! 🙂
Keith smith says
Hello, can I use a gf flour mix instead I have allergy to chickpeas
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Keith, I have not tried gf flour (outside of chickpea flour) for this recipe, so I'm not sure how it will turn out. Please let me know if you decide to experiment 🙂
Jan says
Just curious, why don't you like to use coconut milk?
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Jan, I don't use it b/c I don't want the soup to taste like coconut, and I happen to love almond milk flavor with mushrooms. You are most welcome to use it though...and let me know if you do 🙂
Steve says
Hi, wondering if you think using garbanzo beans instead of flour would work. Couldn't find any of that flour, so plan in using an equal amount of canned beans and a bit of cornstarch for thickening.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Steve...ooooooh, you got me on that one. I don't think you'll hurt anything to give it a try...please let me know if you do! Hope it works out for you! 🙂
Katie says
I will be making this soon! Has anyone tried canning this cream of mushroom soup If so, I’d love to know how you did it . I’d like to make a large batch and can it so it’s always ready for vegan meals !
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Katie! Love hearing that you'll be making one of my fav soups of ALL time. The canning question is out of my league. I've canned foods, but not this one. Wish I give you a definitive answer, but I'll love to hear your results if you decide to do it. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 (btw, I do believe freezing it would work well. I've frozen similar based soups with great results).
Mia Couch says
I quickly googled canning soups and apparently you shouldn't can anything with flour, thickeners, or anything pureed. If someone wanted to can this soup they would probably have to used cooked/canned chickpeas and can them in with the other ingredients all whole, and then puree at the time of serving. This would mean your mushrooms would get pureed too, but if you have your mind set on canning this soup, then that's what my google research suggests.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Mia, thanks for the info! Someone else had asked me about canning it before...and I have very little canning experience in general. So, I'm glad you looked it up and found some helpful info. Thanks for taking the time to share your findings 🙂
Katie says
Absolutely Delicious!
• onion • reg flour • no sherry wine • no shallot
Thanks for the recipe!
Traci Antonovich says
Woohoo...awesome! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 I made a second batch tonight much like what you did. I used onion, AP flour, no sherry. It was juuuust as delish...and I still can't believe it's vegan!
Mandy says
?Do you have to use chickpea flour? Or can I use regular flour
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Mandy...great question! I just did it tonight, actually. I used all purpose flour and cut the amount in half. Hope that answers your question. Hollar back if you need to...I'm here 🙂
La Nita says
Made this recipe today. Mine turned out much darker in color and I'm not sure why. It didn't matter too much because I used it in a recipe for stuffing. It worked well. Thanks!
Traci Antonovich says
Hi La Nita...hmmmm, I believe what caused this is sauteeing the veggies (with the flour) a bit too long. But, you wouldn't have known to avoid it b/c it wasn't clear in the recipe. Myyyyy bad...and I just noted it in the recipe. I'm also including a note to use a light colored broth b/c certain concentrated broths are very brown. Thanks for taking the time to offer this feedback 🙂
Vicky says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I'm dairy free for my baby (dairy allergy) and was trying to figure out how I'd be able to adjust and make green my bean casserole for Thanksgiving. Found your recipe and it seems great! I used regular flour and homemade chicken bone broth because that's what I had on hand. I had to omit the sherry because I didn't have any. Came out great. (Though I may add more garlic next time, we love garlic in my house.) I froze this batch to have in the future and will make another batch in a day or two to use for Thanksgiving. Hoping it thaws out well.
Traci Antonovich says
Thank you...I really appreciate your comment. You should be able to sub it right into your GB Casserole recipe. I haven't tried to freeze it. Once thawed, if it's too thick, add a little almond milk when heating. If it's too thin, mix a little flour with a little almond milk, add it to the soup, and heat. Repeat if you need to make it thicker. Hope that helps 🙂
Bobette Bryan says
Hi. Did freezing it work? I have a dairy allergy, and I'm trying to come up with some way to keep this on hand for casseroles, etc.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks for asking Bobette...I'll be curious to hear her response too 🙂
JenK says
Found this soup recipe - cream of mushroom was an ultimate childhood comfort food. Rainy days, snow days, break up days. As an adult I found a from scratch substitute that I loved. About 2 years ago my approaching 40 body has said dairy is not a friend. So glad to find this recipe and it was wonderful. It was immediately a keeper. Off to find some more recipes to try - the dairy free green bean casserole might come in handy for thanksgiving! And I think I need that Feel Better Pho in my rotation. 🙂 Just wanted to say thanks!
