I follow a lot of food sites so I can keep up on all the food trends. With the cold weather (and the recent snow in Seattle!) the trend this season is definitely comfort food. That means casseroles, pasta, soups, pizzas, dips – and all of it loaded with cheese…
In an effort to appease my taste buds, this week I decided to make some comfort food of my own. Just like every other dish I create, I knew I could find a balance between creamy, delicious food and healthy, good for you food.
The result? This Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup, which you will definitely want to make all season long.
This soup tastes like a blend of homemade cream of mushroom soup mixed with cream of chicken and wild rice. It’s da bomb. And, the best part? It’s so creamy that you’d never know it’s dairy free!
This Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup starts with a base of veggies: onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. Then we load up on some thyme and sea salt, which are very important for bringing out the flavors in the broth.
Next, we add some cauliflower rice. Have you made cauliflower rice before? If not, there’s no time like the present and this tutorial will help you to get started. Cauliflower rice is an amazing substitute for actual rice and is a great way to get more fiber and veggies into your diet. Plus, it’s a fabulous substitute for anyone who is avoiding grains or trying to reduce their carbohydrate-intake.
Finally, we add the rock star of this show: rich cashew milk! Instead of using heavy cream in this recipe, I blended cashews with water to create a thick cashew milk that adds healthy fats and depth to this soup. Dairy-free living never tasted so delicious!
- ½ cup cashews + 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms
- 3 cups grated cauliflower rice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- Fresh parsley and thyme for garnish, optional
- Add the cashews and water to a small bowl and let soak.
- Add coconut oil to a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add the celery, carrot, and mushrooms and saute for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower rice, thyme, salt, broth, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- While soup is simmering, and the cashews and soaking water to a blender, along with the apple cider vinegar and arrowroot powder, and blend until smooth.
- Once soup has simmered and veggies are tender, add the cashew milk to the soup and let simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Enjoy hot, garnished with herbs (if desired), along with salt and pepper to taste.
What a great idea to use the cashew as a thickener agent to create a creamy chicken and mushroom soup!
I never used cashew before in savory recipes but this recipe inspired me to try.
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Sonnet, I love it when you suggest vegetarian variations for your wonderful, creative recipes. What would you suggest in place of chicken for non-meat-eaters?
Hi Jennifer – I always love using legumes and chickpeas would be a great substitute here. 🙂