Winter wouldn’t be the same without a giant bowl of soup. My current pick? Creamy chicken and mushroom soup!
This soup recipe is dairy free, gluten free, paleo, and Whole30. And how do you get that creamy base without using any dairy? The secret might surprise you!
Admittedly, sharing this recipe and talking about warming up in the cold feels a little strange right now. In Fargo, it’s unseasonably warm. We’re talking days in the 30s.
To some of you, that might seem crazy chilly, but for us North Dakotans, it’s like the whole state decided to skip off to Florida for a vacation. Usually, we’re plunged into subzero temps by now!
But with snow still clinging to the grass, this creamy chicken and mushroom soup still seems right.
How to make creamy dairy free soup
You can make creamy soup without any dairy a few different ways.
First, you could always use coconut milk or whatever non-dairy milk you prefer. But there’s a downside… Usually that means your soup ends up tasting like the nut milk you choose. I really didn’t want coconut flavored mushroom soup!
So that brings us to the second way to make creamy dairy free soup. Veggies!
Cauliflower and potatoes create the base of this chicken and mushroom soup. Surprised?
Both cauliflower and potatoes boil into tender, blendable pieces. It’s the same strategy you use for sweet potato or squash-based soups. And since both cauliflower and potatoes are relatively neutral in flavor, the mushrooms and chicken get to shine here.
More soup recipes
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Soup
- Loaded Potato and Cauliflower Soup
- Silky Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pecans
- Ginger Butternut Squash Soup
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This dairy free soup uses cauliflower and potatoes to create a creamy base. Feel free to remove the potatoes and use a little more cauliflower if you prefer!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (~1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 5 cups broth (I used homemade bone broth)
- 1 cup yukon gold potatoes, cubed
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into large chunks (x cups)
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Pour in broth, then add potatoes, cauliflower, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, add chicken breasts to a small pot and sprinkle with salt. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Set aside.
- Carefully add the entire contents of the potato, cauliflower, and broth pot to a high-powered blender. Add 1/2 cup mushrooms to the blender. Blend for 4-5 minutes, until mixture is completely smooth.
- Return the cauliflower mixture to the pot. Add mushrooms, chicken, salt, and pepper to the soup, stirring to combine. Cook over low, stirring frequently, until heated through. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Keywords: creamy chicken and mushroom soup
I got through the end of the recipe and noticed it didn’t mention when to add the sage, rosemary or thyme.
My mistake! It should be fine to stir them in at the end. I’m updating the recipe now!
Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I love that it uses no cream base like dairy or coconut milk yet still tastes creamy. That’s a huge plus! It turned out great even though I messed up and put the mushrooms in with the cauliflower(I quickly scooped out what I could before blending). Mine didn’t turn out as beautifully smooth as yours probably because I used an immersion blender but it was still delish!!
I found that i needed a cup or so more of broth and had to use a spice blend that had sage in it since i was out of regular sage. This one is a keeper and I will be sharing it with all my friends!!
★★★★★
So glad to hear that, Heide! Honestly, I think you can totally get away with blending the mushrooms! Kinda like cream of mushroom soup. 🙂
This is a must-try! Something that will pique the interest of my guests on a Sunday dinner at my house.
Something that is healthier and delicious to try. Thank you for sharing this wonderful and amazing recipe.
Well, yep, this is ridiculous. I made a few tweaks and did a second batch of onion, shallot, garlic, peeled cubed potatoes and mushrooms and sauteed that in more butter after blending the soup. I threw in shredded chicken from a bird I roasted, and then poured the blended cauliflower / potato / mushroom / homemade bone broth mix and let it simmer for a bit. This is diary free, tons of veggies absolute genius! Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you, Kristin! This was definitely one of those “why didn’t I think of this sooner?” recipes!
Ok well, I had SOMEHOW forgotten about this miracle and your reply made me think of it! And guess what I had in my fridge today? Chicken, defrosted homemade chicken stock, cauliflower and a few old potatoes. All I had to do was buy some mushrooms and I was set! I tried almond flour biscuits for the first time to eat with it and NEXT LEVEL LET ME TELL YOU. Thank you again times a million, this is the drug that sends you off into the blissful food coma high.
★★★★★