When I was growing up, my mom always had several cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup on hand. It was a main ingredient for many a casserole or sauce. Today, even the “healthy” version of a popular brand’s cream of mushroom soup contains the following ingredients:
Water, Mushrooms, Modified Food Starch, Wheat Flour, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, Canola, And/or Soybean), Cream (Milk), Sugar, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Flavoring, Soy Protein Concentrate, Calcium Carbonate, Yeast Extract, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Lactic Acid, Mixed Triglycerides, Spice, Dehydrated Mushrooms, Garlic Extract.
This homemade version eliminates artificial ingredients, is closer to a whole food, and can be made allergy-friendly, free of dairy and gluten. Make it ahead of time for easy meal assembly on a week night. (Or make casseroles on the weekend and freeze one for another time!) Eliminate the mushrooms and you have a base for other cream sauces or casseroles as well.
Time-saving Tip: I buy a container of button mushrooms and chop them all at once. Then I divide them into 3/4 cup servings, put them in Ziploc bags, and freeze them for later use.
Our daughter, who loves to help in the kitchen, enjoys stirring the mixture as it cooks on the stove. Saves me some time so I can focus on preparing the remainder of the dish we’re going to use it in, such as Healthy Tater Tot Casserole.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Earth Balance soy and dairy-free butter (or real butter, if not dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 cup diced button mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (I like Namaste brand)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup organic, store-bought chicken broth
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, or other non-dairy mil (or cow's milk if not dairy-free)
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the "butter" over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions and cook for 2 minutes or until onions start to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and diced mushrooms and saute another minute.
- Sprinkle the flour and sea salt on top, continuing to cook/stir until the flour absorbs into the liquid and the mushrooms brown (about 2 minutes).
- Pour in the chicken broth and non-dairy milk, continuing to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a light boil.
- Continue to stir until the liquid thickens to a gravy-like consistency. (about 6 minutes)
- Use immediately, in place of store-bought cream of mushroom soup, or freeze and save for another time.
Julie Smith is a certified Life Coach, Leadership Coach and Health Coach. She empowers others to create calm and clarity through work and life transitions. Together, they build confidence, create postive change, and greater well-being so they can lead themselves and the organizations and families they serve. Her clients include purpose-driven professionals, leaders and organizations. 
