Cream of Mushroom Soup (dairy, gluten free)

• 1/4 cup dehydrated mushroom granules or 8oz fresh mushrooms of choice.*

• 1/4 of a large white onion, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, or 1-2 teaspoons of jarlic

• 1 tablespoon beef tallow or olive oil

• 1 teaspoon flour, wheat or gluten free mix (optional)

• 2 cups of water or beef bone broth

• 1 teaspoon Worcester Sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

• 1/4 heaping teaspoon crushed thyme leaves

• 1/4 heaping teaspoon crushed marjoram leaves

• A pinch of nutmeg (use a light hand)

• 1/3 cup extra creamy oat milk OR 1/4 cup non dairy heavy whipping cream

Chop your mushrooms however you’d like, chunky or fine, your preference, and set aside. Heat your beef tallow or oil in a small soup pot, and sauté your onion and garlic on a medium/low heat, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is browning. Let it caramelize a little on the bottom of the pan. Add your fresh mushrooms (if you’re using them) about halfway through the onion and garlic cook time, and sauté them down. If you’re using dried mushrooms, you’ll add them in another step.

If you’re making this thick for a gravy, like for a Green Bean Casserole, remove the sautéed [mushrooms], onions, and garlic from the pot, and set aside. Add your flour to the pan drippings (and a little more tallow or oil, if needed), and create a roux by whisking the flour around the bottom of the pan, until the flour browns to your preference (I usually use a blonde roux). Add your [mushrooms], onion and garlic back to the pan, and resume the recipe. If you want a thinner soup, you can omit the roux altogether.

Add your salt, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. If you’re using dried mushrooms, add them here, too. Pour the water or beef bone broth into the pot - if you’re bulking this up with bone broth, and using the dried mushrooms, you’ll just want to bring it to a boil, add your cream ingredient, and let the soup set for 20 minutes before eating to fully hydrate the mushrooms. If you want to keep it light or vegan, just water is fine, the rest of the ingredients will infuse to make a very flavorful broth.

If you’re using the water self-broth, bring the pot to a boil, and let it boil for a few minutes while constantly stirring the pot, to reduce the liquid a little.

Once you’ve taken your pot off the heat, you can add your cream element by whisking it into the pot until it’s incorporated completely. Let sit for 10-20 minutes to cool down before serving or using.

*Obviously, a “cream” based soup can be modified for your recipe - replace the mushrooms with chopped celery for Cream of Celery, with a shredded chicken thigh for Cream of Chicken, or just omit the mushrooms altogether for Cream of Onion. You can use any broth flavor and seasoning you’d like to compliment other “cream” soups, but we all know beef and mushroom go hand in hand (and beef collagen makes your hair, skin, and nails like WOW).

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