Vegan Mushroom Chowder

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

This creamy, deeply savory chowder gets its body from a blend of cremini and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, simmered with tender Yukon Gold potatoes, aromatic onion, celery, and garlic. A crumble of nori adds a subtle oceanic depth that plays beautifully against the earthy mushrooms, while a bright hit of lemon juice at the end keeps everything balanced instead of heavy. The real magic is the blended cashew cream stirred in at the finish, giving the broth that classic chowder silkiness without any dairy in sight. Fresh chives on top add a pop of color and a little sharpness to cut through the richness. Ladle it into deep bowls with crusty bread for dunking, and you've got a cozy, satisfying bowl that fits perfectly into a vegan kitchen. It's the kind of soup that tastes like it took all day, but comes together in one pot on a weeknight.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cashew cream

1 cup raw cashews
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1 cup boiling water

For the chowder

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
½ oz dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup boiling water, for soaking mushrooms
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable broth
1 sheet nori, crumbled or cut into small pieces
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For serving

2 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)
oyster crackers or crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let soak for 15 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking water. Transfer the soaked cashews to a blender with 3/4 cup fresh water and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
2
In a separate small bowl, combine the dried shiitake mushrooms with 1 cup of boiling water. Let soak for 10 minutes until softened. Lift the mushrooms out, squeeze gently, and roughly chop them. Reserve the soaking liquid, pouring it carefully to leave any grit behind.

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