Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Paleo, Vegan) (2024)

Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup made gluten-free, paleo and vegan! Make it to replace canned cream of mushroom soup in just about any recipe!

Behold!

A homemade Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe for those of you who love making casseroles, main entrees, and other recipes that call for canned condensed cream of mushroom soup!

Paleo, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, this health-conscious recipe can be used to replace the canned version in just about application.

Why didn’t I think of this earlier?

I make recipes regularly that call for this exact mixture, which mimics canned condensed cream of mushroom soup.

My Healthy Green Bean Casserole, Creamy Cauliflower Casserole, Creamy Brussel Sprout Casserole, and my Herbed Coconut Milk Potatoes Au Gratinall have one thing in common.

Each recipe replaces a cream-based sauce with a dairy-free sauce made from canned coconut milk.

Sautéed onion, garlic, mushrooms, and some spices give it a great deal of flavor and the natural creaminess of coconut milk is a marvelous replacement for half & half or heavy cream.

In addition, my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Ground Beef Stroganoff, 30-Minute Creamy Mushroom Chicken, and my Creamy Crock Pot Pork Chopscontain sauces that closely resemble this very condensed cream of mushroom soup recipe as well.

Suffice it to say, this is a exceedingly versatile recipe to have in one’s arsenal.

It dawned on me that rather than repeating the same recipe for the soup each time I use it in a recipe, I may as well have a separate recipe for it for folks who do the same thing I do.

So if you make recipes that call for condensed cream of mushroom soup or a cream-based sauce, this recipe is here to support your cooking endeavors!

It may look fairly unappealing and unexciting, but trust me, it is incredibly rich in flavor!

Adding this Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup to any recipe will surely level it up in flavor, texture, and overall appeal.

Plus, it tastes almost exactly like the store-bought version and won’t give you a belly ache 😉

Let’s dive right into the details!

Ingredients for Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup:

Canned Coconut Milk: The most important ingredient! We use canned coconut milk to replace the dairy and act as a thick, creamy hero. It is very important that you use canned full-fat coconut milk that is unsweetened. I typically go with the Native Forest brand, which is available at many of the grocery stores in my area, but most brands will work as long as it is full-fat.

Do note that results may vary depending on the brand of coconut milk you use, so I do recommend going with a quality brand that you have used in the past.

When canned coconut milk is colder than room temperature, the water separates from the fat in the can (this is normal!). You will be using the full can – both the water and the creamy fat (not just the fat).

In this sense, don’t buy coconut milk that comes in a carton, as it won’t yield the right consistency or flavor. Also, don’t replace the canned coconut milk with any other non-dairy milk (like almond milk).

Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, I use avocado oil because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor, but any cooking oil will work.

Onion & Garlic: Sautéed onion and garlic add bold rich flavor to the soup, giving it a complexity that brings flavor to any dish.

Mushrooms: The star of the soup! Mushrooms provide a unique, earthy, creamy flavor, which is difficult to mimic using any other ingredient.

I buy mushrooms that are pre-chopped to save time, and I use baby bella mushrooms. White crimini mushrooms work too!

Cider Vinegar: Adding tang to the sauce, a little cider vinegar cuts the natural sweet flavor of the coconut milk and brings it to the same level as cream in terms of flavor. Cider vinegar or lemon juice work here too!

Dried Oregano, Nutmeg, and Sea Salt: Adding subtle nuance, dried oregano and nutmeg round out the flavor palate. Sea salt enhances the flavor here, so if the soup tastes at all bland to you, add small amounts of sea salt until it tastes rich and flavorful.

Gluten-Free Flour: In order to thicken the soup, we must add a thickening agent. I use a gluten-free flour blend, but you can also use tapioca flour, arrowroot starch, regular all-purpose flour (if you aren’t gluten-free), or cornstarch.

Let’s make a batch!

How to Make Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup:

Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cover the skillet with a lid.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have leached out much of their water, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Pour in the canned coconut milk, dried oregano, nutmeg, and sea salt and stir well. Bring the mixture to a full boil, then add the flour and whisk well.

Continue cooking and whisking, leaving the mixture at a full boil, until it thickens to the same consistency as a very creamy soup.

Remove the cream of mushroom soup from the heat and set aside to allow it to cool.

Once cool, either use the soup in a recipe, or transfer it to a jar. Seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Do note that the cream of mushroom soup becomes thicker as it sits. For most recipes calling for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, you will want the mixture to be very thick. Allowing it to boil long enough to thicken and also allowing it to sit and cool is what will give it that thick consistency.

How to Use Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup:

This recipe makes a little over 2 cups of sauce, equating to about 20 ounces. If the recipe you’re making calls for one 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, measure out about 1 ¼ cups (or 310 milliliters) of this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup and proceed as normal.

If the recipe calls for two cans of soup, simply measure out 2 ½ cups (which will be roughly the yield of the whole recipe), or 620 milliliters.

Similarly, if the recipe you’re following calls for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and some measurement of milk, you can replace the milk with more full-fat canned coconut milk

Light canned coconut milk will work if it’s milk you’re replacing, but go with the full-fat if you’re replacing cream or half & half.

Double the Recipe?:

Should you double the recipe if you’re making multiple recipes that call for canned condensed soup? I say why not? It will save you time!

During the holiday season, I make a lot of recipes that require this soup, so I like making a double batch of this recipe. That way, I have plenty on hand for all the delicious casseroles.

How to Store Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup:

For best results, store the soup in an airtight jar for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the soup and it will keep for 2 months.

I make a double batch and use one 32-ounce jar and one smaller jar for storage until I use it.

Stay tuned for a recipe that uses a double batch of this creamy rich deliciousness! It’s coming your way tomorrow!

Leave me a comment below telling me what you make with this recipe!