Cream of Mushroom has always been my go-to order at Max’s Restaurant, a popular Filipino restaurant in the Philippines. Back then, Max’s was still somewhat fine dining, with white linen table cloth, waiters wearing formal uniforms, and food that seemed should be ordered in courses. My dad brought us here as a special treat almost every month, and I always got the Cream of Mushroom soup. My family would make fun of me because I always ordered it after my meal.
Many years later, Max’s restaurant morphed into casual-style dining, and I morphed into a vegan person! Although their price point remained relatively high for an ordinary person in the Philippines, the ambiance has mellowed down. Their menu also changed. They now include a few vegetable dishes, even Tofu Sisig (not vegan, but you can make special requests to remove the butter, mayo, and oyster sauce). However, my beloved mushroom soup remained and is still not vegan. So, to recreate my childhood favorite, I thought of veganizing Cream of Mushroom.
You can use regular white button mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms. Unfortunately, they’re hard to find in the Philippines, and if they become available, they’re usually super expensive. So, I used shiitake mushrooms instead, which are still expensive but not compared to the white and brown varieties. Perhaps the most important key ingredient is the mushroom broth because it provides the most umami flavor. You can find them at Asian, vegan, and online grocery stores.
- Olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (shiitake or baby bella or white button)
- 1 ½ cups mushroom broth
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 cups soymilk (or preferred plantbased milk)
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white wine/cooking wine
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat and pour a few tablespoons of olive oil.
- Mix in the garlic and onions and cook until the onions have turned soft and slightly translucent.
- Mix in the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have turned soft and tender.
- Pour the mushroom broth and cook for another minute.
- Turn off the heat and transfer everything to a blender.
- Blend to the highest setting until the mixture is pureed.
- Using the same pot, turn the heat back on and add the vegan butter.
- Pour the pureed mushrooms and soymilk (or preferred plantbased milk). Mix well using a ladle.
- Season with dried thyme, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Mix in the wine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot.
The beautiful thing about learning how to veganize a childhood favorite is that you relive the warm fuzzy feelings the dish has brought you the first time around. Sipping my vegan Cream of Mushroom has transported me back to the family night out at Max’s, where I felt pampered and loved, not just by the restaurant staff but by my family’s company as well. Now I can relive those memories in my kitchen with new memories to make with loved ones.