Creamy Mushroom White Bean Soup with
Garlic Parmesan Croutons
This Creamy White Bean Mushroom Soup does something I’ve never done before (but should’ve a long time ago!). Unlike most creamy mushroom soups that rely on heavy cream or coconut milk, cashews, or a flour roux, this one gets its silky texture from blended white beans. This soup is packed with plant-based protein thanks to that sneaky addition in the broth…but you have no idea! What I love about this soup is it’s made with deeply browned baby bella mushrooms and topped with crispy garlic parmesan croutons which really explodes the flavor. These extra additions really make this soup stand out amongst the rest and I can almost guarantee it’ll be a recipe you’ll want to come back to.
Mushroom White Bean Soup Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- Baby bella mushrooms. Also sold as cremini. More flavor than white button mushrooms and they hold their shape better in soup.
- Avocado oil. It handles high heat without smoking.
- Yellow onion. The sweet base under everything. A sweet onion works too.
- Garlic. Fresh cloves, minced.
- Fresh thyme. Strip the leaves off the sprigs.
- Dry sherry or dry white wine. This scrapes up all the browned bits stuck to the pot, and those bits are pure flavor. A splash of broth works if you skip the alcohol.
- Cannellini or Great Northern beans. Canned, used two ways. Some get blended into a silky puree, the rest stay whole. This is why there is no cream, no cashews, and no flour in here.
- Vegetable broth. Use one you like the taste of.
- White miso. It adds a rich depth.
- Salt and black pepper. Season at the end, since the miso brings salt of its own.
- Fresh spinach. Wilted in at the end for a little color and green.
For the Garlic Parmesan Croutons
- Sourdough bread. Cubed. Day old bread crisps up even faster.
- Melted butter. Use your favorite dairy-free stick butter.
- Shredded parmesan. A dairy-free version works great (I like Follow Your Heart). It gets crispy and salty on the bread.
- Garlic powder. Better than fresh garlic here.
How to Make White Bean Mushroom Soup
1. Cook the mushrooms
Heat a large dry pot over medium-high. (No oil or salt). Add your sliced mushrooms in a single layer. They will squeak at first, then release their water, then the water cooks off, and then they finally start to brown. Do not stir them much. Once they are deeply golden, move them to a plate and set aside.
2. Cook your onion and garlic
To the same pot, add your avocado oil, diced onion, and garlic cloves. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the leaves from your thyme sprigs and cook for another minute. Then deglaze the pot with your white wine or sherry.
Allie’s Tip: Deglazing just means pouring in liquid and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. All those stuck on brown bits are packed with flavor and you want them in your soup, not glued to the pot.
3. Blend your beans
To a blender, add your cooked onion and garlic mixture along with ONE can of drained white beans and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Blend until it is very smooth.
Allie’s Tip: Let it blend longer than you think you need to, because you want it silky with no graininess at all.
4. Simmer
Add the blended creamy mixture back to the pot along with your cooked mushrooms, 2 more cups of vegetable broth, your other can of white beans, white miso, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Allie’s Tip: Make sure your miso dissolves. You do not want to bite into a chunk in your soup. I like to scoop out a little of the warm broth in a small bowl, whisk the miso into that first, then stir it back in.
5. Make your croutons
While your soup simmers, make your garlic parmesan croutons. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut up your sourdough into 1 inch cubes until you have about 2 heaping cups, then add them to a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and sprinkle on the parmesan and garlic powder. Toss to combine. Spread them evenly on a small baking sheet and crisp for 10 minutes, or until golden. Set aside until you are ready to eat.
Allie’s Tip: Day old bread works even better than fresh here since it is already a little dry. Give the pan a shake halfway through so they brown on more than one side.
6. Finish off your soup
Once your soup has simmered and the flavors have melded together, add your fresh spinach and stir until it is wilted.
Allie’s Tip: Spinach only needs a minute or two. Add it right at the end so it stays bright green instead of turning dull and mushy.
7. Serve
Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with your croutons, fresh black pepper, and a little more thyme if you want. Enjoy!
Allie’s Tip: Keep the croutons in a separate container if you are saving leftovers. They go soggy fast once they hit the soup.
How to Store Leftover Mushroom White Bean Soup
Store the soup and croutons separately.
Let the croutons cool all the way before you store them. If you seal them up warm, the steam makes them soggy. Once cool, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If they lose their crunch, pop them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.
Store the soup in an airtight glass container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
Common Questions
The secret is blending part of the soup! In this one, a can of white beans gets pureed with some broth until it is completely smooth, then stirred back into the pot. The starch in the beans does the same job cream does. No dairy, no cashews, no flour.
Baby bellas, also called cremini. They have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms and they hold up better when simmering. Shiitake works too if you want it even more savory.
Yes. Kale needs a few extra minutes to soften, so add it a little earlier than you would the spinach. Chop it small and pull out the tough stems first.
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Creamy Mushroom White Bean Soup with Garlic Parmesan Croutons
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2-3 springs fresh thyme leaves
- 2-3 tbsp dry sherry or dry white wine
- 2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans 15 oz each – drained & rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 heaping handfuls fresh spinach
Garlic Parmesan Croutons
- 2 cups cubed sourdough bread
- 1 tbsp melted butter (choose a df version if vegan)
- 1 heaping tbsp shredded parmesan (choose a df version if vegan)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the mushrooms: Heat a large dry pot over medium-high with no oil and no salt. Add the mushrooms in a single layer. They will squeak, then release their water, then the water cooks off, then they start to brown. Do not stir much. Once they are deeply golden, move them to a plate.8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
- Cook your onion/garlic: To the same pot, add oil and your diced onion and garlic cloves. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onion has softened and slightly browning. Add the leaves of your thyme sprigs and cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine or sherry.1 tbsp avocado oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2-3 springs fresh thyme leaves
- Blend your beans: To a blender, add your cooked onion/garlic mixture along with ONE can of drained white beans and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Blend until it's very smooth.2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, 3 cups vegetable broth
- Simmer: Add the blended creamy mixture to the pot along with the cooked mushrooms, 2 more cups of vegetable broth, your other can of white beans, white miso, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.2-3 tbsp dry sherry or dry white wine, 1 tbsp white miso, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Make your croutons: While your soup simmers, make your garlic parmesan croutons. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut up some sourdough bread into 1 inch cubes until you have about 2 heaping cups of cubes – add to a medium-sized bowl. Pour over your melted butter, sprinkle on your parmesan, and garlic powder. Toss to combine.Spread evenly on a small baking sheet and crisp for 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside until ready to eat.2 cups cubed sourdough bread, 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 heaping tbsp shredded parmesan, 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Finish off your soup: Once your soup has simmered and the flavors melded together, add your fresh spinach and stir until it's wilted.2 heaping handfuls fresh spinach
- Serve: Ladle some soup into a bowl and top with your croutons, fresh black pepper, and more thyme (if desired). Enjoy!
Notes
- Whisk the miso into a little warm broth first so it dissolves fully.
- Blend the bean mixture until it is completely silky with no grainy texture.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, add a splash more vegetable broth.
- Store the soup in the fridge for 4-5 days. Keep the croutons in a separate airtight container at room temperature so they stay crunchy.
- Day old bread works the best for croutons – but use whatever you have on hand for convenience.
