This mushroom soup is the perfect thing for autumn. It’s earthy and warming and super filling thanks to a secret ingredient that also gives it a creamy texture – without the cream.

That secret ingredient? It’s beans! I think I’ve written that sentence more times than I’d care to admit, but mostly in conjunction with baking. They’re just so good! In this soup I’ve used cannelini beans to add creaminess and they also have the bonus of making the soup more nutritious. They up the fibre and protein count in one bang so it becomes a filling meal.

The flavour is deep and comforting without having to slave over a stove for more than 20 minutes or so. I use some of the mushrooms as a garnish but if this is too fiddly for you you can just cook all of them in the soup. It’s a great easy weeknight supper or you could even make it while making dinner and have it for lunch the next day.

If you’re not vegan and just looking for a creamy dairy free soup chicken stock or bone broth can be used in replace of the vegetable stock. Of you are vegan and looking for other filling vegan meal ideas then this eggplant and mushroom ragu with a secret extra protein hit has got your name on it.

I think finishing it with a drizzle of olive oil really brings things together and it’s so low in fat otherwise your body will thank you for the extra omega 3 boost you’re giving it.

Happy soup slurping!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 brown onion, finely chopped (optional leave out if fructose sensitive)

2 -4 cloves of garlic (depending on how much of a garlic fiend you are)

750g mushrooms (I used a mix of cup, button and swiss brown mushrooms), finely sliced

1 x 400g can cannelini beans

1 litre vegetable stock

1 tsp white pepper

more olive oil, black pepper and thyme to serve

Directions

Set aside 2/3 cup of the mushrooms, these will be a garnish).

Put a large pot on medium heat and add the olive oil and onion if using. Cook until translucent and soft then add thyme, garlic and parsley and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir for a few minutes to mix everything through. Continue to cook the mushrooms and herbs for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock and 500ml hot water at this point and bring to a boil. Add the cannelini beans (drained and rinsed) and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the reserved mushrooms in a small pan over meidum heat with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of thyme. You want these mushrooms to be golden. Once they are golden take off the heat and set aside.

Use a blender or stick blender to process the soup to a creamy puree. Serve the soup garnished with some of the browned mushrooms, some thyme leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Crusty bread is aso delicious!

HH. x