This soup is one of our favorites. Blending leeks and garlic with the stock creates a thick base which when blended with the sautéed mushrooms creates a rich, creamy soup. Shitake or porcini mushrooms are delicious added to the recipe and the savory combination of nutmeg and cayenne gives this hearty soup just the kick it needs. Adding a portion of quinoa to the bowl turns a healthy soup to a protein-rich meal.
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil spray
- 2-3 Leeks, chopped (lighter parts only)
- 3 cloves minced Garlic3 Carrots, peeled and chopped
- 6 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2- 10 oz. packages White Mushrooms, chopped
- 1 package Shitake or Porcini Mushrooms, chopped (optional add-in)*
- 2 T Tamari
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Sea Salt or Herbamare (my favorite herbed sea salt, especially for vegetarian dishes)
- Ground White Pepper
- 2 T Cornstarch
- 2 T Water
- Nutmeg, freshly grated
- Dash Cayenne
- Umami seasoning (optional)**
Directions:
- In a large soup pot, heat red pepper flakes in olive oil spray.
- Add leeks and sprinkle with Herbamare, sauté until leeks are soft and translucent
- Add garlic and sauté approx. 2 min, until garlic is golden and fragrant
- Transfer leeks and garlic sauté to Vitamix*** (or other high-speed blender) with 2 cups vegetable broth
- Blend on hot soup setting for just 2 minutes, until creamy (using a towel over the open cap for steam to escape)
- In same pot, heat olive oil spray
- Add chopped white mushrooms and season with white pepper, sauté 3-5 minutes until mushrooms are softened and moisture is released into pot, sprinkle Herbamare (or salt) in mushroom sauté
- Combine leek-garlic blend to mushroom sauté adding 3 cups of vegetable broth to mushrooms
- In batches transfer mushroom soup to Vitamix*** and blend on hot soup setting (using the same towel over the open cap for steam to escape)
- Carefully bring hot soup back to pot to simmer, sprinkle with Umami seasoning (optional)
- Add Tamari and continue simmering for approximately 10 minutes
- Mix cornstarch and water and add to the soup
- Optional step: Add shitake mushrooms and use immersion blender to mix into soup, leaving pieces of mushrooms that are not completely blended
- Grate nutmeg into soup until fragrant
- Sprinkle small amount of crushed red pepper flakes
- Taste and season with Herbamare (or salt), nutmeg or cayenne as desired
*Adding shitake or porcini is an optional step to add another level of flavor
**Umami is an optional savory seasoning I found at Trader Joe’s which has an earthy, mushroom flavor
*** the Vitamix blender has a high speed, hot soup setting. If your blender does not have this type of setting you can use an immersion blender in the soup pot, carefully blending the soup and creating a thick creamy consistency
Adapted from: The Blender Girl, 100 Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes, Tess Masters
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