Warm your soul and make your heart happy with this hearty vegetarian Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup. Such creaminess with all that mushroom flavor!
ME BEFORE THE RECIPE…
We were going to take the girls to the water park yesterday. Apparently it’s still spring. That’s what people tell me. However, it was in the 90’s this weekend and we’ll be pushing the 100’s by midweek. So I’m pretty sure it’s basically summer.
Even though the weather was screaming water park, my girls’ attitudes were screaming stay home and do chores. As much as I wanted to take advantage of the just hot enough sunshine and our season passes (I’m all about getting my money’s worth), I decided it was time to follow through with some overdue threats regarding excessive whining. Believe it or not, it is Emry that has been the main attitude culprit lately.
Long story short, we nixed the water park yesterday and replaced it with a day full of chores and an obligatory nap. When my kids get overly bratty, I’ll admit it gives me a slight amount of joy to see them suffer the consequences. I was shamefully looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces when I handed them each a list of 10 chores, in addition to their usual Saturday workload.
To my disappointment, Emry responded with a gleeful, “YAYYYY!” and skipped off, checklist it hand, as if she were on her way to the candy store for a sweet reward. Pure and utter happiness.
Well that was anticlimactic and a complete waste of my creative disciplining mama skills.
Turns out the kiddo didn’t even want to go to the water park anyway. We may have traumatized her the last time we went. It was a mere 68 degrees, windy, and we forced her down a terrifying ride. I’m quite positive she’ll be just fine avoiding the water park for at least the next decade.
Anyway, both my kiddos completed ALL of their chores without a single complaint or any physical evidence that they were the least bit annoyed with the punishment. Looks like my boring Saturday sentence backfired. Oh well; my house is clean and that’s all that matters for now. I’ll revisit the attitude epidemic again when they’re teenagers.
HERE COMES THE RECIPE…
And speaking of unexpected results, I was completely floored at how much my children loved this Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup. I was 100% prepared to dodge moaning and groaning and whining and crying when I served this soup for dinner a few weeks ago. And while that’s how dinner initially started, their complaints halted as soon as they tasted their first bite.
Who else’s kids cringe at the mention of “mushrooms”??? I know mine do. They HATE raw mushrooms, as I imagine most kids do. Eating fungus is most likely an acquired taste that us adults force ourselves to enjoy because of the health benefits. Let’s be real. Honestly, I love mushrooms now (raw or cooked) but it took me a long time to get there.
After much trial and error, my children have learned that although they despise raw mushrooms, they quite often enjoy them cooked. They’ll eat them in most fajita, omelet, nacho, soup, and stir fry recipes without complaint. In fact, they will even seek the cooked mushrooms out because they’re so tender and full of flavor.
They just sometimes have to be reminded that they do in fact like cooked mushrooms. Such was the case with this Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup. Even though their initial reaction over eating mushroom soup for dinner was less than thrilled, they quickly remembered just how much they love cooked mushrooms early in the meal. They were happy, mama was happy. Dinner was good.
This soup is just as any cream of vegetable soup should be: smooth, creamy, savory, herb-y, and hearty enough to feel like a meal. The chunks of meaty mushrooms really fill you up and leave you wanting for nothing more.
White rice flour gives this gluten free cream of mushroom soup just the right amount of thickness without creating a gummy or slimy film on your mouth. I prefer white rice flour to cornstarch when thickening my soups for this very reason. If your mixture gets too thick for your liking, just thin it out with a splash of milk or veggie broth. Easy peasy.
So if there are any mushroom haters in your neck of the woods, see if you can change their minds with a bowl of this soul warming soup. They’ll most likely thank you for refining their tasteless palates and expanding their culinary horizons…most likely.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY…
- Gluten Free Italian Sausage and Spinach Cream of Leek Soup
- Gluten Free Coconut Curry Kale Soup
- Gluten Free Roasted Poblano Creamy Corn Chowder
- Gluten Free Baked Potato Ham Bone Soup
- Gluten Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped celery (including leaves)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb. mushrooms, chopped (about 6-7 cups)
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 3 cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup white rice flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- Chop and prepare all veggies. Set aside.
- In a large cast iron pot or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles, add celery and onion. Season with a few shakes of salt and pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add mushrooms and white wine. Season generously with a few shakes of salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender and liquid has slightly reduced, about 5-6 minutes more. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
- Add veggie broth or chicken stock and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cream, rice flour, 1 teaspoon salt, tarragon leaves, ¼ teaspoon pepper, paprika, ground mustard, and coriander. Slowly pour mixture into soup and stir as you are pouring.
- Bring soup to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until soup has thickened. Add a little more broth, stock, or milk if soup becomes too thick. Season to taste with additional salt or pepper.
- Remove from heat and serve warm with desired garnishing. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 3 months.