Traci Antonovich says
Omgosh...you are sooo making my weekend with this comment! I'm loving that you love this soup. I honestly love it so much and (still) can't believe it's vegan! So, I'm not vegan, but I sure do cook and eat like one quite often. Hope you find more recipes you love! Any questions, I'm always here 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Cary says
Thank you!! I will try this soon. Do you have a recipe for cream of chicken soup? Always on the lookout for msg free recipes!!!
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Cary, I don't have a recipe for cream of chicken. But, you can substitute this cream of mushroom recipe for canned cream of mushroom, which I suspect is what goes into cream of chicken. Love to hear your experience if you try it. Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂
Sue says
I would like to make a batch to keep on hand. Any way to store for longer than 4 days?
Traci says
Hi Sue...yes, I haven't tried freezing it yet, but will do so this winter. To reheat once it's thawed, I'd whisk together two teaspoons chickpea flour with two teaspoons almond milk, whisk into the soup, and heat soup. This should help thicken it. If it doesn't, repeat the process with the same measurements. I would use these measurements to reheat two cups of soup. Hope that helps!
Sue says
Thanks! Will try freezing using my food saver.
Traci says
Awesome, I'll be doing the same in the near future. Maybe we can check back in 🙂
Kayla says
Did you ever try freezing it? If so, how’d it turn out?
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Kayla, no...haven't tried freezing it yet. But when I do, I'll update the recipe to include any special mentions 🙂
Rhonda says
Can you freeze this for later use or does it become all watery after being thawed?
Traci says
Hiya Rhonda...great question! I haven't tried it , but if it does, I'd whisk together two teaspoons chickpea flour with two teaspoons almond milk, whisk into the soup, and heat soup. This should help thicken it. If it doesn't, repeat the process with the same measurements. I would use these measurements for about two cups of soup. Hope that helps!
Megan says
was wondering if I could swap in almond or coconut flour? Haven’t worked with chickpea flour before and I currently trying a no/low carb, no white flour or sugar.
Can’t wait to try this!
Traci Antonovich says
Great question! I don't know the answer b/c I haven't tried it. I've worked with both of those flours, but not extensively enough to know how they'll behave in this recipe. I wish I had a better answer, however if you decide to be adventurous, please let me know your results.
Sylvie says
Omg, this was delicious!! And then I used it in the vegan green bean casserole. So delish! Thank you so much for sharing!
Traci says
Yes! Your comment makes this another one for the win! Thanks so much for letting me know...I'm glad you love it. I happen to be pretty fond of it myself 🙂
Casey says
@Sylvie I just came to the comments section to see if anyone had used this for casserole was wondering how it held up in the oven? I'd love to use this recipe for my green bean casserole for thanksgiving but since majority of guests aren't vegan I want something as close to the original as possible!
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Casey, I hope Sylvie weighs in on her experience, but I can tell you that I created this recipe for my Vegan Green Bean Casserole. I served it last year for Thanksgiving and nobody knew it was vegan...and nobody said it tasted funny, or weird, or different. They just loved it! Hope that helps your quest...let me know if you have any other questions...I'm always here 🙂
Cassidy says
That's what I'm doing too! So far, so good!
Traci Antonovich says
Awesome...so glad to hear it! It's pretty exciting to have great choices beyond the usual 🙂 Have a great holiday!
Katie says
Hello, love the recipe. Just one question since I don't usually have chickpea flour on hand – is there anything I could substitute for it that would make it just as creamy? Thank you!
Traci Antonovich says
Hey thanks Katie! Actually, if you're not gluten/wheat intolerant, all-purpose or whole wheat flour would work great for this recipe. You may need to experiment with the amounts, but I used to use either flour before falling in love with chickpea flour. Let me know if you need more recommendations. Hope that helps 🙂
Carrie says
If I don't have sherry is there a sub?
Traci Antonovich says
Hey Carrie, you could use vermouth, white wine, or even red wine in place of the sherry. You could also omit the step entirely and the soup will be just fine. Let me know if you have any more questions...and thanks for asking! 🙂
Katie says
Thank you! Testing tonight, bet it will be delish
Traci Antonovich says
Awesome...hope it's a hit! 🙂
Katherine says
Well done LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe tried and tested by my two boys and whoa momma BELEIVE ME when i say that that is NOT an easy task !!!!!! My word getting them to eat healthy wholefoods is like blood from a stone except I wouldnt be surprised if that was an easier task ha ha !! I hope you see what im getting at here i do tend to ramble a little lol must be my age anyway my point is you are cooking up some great recipes and honestly this is my fave blog at the moment so well done again!!!
Traci Antonovich says
Katherine...you just made my week!. I can honestly say that after reading your comments, my mission is fully accomplished with this recipe. I'm honored to be your favorite right now 🙂 Please let me know if you have any questions, or get stumped...I'm always here. Thanks again!