Cream of Mushroom – with Tofu and Brown Rice

Cream of Mushroom soup – with tofu and brown rice. No dairy cream at all! When I set out to replace dairy cream in this soup, I knew it would be a real challenge. Dairy cream is so subtle and velvety: I was not at all sure I would succeed in my efforts. My motivation for attempting this? I have friends who are vegan and cannot have gluten, but simply love mushrooms. I wanted them to enjoy a bowl of creamy and tasty mushroom soup.

A Fusion approach

For the past few years, I have attempted to create tasty, wholesome recipes for folks with various dietary restrictions. My adventures have been quite interesting! I have discovered ingredients I didn’t know even existed, and of course, also found new ways to use those I was already familiar with. Yet another goal I wanted to accomplish in this case? A soup that was not just delicious, but also nutrient-dense, especially in the protein and fiber department. So, I tried a fusion approach: Eastern tofu, brown rice and coconut milk to make a Western cream-style soup.

A few experiments into my quest for a tasty dairy-free mushroom soup, I knew I had a winner. The look on my friend’s face when she tasted it made my spirits soar! My approach had worked really well. Together, the mushrooms and tofu deliver about 6 g of complete protein in one cup of soup: not bad at all! The brown rice, easily cooked to mushy softness in the pressure cooker, does its part too: along with a little bit of fiber, it also thickens the soup. The coconut milk, of course, provides richness and delicious flavor, a great substitute for dairy cream. Overall, this soup is nutritionally equivalent, or perhaps even superior, to traditional cream of mushroom soup!

Do you love soup, like me? Perhaps you would like to try some of the other soup recipes I’ve posted on this blog. Here are some links:

Navy Bean Soup with Carrots

Easy Tomato-Basil Soup

Moroccan Style Lentil-Vegetable Soup

tangy and spicy Carrot-Ginger Soup, etc.

Delight your taste-buds with the smooth and velvety texture of this cream of mushroom soup with tofu, coconut milk and rice. Perhaps you will also detect a hint of the garlic that brings out the Umami flavor of the mushrooms. And know that it is the caramelized onions that balance it with a subtle sweetness. Steaming hot soup: enjoy it with homemade crispy croutons, fresh bread, a dollop of basil and olive oil ….or, maybe some chilli oi, for a little extra zing? And if you’re not really on a vegan diet – why not indulge a little and add some Parmesan cheese too! So many delectable choices: whatever you decide to do, it will surely hit the spot! Enjoy!

Cream of Mushroom – with Tofu and Brown Rice

A gluten- and dairy-free white sauce is made by blending cooked brown rice with tofu, which is then thickened with a little cornstarch. The mushrooms are cooked separately; they are first sauteed with caramelized onions and garlic, then simmered with coconut milk. The prepared white sauce is mixed with the mushrooms, and simmered for a few minutes. Garnished with chopped walnuts and minced basil-olive oil dip, served with fresh bread and a salad.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

resting time – for pressure cooker to release pressure 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course, Snack, Soup

Cuisine American, French

Servings 4 people

Calories 187 kcal

Equipment

• Wok/frying pan made of cast iron, heavy gauge stainless steel, or carbon steel
• Pressure cooker, with rack and insert containers preferred – will take much longer to cook the brown without pressure cooker: instructions provided in recipe notes
• Chopper/food processor preferred – chopping everything by hand will take longer
• blender needed – it will be difficult to get the smooth texture needed for the white sauce.without a blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 cups mushrooms chopped finely crimini mushrooms preferred (also called baby-Bella or baby Portabella); if not available, white button mushrooms OK too
• 1/2 cup onion chopped finely; any type of onion OK
• 1 tsp garlic chopped finely (3- medium cloves) optional ingredient
• 1/4 cup coconut milk divided (2 tbsp + 2 tbsp ); stir well before using, especially if using canned milk
• 1/4 tsp salt adjust later as per taste preference
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly crushed – coarse
• 1 tsp oil any mild-flavored oil OK
• 2 tsp dried basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp sugar divided: 1/4 tsp + 3/4 tsp; adjust later as per taste preference

White sauce: Prepare separately

• 1/4 cup brown rice any type of brown rice; white rice is OK if brown is not available
• 1 piece bay leaf torn into 2-3 pieces
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 4-5 pieces whole black pepper about 1/8 tsp
• 150 g tofu firm, crumbled about 1.5 cups; silken/soft/extra firm tofu is OK too (will need to adjust the water to get preferred consistency)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch also called cornflour
• 4 1/2 cups water divided- 3/4 cup + 3 cups + 3/4 cup
• 1/2 tsp salt adjust later as per preference

Garnish (optional) – basil-olive oil dip

• 2 tsp olive oil extra virgin preferred; if olive oil not available, any other mild oil OK too
• 4-5 leaves fresh basil chopped finely; if not available, use 1/2 tsp dried basil; fresh curly parsley or coriander (cilantro) OK too
• 1/8 tsp black pepper freshly crushed with a pepper-mill preferred
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

Garnish (optional)

• 1 tbsp walnuts raw, chopped; other nuts (pecans, cashews, almonds) or pumpkin seeds OK too

Instructions

 

• Roast the brown rice in a dry wok or frying pan made of cast iron, stainless steel or carbon steel. Avoid doing this on a non-stick pan. Roast on medium heat, until the rice starts to pop. the color will start to darken too.
  
