soup days // vegan mushroom cauliflower chowder

We’ve been having quite the blustery few days in the northeast, and all I’ve wanted is some form of chowder. I’m a big soup fan, and continue in my quest to make delicious tomato-free soups. While I love tomato based soups, I feel like they inevitably all taste the same (minestrone-y). This soup is thick and creamy and chock full of flavor and comfort.

Vegan Mushroom Cauliflower Chowder
…………………

Servings – who knows? This yeilded a huge pot of soup, so this can feed a family of 4 for dinner with maybe some leftovers, or you can have a huge pot of soup for a single person for many meals. Soup always gets better after the first day.

Ingredients

Soup base
– 4 cups of vegetable broth
– 1/2 cup of dairy free milk of your choosing (I used original flavored soy milk)
– 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
– 1 large carrot, finely chopped
– 12 oz frozen corn
– 1 tsp. thyme
– 1 tsp. rosemary
– 3 tblsp. flour
– 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, chopped
– 1 bay leaf
– 2 cups of chopped mushrooms (I used white button mushrooms)

Cream base
– 1 lb. cauliflower, chopped and steamed
– 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 cup of dairy free milk of your choosing (I used original flavored soy milk)
– salt and pepper to taste
……………………..

1. Saute the 2 cups of chopped mushrooms with a splash of olive oil, until mushrooms are cooked down, and set aside.
2. In the bottom of a large soup pot, saute onions and carrot with a splash of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add frozen corn, thyme, and rosemary and saute until well mixed together.
3. Add vegetable broth to vegetables and whisk in the flour until mixed thoroughly (no clumps of flour). Stir in soy milk and reduce heat to a high simmer.
4. Add potatoes and bay leaf and allow mixture to come to a low rolling boil, stirring often.
5. Using a blender or food processor (I used a food processor), blend cream soup base ingredients and add to soup base. Stir together thoroughly and reduce heat to a simmer.
6. Simmer soup, stirring often, until potatoes are cooked through. Add mushrooms and let simmer for 2-4 more minutes. Salt and pepper if needed, while in this final simmering.
7. Enjoy with salad or crackers!