best dairy-free mushroom soup ever

Can we talk about how much I love mushrooms. They’re earthy, soft yet chewy, and can add real oomph to all sorts of recipes ranging from soups to lattes. Yes, lattes. I think it’s safe to say mushrooms have become “trendy” as this superfood can now be found in coffee, chocolate, energy bars, and lattes with ingredients like reishi, boletus, cordyceps and lion’s mane (which may sound like something you would use to clear up a patch of weeds in the garden). I’ve become a fan of Four Sigmatic, a company that explores the everyday magic of mushrooms. My favorite is their golden latte with shitake and tumeric (check out my latte recipe for this drink in a previous blog post).

Mushrooms are a fantastic and varied ingredient that are packed full of goodness and nutritional benefits. Most mushrooms are a source of the B-vitamins riboflavin, niacin and biotin, which metabolic and nervous systems need to function properly, as well as a source of folic acid, which supports immune function and blood formation. Mushroom coffee is the latest trend, but this week I’m sharing a good, old fashioned mushroom soup recipe.

When I switched to a gluten-free and dairy-free diet to help my gut and body heal from Lyme disease, I was sorely disappointed that this soup was no longer an option for dinner. But knowing how much I love this soup, my momma played around with the recipe and developed a wonderful alternative that would meet my diet protocols. We were both worried removing the butter, cream, and barley would result in a rather blah flavor but we were wrong because the secret of this soup is the addition of sherry - a game changer that enhances the flavors of the mushroom and spices!

I’ve shared the following recipe which includes dairy and gluten substitutions - I hope you find it as delicious as we do!

Ingredients

½ C butter (DAIRY FREE – use margarine like Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread or other options)

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

3 C portabello mushrooms, finely chopped

½ to 1 C flour – more flour means thicker soup (GLUTEN FREE - I Pillsbury

  Gluten Free Flour with Xanthum Gum)

1 C of good dry sherry

6 C vegetable broth

1-2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1 tsp chopped thyme

1-2 C cooked barley (omit for GLUTEN FREE version or substitute with cooked rice or quinoa)

1-3 C Half and Half (omit for DAIRY FREE version)

Instructions

1. In large soup pot, melt butter (or DAIRY FREE substitute) on medium low heat.

2. Add onions, celery and garlic and cook until translucent.

3. Add mushrooms and cook until moisture is almost gone.

4. Add flour and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring often.

5. Add sherry and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Add vegetable broth and salt, bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Add cooked barley. (Omit this step for GLUTEN FREE version, unless substituting with rice or quinoa)

8. Add thyme.

9. Add Half and Half and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (Omit this step for DAIRY FREE version unless substituting with a non-dairy milk like coconut milk.)

Enjoy!