As a mom, I totally understand the need for expedience in the kitchen. I’d love to say my family lives off of homemade casseroles and fancy dishes, but I’m a real human being who, believe it or not, does not live in the kitchen. Regardless, feeding my family well is still a high priority, so getting takeout can’t always be my go-to option. Solution? Quick, nutritious soups that even my toddler will eat! Last week I posted my 10-Minute Roasted Tomato Soup, and this week it’s a 10-Minute Cream of Mushroom Soup. Mmmmmm . . .
This cream of mushroom soup was a happy accident. It was Sunday night, my husband was out of town, Abby and I had just gotten home from church, and I needed to make something quick. I looked in my fridge and saw lots of mushrooms and a bag of cashews. The light bulb came on, and I got to work. Just ten minutes later, Abby and I were eating a rich, creamy mushroom soup that we both loved. Abby doesn’t usually like mushrooms, but she had SIX helpings of soup, saying, “Mmmmm! Nummy! MMM!” the entire time. She’s very enthusiastic about food!
Cooked mushrooms are very good for you, and should be eaten every day. In vitro studies indicate that eating just 5 white button mushrooms per day can prevent or slow the growth of breast cancer, which may partially explain why Asian women have less breast cancer than American women. Always cook your mushrooms, however, because raw mushrooms contain a toxin called agaratine, which may be harmful. This toxin is destroyed by cooking methods, so always cook your mushrooms before eating them.
In addition to helping prevent breast cancer, white button mushrooms were shown to be the best type of mushroom for reducing inflammation in arteries. Arterial inflammation is what leads to damage, plaque buildup, blockages, and eventually heart attacks or strokes.
So buy some white mushrooms, cook them, and enjoy better health!
If you’re someone who doesn’t like mushrooms because of their rubbery texture, I encourage you to try this cream of mushroom soup in its smooth version. The savory, umami flavor of the mushrooms is complemented so well by the creaminess of the cashews and the subtle flavors of the fresh thyme and paprika. Eating mushrooms has never been such a treat!
- 1 lg shallot, chopped
- 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced or chopped
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup cashews, soaked in warm water 30+ min.
- 1½ cup vegetable broth (plus more for thinning soup, if desired)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional: 4 oz. sliced mushrooms (any kind)
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté shallot in ¼ inch water until translucent. Add white mushrooms and cook, stirring, about 3 mins.
- Stir in the paprika, thyme, cashews, broth, salt, and pepper. Allow to heat up until it starts to boil, then transfer (carefully!) to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more broth or water if you prefer a thinner soup.
- Serve soup as-is, OR sauté more mushrooms as above until soft and add them to your soup for a heartier meal. Garnish with fresh thyme and paprika.
Just typing up this recipe makes me want this soup again! I’ve already made it twice in the last week because it’s so easy and SO tasty.
And, as I mentioned, it’s the only way Abby will eat mushrooms!
No complaints from this kid! 🙂
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