This homemade cream of mushroom soup is easy to make in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot, with mushrooms, onion, garlic, and plant-based milk So long, canned soup.
This is a thick soup designed to replace canned store-bought condensed cream of mushroom soup, so you can continue to make all of your family’s favorite casseroles without worrying about what’s actually in the food you’re consuming! Use this to replace canned condensed soup 1:1. It will freeze well for up to 12 months. You can measure it out and freeze it in a muffin tin, then pop out the pucks and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag, removing portions as you need them.–Brittany Williams
☞ Contents
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces cremini or button mushrooms wiped clean and chopped
- 1 cup (4 oz) diced yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/8 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade unsweetened almond milk or soy milk (do NOT use oat milk)
Directions
- Preheat an electric pressure cooker using the SAUTÉ function and adjust the heat to MORE.
- When the display panel reads HOT, add the olive oil, mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the arrowroot powder or cornstarch and stir to combine. Pour in the almond milk.
- Place the lid on the cooker and make sure the vent valve is in the SEALING position. Using the display panel, press the CANCEL button to turn off the SAUTÉ function, then select the MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK function and LOW PRESSURE. Use the +/− buttons until the display reads 5 minutes.
- When the cooker beeps, let it naturally release the pressure until the display reads LO:10, about 20 minutes. Carefully switch the vent valve from the SEALING position to the VENTING position. Use caution while the steam escapes.
- Remove the lid and using an immersion blender or blender, carefully puree the soup until smooth.
- Never fill a blender more than half full with hot liquids. Place a dish towel over the lid to prevent hot liquids from escaping, Please use caution.
- Use in recipes in place of condensed soup, in the same amount as you would canned soup or thin with milk to serve as mushroom soup.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Big payoff for the effort with this recipe! I don’t usually buy canned cream of mushroom soup because of the high sodium, preservatives, and lack of flavor. This will become a staple for me.
This time I used it simply for soup, but it would be a great addition to casseroles and such due to the rich flavor. I used a combination of button and cremini mushrooms, which gave it great flavor. I did expect it to be a bit thicker for a condensed soup base, but it could be thickened if necessary. It was thick enough that I added additional almond milk to use it as soup. Although this is a pressure cooker recipe, I think it could be easily adapted for a slow cooker or even stove top.
My husband prides himself on his homemade soups, so the bar was high and he loved it! Served with homemade sourdough crackers and a mixed green salad it was a great light supper for a cold evening.
My family pokes fun at me because canned soup is not allowed in my house. They have long lamented the absence of casseroles and crock pot dinners that revolve around opening a can of cream of mushroom soup, the things we grew up on. I simply prefer not to have the BPA-laden cans and the MSG and sodium. When I saw this recipe, I knew it was the answer.
I used button mushrooms because it was all that was available in my local store around Thanksgiving. However, I wasn’t disappointed in the flavor that came from those simple mushrooms and other straightforward ingredients. Quick tip? I was in a hurry and threw my onion in the food processor to chop it. Don’t do it! It releases a lot of liquid and while it did substantially cook out, it was touch-and-go for a few minutes.
I chose to use cornstarch and almond milk. Now that I’ve learned that I can use almond milk and freeze it, I’ll be experimenting with subbing almond milk in a lot of my recipes that I’d love to be able to pop into the freezer.
Also, if you don’t have an immersion blender, you need one. Every time I encounter something like this, I’m so grateful for mine. Who wants to drag out a big blender and set it up for just a few minutes of blending? I was unsure what the texture would be like given the almond milk and chopped onion, but it was silky and decadent.
Even better – I put this to the test three ways. I used it to make a classic tuna casserole, a take on chicken and rice with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and then I had the remainder on a cold day for a light lunch. It exceeded my expectations in all three instances. Guess what, family? You’ll actually see green bean casserole on the table for Christmas, thanks to this recipe!
Really delicious recipe! I substituted arrowroot with cornstarch and used soy milk. I got 3 portions out of this recipe. I served it with sauteed mushrooms on top and bread crumbs on the side. Topping finishes the dish and it can be eaten as is.
Originally published January 17, 2021
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
I would love to make this however I do not own a pressure cooker. Is it a must? Is there a work around?
Beatrice, we didn’t test it this way, so we can’t say for certain, but you should be able to achieve a similar result by replacing the pressure cooking step with letting the soup simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. If you try it, do let us know how it turns out.
Is there a particular reason for almond or soy milk?
scott, the recipe was developed as a lower calorie option to replace traditional condensed mushroom soup. The almond/soy milk replaces cream and thus a significant portion of the calories. It’s possible that you could make it with a low-fat dairy milk, however, we didn’t test it that way, so can’t say for certain if it would work.
Delicious soup recipe…
Thanks, Nancy!