The Best Chicken of the Woods Mushroom Soup

For anyone missing a classic bowl of stick-to-the-ribs creamy chicken soup, this chicken of the woods mushroom soup is sure to hit the spot. Whether you’re vegetarian, allergic, or just looking for some meatless-Monday options, these meaty mushrooms will have you fooled. This comfort in a bowl dish is simple, quick, and a one-pot wonder for saving on dishes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Mise en place

The first step is prepping your mise en place, which is a French culinary term that means, “putting in place.” Wash the carrots and celery and peel the carrots, onion, and garlic. Now, it’s chopping time. Dice the onions, carrots, and celery, and mince the garlic.

Next up, wipe down and clean your mushrooms using a paper towel or a cloth. You may need to break or cut them apart to get into every crevice.

Pro Tip: Add potatoes to this recipe to make it even more hearty.

Mushrooms!

Then, either chop or shred the chicken of the woods mushrooms depending on your preference. Both taste fantastic.

To shred the mushrooms, use a fork against the grain of the mushrooms and they break apart quite easily.

The Cook

Place a pot on medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken of the woods mushrooms and sauté until all the water content has evaporated. It’s nearly impossible to overcook mushrooms, so this may take 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Next, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and fry for 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme.

Add the remaining ingredients; broth and cashew cream and stir. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Serve with garlic bread or a simple buttered slice of bread for a complete meal!

Ingredients

• 1 TBSP of oil
• 1 onion
• 2-3 medium carrots
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 potato (optional)
• 2-4 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp of thyme
• 8 oz of shredded chicken of the woods mushrooms
• 4-6 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup cashew cream (store-bought or blend 1 cup of cashews with 1 cup of water)

Instructions

1. Dice 1 onion, 2-3 medium carrots, 3 stalks of celery, and 1 potato (if using). Mince 2-4 cloves of garlic depending on your garlic preference level.
2. Clean 8 ounces of mushrooms (approximately one or two large mushrooms) and either chop or shred the mushrooms.
3. Place a pot on medium heat and add 1 TBSP of oil. Once heated, add the mushrooms. Saute for 15-20 minutes, adding salt and pepper, and stirring occasionally.
4. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes (if using), and saute for another 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and ¼ tsp of thyme, and stir.
5. If making your own cashew cream, blend 1 cup of cashews with 1 cup of water while the vegetables are cooking.
6. Add 4-6 cups of vegetable broth and 1 cup of cashew cream and bring to a boil. Turn to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.

Substitutes: While you can substitute other mushrooms and still make a fantastic soup, there are no other mushrooms that taste quite like chicken of the woods mushrooms. Their meaty texture is surprisingly similar to that of chicken, so be sure to keep an eye out at the specialty markets.