Winter Mushroom Soup Recipe

Nourishing soups and stews can help you stay warm and cozy while you make your way through another frosty winter. Soup is also a great way to get lunch or dinner on the table in minutes and can bring wonderful health benefits to your life.

• Plant-based soups help you meet your daily portion for veggies, and they are an amazing opportunity to use the season’s bounty. Whether you have vegetables that are about to pass their prime or frozen vegetables from past seasons, you can always toss them into a boiling broth, add some herbs, spices, legumes, and lots of love. You will be amazed with the delicious taste of improvised soups.
• Cooking soups and vegetarian stews don’t require large amounts of time or money. Depending on your preference, you can chop and measure your favorite ingredients and then use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. If you want to add some plant-based protein, you can add pre-soaked legumes or whole grains. Once the soup or stew is ready, you can serve it with a slice of whole-grain sourdough or gluten-free bread and some wilted greens.
• You can save time by preparing lunches or dinners in advance. If you cook a large batch of soup or stew on the weekend, you can save half in the freezer; divide the soup into small portions to enjoy later. Whenever you get back home from work and are too tired to cook, you can enjoy a bowl of warm homemade soup in only minutes.
• During the winter, it is common to drink less water. Even if we reduce our physical activity due to weather, we lose fluid through our daily activities. Soups are a great way to stay hydrated, warm and nourished.
• Soups can boost your immune system. Most soups are loaded with disease-fighting micronutrients, such as ginger, garlic, onion, mushroom, spices. Plus, the hot liquid helps you stay warm, so it can soothe a sore throat and cheer up your spirit!

Winter Mushroom Soup Recipe

Makes 8 Cups

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil

Small leek or onion, chopped

1 lb. mushroom sliced (cremini, oyster, button, portobello, shiitake)

1 shallot, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 celery stalks, diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups vegetable broth

2 springs of thyme

2 cups chopped greens

1 cup cooked grain (quinoa, barley, millet, brown rice)

½ lemon- juiced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add leek/onion, sauté a few minutes, and add the mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid. Add the shallots, garlic, celery and carrots, and sauté until fragrant for about 5 minutes. Season with a few pinches of salt.
2. Next, add the coriander, cinnamon and cumin, and toast until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable broth and thyme.
3. Let the soup cook until it boils, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend 1/3 of the soup in the blender until completely smooth; you may have to do it in two batches. Return the blended soup to pot and season to taste.
4. Finish by adding the chopped greens, cooked grains and a splash of lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Download a PDF of this recipe here: Winter Mushroom Soup

See more savory soup recipes. Learn about mushrooms and Vitamin D.