Velvety Mushroom Soup with Halloumi Croutons

This healthy mushroom soup with its deliciously rich and intense earthy flavours is also a beautiful texture; creamy and velvety but without cream.

Mushrooms are incredibly nutritious, providing a rich source of plant-based protein, soluble fibre as well B vitamins crucial for energy production and Selenium, a powerful antioxidant needed for a healthy thyroid. They are also one of the few food sources of vitamin D, which is otherwise only obtained from direct sunlight. Truly nutritious and delicious!

When I create my recipes, I tend to have a few “rules” that I work with as a guide to ensure my recipes are light and without processed ingredients. In this recipe I have broken two of them..I’ve used flour as a thickener and a shop-bought stock cube for extra flavour! After many experimental versions, I concluded that the resulting texture and flavour was worth it! I do hope you love this mushroom soup as much as I do.

To make this healthy soup, you’ll need:

  • 40g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
  • 500g mixed mushrooms, chopped (ideally chestnut or button mushrooms)
  • 50-100g fresh shitake mushrooms, chopped (or soaked from dried)
  • (Reserve a handful of each for the garnish)
  • 1 tbsp plain flour (or any GF variation)
  • 1l hot chicken (or vegetable) stock (from cubes or paste)
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (of 1 tsp dried)
  • Salt & pepper

Garnish Sauté

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 thick slices of Halloumi cheese, cut into 2cm cubes
  • Reserved mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • Fresh thyme sprigs or chopped fresh parsley (optional)

 

Here’s how to make this healthy mushroom soup:

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions and garlic over a medium heat until soft taking care they do not burn for around 10 mins.

Add all the mushrooms and cook over a high heat for another 2-3 mins until slightly softened. Now add the flour and stir to combine. Cook it for a minute or so, then pour in the stock and add the fresh thyme. (If you’re using dried thyme, don’t add this just yet.) Add a little salt and pepper and bring the mixture to the boil. Then reduce the heat, cover and allow to simmer for another 10 mins.

Allow it to cool slightly and if you’re using dried thyme, add it at this point. If you’ve used fresh thyme, remove it. Then blend the mushroom mixture using a kitchen processor or using a hand blender. Take the time to thoroughly blend until the mixture is a smooth velvety texture.

When you’re ready to serve, freshly prepare the garnish sauté. Gently fry the reserved sliced mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil until they are browned and golden. Remove and set aside. Add a little more olive oil and gently fry the halloumi cubes, turning until both sides are golden. Remove as soon as they are the desired colour otherwise, they will burn and the texture will be a little tougher.

Serve hot, checking the seasoning before you spoon it into warmed bowls. Top each bowl with a few sautéed mushrooms and halloumi cubes and a drizzle of olive oil.

Want more Healthy Mushroom recipes? Try these Baked Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Nutritional Nugget:

When it comes to mushrooms, nutritionally speaking, you can’t go wrong. They’re rich plant-based protein, soluble fibre and packed with nutrients. Their nutritional profile can differ according to each type but overall they’re a great choice to include regularly. READ MORE