This mushroom bisque with caramelized onions and parsley gremolata is thick, creamy, and packed with umami flavors! Cooked cannellini beans lend creaminess to this vegan mushroom soup while sage, herbes de Provence, and garlic powder amp up the savory flavor. The parsley gremolata adds a fresh pop of flavor to every bite.
If you love soups packed with deep, umami flavors, you absolutely have to try this mushroom bisque with caramelized onions! Both the mushrooms and onions are cooked until golden along with savory flavors like garlic powder, sage, and herbes de Provence. Towards the end of cooking, a little red wine is added and cooked off for extra depth of flavor. Cooked cannellini beans keep this blended soup creamy without any added dairy while vegetable stock thins out the texture and packs in even more flavor. Each bowl of this creamy vegan mushroom soup is sprinkled with a colorful parsley gremolata to brighten things up flavor and color-wise. I really hope you try it!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
Honestly, most mushroom varieties are delicious here, but the most affordable and flavorful variety is the cremini mushroom. A vegan friendly red wine lends lovely depth of flavor and adds to the umami flavor of the soup. If you don’t typically have red wine around, or don’t want to buy a whole bottle just for the recipe, you can substitute a mixture of vegetable stock and red wine vinegar (see recipe notes for specific amounts). Any white cooked white beans can be used here instead of cannellini beans — you just need 1 standard can!
Mushroom Bisque with Caramelized Onions and Parsley Gremolata in 4 Easy Steps
Tip for Making the Most of the Longer Cooking Time
- The only thing you need to have prepared before you start cooking the soup is the onion.
- While the onion is cooking, you’ll have plenty of time to make the gremolata! You can do it by hand or use a food processor to save your hand strength.
- You’ll also have time to chop the mushrooms and sage while the onions are cooking.
- Once the mushrooms and sage have been added, I like to measure out all of the remaining ingredients and have them ready. The stock, cannellini beans, and apple cider vinegar can be added to the blender while the red wine and garlic powder can be kept in small bowls/measuring cups.
More Easy Vegan Soups
Soups are super cozy during fall and winter so it’s always a plus when they’re fairly easy to make! The oven and the blender do most of the heavy lifting for this creamy roasted kabocha and fennel soup. Soaked cashews keep it both creamy and vegan while chili powder adds a smoky flavor. If you love a hearty, brothy soup, I highly recommend this orzo soup with butternut and white beans. You can omit the parmesan in the pistou or use your favorite vegan option to keep it fully vegan.
Mushroom Bisque with Caramelized Onions and Parsley Gremolata (vegan)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This mushroom bisque with caramelized onions and parsley gremolata is thick, creamy, and packed with umami flavors! Cooked cannellini beans lend creaminess to this vegan mushroom soup while sage, herbes de Provence, and garlic powder amp up the savory flavor. The parsley gremolata adds a fresh pop of flavor to every bite.
Ingredients
for the mushroom bisque:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems discarded and caps diced
- 1 small handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup red wine, vegan friendly
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- toasted bread, optional for serving
for the parsley gremolata:
- 1 bunch Italian parsley
- 1 medium lemon, zested
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium. Add the sliced onion to the pan with a pinch of salt and the herbes de Provence. Cook the onions, stirring every 1-2 minutes until they are golden. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.
While the onions cook, make the gremolata. Remove the leaves from the bunch of parsley and finely chop them. Add the finely chopped parsley to a small bowl along with the lemon zest and the garlic powder. Finely chop the sunflower seeds then add them to the bowl as well. Mix well then set aside.
After the onions have turned golden, add the diced mushrooms, chopped sage, and another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until the mushrooms have released a lot of moisture and are starting to brown. When the mushrooms have browned and the pan looks dry, add the wine and garlic powder. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the wine is no longer visible in the bottom of the pan. Add the mushroom and onion mixture to a blender with the vegetable stock, cannellini beans, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until very smooth. Taste and add more salt or apple cide vinegar as needed.
Add the blended soup to a pot to warm it though before serving. Top each serving with a heavy sprinkle of the gremolata. Serve with toasted bread if you prefer.
Notes
- Not all wine is vegan friendly! Make sure to check the label or head over to Barnivore to search by brand.
- Makes about 5 cups which is enough for 2 larger servings or 3-4 smaller side servings.
- If you prefer not to use red wine, you can use 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock mixed with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar in its place.
- If you don’t want to finely chop the parsley and sunflower seeds for the gremolata by hand, feel free to do this with a food processor!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: soup
This looks incredible, and I love how simple the ingredients are. I’ve tried to make mushroom bisque before, but the consistency never turns out right. The texture in your photos looks divine! And I can practically taste the gremolata as I stare at the pictures. Now I just need to get my husband to like mushrooms!!
Thanks Ruth! If you can’t get him to like mushrooms, more for you, right? 😉