Description
This hearty, plant-forward soup combines caramelized sweet onions, earthy shiitake and cremini mushrooms, nutrient-rich kale, and creamy coconut milk for the ultimate comfort meal. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ingredients
For the Soup Base:
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced into ½-inch rings
- 2 cups whole shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups baby bella/cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale leaves, roughly chopped (stems removed)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (use gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup coconut milk or coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (or pink salt)
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Optional Garnishes & Finishing Touches:
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Garlic croutons
- Fresh lemon juice
- Vegan Parmesan cheese
- Extra coconut milk for drizzling
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
Heat your biggest pot with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Toss in sliced onions and walk away for 10-15 minutes. Stir every few minutes so they don’t stick. Don’t turn up the heat – I burned a whole batch doing that. You want golden brown, not black char.
Add garlic for maybe 30 seconds until it smells good, then dump in mushrooms. Don’t overcrowd them or they’ll steam instead of brown. Cook 5-7 minutes until they stop looking wet and get golden edges. This is when my kitchen starts smelling like a real restaurant.
Pour in broth and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Let it bubble gently for 10 minutes while you do something else. I usually clean up the cutting board or start loading the dishwasher.
Stir in kale and cook 5-7 minutes until wilted but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it now – some broths are saltier than others and you need to adjust.
Turn off heat completely before adding coconut milk. This is crucial. Hot soup plus coconut milk equals chunky weird texture if you’re not careful. Stir gently and taste for seasoning again.
Notes
Clean mushrooms with damp paper towel, never water. They soak it up like sponges and get soggy.
Cut kale stems by folding leaves in half and slicing along the stem line. Way faster than trying to cut around each one.
If onions brown too fast, add splash of water to cool them down. Patience pays off here.
Taste soup before adding coconut milk because it’s harder to adjust seasoning after.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American