• Transfer the roasted rice to a pressure cooker insert container. Place the rack in the cooker and add enough water to just cover it. Place the container with the rice on the rack. Add the seasonings – bay leaf, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper and 3/4 cup of water. Close the lid and cook at full pressure for 7 min. Set aside, away from the hot stovetop, and allow pressure to release normally- about 7-8 min.
  
• While waiting for the rice to get cooked, prep the mushrooms, onions and garlic.
  
• Heat oil in a wok/saucepan and saute the minced onions and garlic. After stirring for 15-20 seconds, lower the heat, cover and cook for 5-6 min.
  
• Some water will condense on the underside of the lid – allow it to drop back into the wok/pan when you open the cover to stir. Add a pinch of sugar (1/8 tsp) and salt (1/8 tsp) and continue to saute, uncovered, until the onion begins to caramelize (it will start to turn brown) – about 5-7 min.
  
• Add the chopped mushrooms, stir-fry for 1-2 min, then add 2 tbsp coconut milk; stir and cover, cook for 1-2 min and turn the heat off. Keep covered while you make the white sauce.
  
• 
• 
• 
• Remove the bay leaf from the cooked rice, transfer, along with the remaining spices to a blender jar. Add 1 cup of water and blend till smooth. Then add the tofu, another cup of water, and blend again until smooth.
  
• 
• Transfer the blended mixture to a saucepan. Use 1/2 cup water to collect the residual mixture from the blender jar and add this to the saucepan too.
• Bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat.
• Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. When the tofu-rice mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat off and quickly stir in the cornstarch-water mixture. turn the heat on again, and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Turn the heat off and stir in 1/2 tsp salt and
  
• 
• Pour the white sauce over the mushroom mixture. Add basil, Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp freshly crushed black pepper and 3/4 tsp sugar. Add the remaining coconut milk. Stir, turn the heat on and simmer on low heat for about 7-8 min to allow flavors to blend.
  
• 
• 
• Meanwhile, prepare the toppings. Prepare the basil-olive oil topping by mixing minced basil leaves with olive oil, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Chop the walnuts, if using.
• Ladle the soup into individual bowls, top with prepared garnish toppings, and set out croutons and/or fresh bread.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Roasted rice:

You may want to roast about a cup of brown rice; use what is needed for the recipe and store the remaining rice at room temperature for about 2 months- or put it in a sealed bag and store in the freezer for several months. Next time, it will be ready for you.

Cooking brown rice without pressure cooker:

On the stove-top: about 30-35 min

Place 1/4 cup roasted rice in a saucepan, and add the seasonings – bay leaf, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper. Pour 1 cup of boiling water on the rice; stir,  cover and set aside for about 5-min. Start cooking the rice on high heat until the water comes to a boil. Lower heat and continue to cook, partially covered, for about 20-25 min. If it begins to froth along the way, remove cover, stir down the froth, replace the cover, leaving a slight gap and continue to heat. Cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, adding more water, about a tbsp at a time, as needed to prevent sticking and/or burning on the bottom. Check for done-ness- the rice needs to be mushy soft, so that it can be blended smoothly. Turn the heat off; keep the pan covered, with the lid open just a crack, for about 10 min allow steam to get absorbed. It is ready to blend when it cools to room temp.

In the microwave: about 25 min

Place 1/4 cup roasted rice in a 1-1.5 quart (liter) microwave-safe glass or ceramic container. Add 1 cup water and the seasonings (bay leaf, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper). Cook on high for 3-4 min, then on 40% power for 8-9 min. Stir, cover and cook on low (30% power) for another 9-10 min. Remove from the microwave, set aside undisturbed, covered, for at least 10 min to allow steam to get absorbed. It is ready to blend when it cools to room temp.

Storing cooked brown rice in the freezer:

Brown rice takes a little while to cook. If you wish, you can cook a larger batch of brown rice and freeze the extras for up to 2 months. I recommend the following method: place the cooled, cooked rice in a zip-seal bag, remove the air from it and seal it; Now lay it flat on the counter and spread the rice inside the bag into a thin layer. Freeze flat – don’t let it get bunched in the freezer while freezing. It will be easier to thaw when frozen in this way. 

To thaw: simply place the bag on a plate on the counter, un-seal the zipper, and let it sit undisturbed for about 30 min.

Optional Garnish:

Cheese: If you are not vegan, and like cheese, you can top the served soup with finely shredded/grated Parmesan.

Chilli Oil: If you want to add extra heat, garnish the served soup with a little chilli oil (spicy red chilli powder (cayenne) mixed with oil)

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 459mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 63IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg

Keyword brown rice, coconut milk, cornflour, cornstarch, crimini mushroom, dried basil, firm tofu, mushroom, mushroom soup, mushrooms, portabella, soup, tofu

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!