Do you include mushrooms in your food repertoire? You should if you aren’t as they are chock full of nutrients and support a healthy microbiome. This is one of my favorite spring transitional soups. Spring still brings crisp evenings usually so this is a great dinner soup when you desire something hearty and warming but still light. This recipe is so versatile and can even be made entirely vegan if you wish. Great tasting, simple and quick dinner in 30 minutes.

Scroll down to get directly to the recipe. If you’re interested in learning a little bit about mushrooms here a few tidbits for you.

What Is An Edible Mushroom

They are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several different species of macrofungi. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand.

Nutritional Value

Did you know that mushrooms are a fabulous prebiotic for our microbiomes? Indeed! And they also provide the following nutrients:

• Fiber
• Protein
• Vitamin C
• Folate
• Iron
• Zinc
• Manganese
• Vitamin D
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Niacin

• Vitamin B6
• Pantothenic Acid
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Copper
• Selenium

Many people don’t realize there is so much nutritional value in mushrooms. Of course each kind of mushroom can be broken down even further and has it’s own special profile. If you are really interested in going deeper and learning more my favorite mushroom person is Paul Staments. Go here to read some of his fascinating and educational articles.

Rustic Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 ½ cups mushrooms; finely sliced (mixed blend of your favorites or all one kind as you wish)

1 onion, medium sized; peeled and finely chopped

1 stalk leek (the white part), small sized; finely sliced (reserve tops for soup or juice) or 2 stalks celery with leaves; finely sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, medium sized; finely chopped

Several sprigs of parsley (about 1 ½ tablespoons), leaves picked off; finely chop both leaves and stems

Several sprigs (about 1 ½ tablespoons) of fresh thyme; leaves picked off (1/2 teaspoon dried; use up to 1 teaspoon if you like a strong thyme flavor)

6 cups bone broth or veggie broth (any kind except fish broth will work)

1/3 – ½ cup crème fraiche or plain whole goat, sheep, water buffalo or cow yogurt orseed/nut milk or white bean paste, (from soaked, fermented beans) (if using white beans add just enough broth to blend them into a thick cream before adding to soup)

Splash of avocado oil and 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter (or to keep it vegan substitute coconut oil for butter) or 2 heaping tablespoons ghee

Sea or Himalayan salt; to taste

Fresh cracked pepper; to taste

Drizzle of olive oil (my favorite olive oil)

Finely slice mushrooms and leek or celery, chop onion, garlic, parsley, thyme. Add splash of avocado oil and butter or ghee to large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, leek or celery, parsley and mushrooms with the thyme. (Reserve a bit of the parsley leaves and thyme for garnish) Put a lid on and let it steam until ingredients are soft.

Remove 4-6 tablespoons of the mushrooms and set aside. Add the broth and dash of salt if broth is unsalted; to the remaining ingredients in pan, bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust salt as needed. Using a hand blender mix well until creamy and smooth. Pour in the crème fraiche or plain whole goat, sheep, water buffalo or cow yogurt or seed/nut milk or white bean paste, stir to mix keeping it on low heat to warm for a few minutes, do not let it come to a hard boil.

To serve, spoon portions into deep bowls. Top each bowl with a spoon of the reserved mushrooms, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of fresh parsley and/or thyme leaves and fresh cracked pepper. I like to also make a petite salad to go with this. One of my favorites is a beautiful combo of fresh pea shoots topped with pine nuts and drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Enjoy!

Live Vibrantly!