Shiitake Mushroom Soup
This soup turned out delicious. Shiitake mushrooms, celery, onion, fennel, carrots, garlic, cauliflower, and lots of herbs and spices!
Leave the recipe behind
I love creating nourishing yummy soups and this one did not disappoint. I don’t follow any type of recipe, rather I follow a framework that I can modify and alter every time depending on my kitchen inventory and mood. I rarely make the same soup twice and actually have a hard time even when I try to repeat a recipe - it always ends up slightly different, but equally delicious. Overtime, I hope that this becomes your approach as well. Sure, people ask for my recipes and I do my best to give them, but what I’d really love is for you to be able to find the confidence and the creativity on your own. I don’t want you to need my recipe, I want you to use my framework and develop your own. I want you to know and trust the process and build confidence in your kitchen. I don’t want you to have to Google a recipe every time you want to make a meal. I want you to trust your inner guide.
My process is simple, I take look at what I have in the fridge (read my post on being organized) and scan for ingredients. I start with the base (choose a broth) and veggies, then look for any fresh herbs that I have, next I’ll scan the basket on my counter top for any potatoes, onions, squash or any other veggies I don’t keep cold. Sometimes I add nuts and seeds. Typically I add citrus (I love lemon and lime). And finally, I love playing with dried herbs and spices.
I usually prefer to blend my soups. It really allows me to play with a lot of different ingredients and flavors, but I also enjoy non-blended traditional soups like lentil, chicken, vegetable, tortilla, navy bean, on occasion as well. You really can’t go wrong - that’s what I love most about cooking! But let’s break down my framework in more detail so you have a better idea of how you can build nourishing soups all year round!
Breaking down the framework for a blended soup
Choose your base
Bone broth, vegetable broth, water: I like to have different types of bone broth on hand. My favorite is Bonafide Provisions frozen bags of broth. I love the added benefits that the bone broth offers, but it can be pricey. I only use one bag per batch, even if it’s a larger batch of soup, as to save on the broth. I simply add water to my broth if I need more liquid. If you don’t eat animal products I recommend that you use water. Many of the vegetable broths are made from concentrate and have added things in them that aren’t the worst, but aren’t the best. I say save your money and allow your veggies to create the flavor you desire.
Selecting your ingredients
Build around one key ingredient: like broccoli, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, tomato, butternut squash, etc.
Add texture: I like my soups to have a creamy texture so when I pick additional vegetables to add to my soup I add things that will give my soup that sense of thickness - potato, different squash varieties, broccoli stems, celery root, and cashews are some of my favorites.
Give it flavor
Herbs: adding fresh herbs paired with the flavors of the vegetables is a win win and the easiest way to make flavorful soups. My favorite include basil, cilantro, oregano, dill, parsley, and mint, but the sky is the limit! Have fun playing with different combos.
Roots: things like turmeric, ginger, burdock, and celery are my go-to roots. They are packed with flavor and full of health benefits. The celery root doubles in use as it also ads a great texture to your soup. It’s like a more flavorful potato.
Dried herbs and spices: So many opportunities here! Most of the time I eyeball and use my hand as a measurement for herbs and spices… 5 shakes of this, 10 shakes of that, salt in the center of my hand to measure a teaspoon and tablespoon, tasting as I go. That’s the key! Don’t forget to taste your food! And remember, you can always add more. It’s better to play it safe and add a little if you’re unsure. Especially if it’s a new spice that you’re playing with, like cardamom. A little of that goes a long way!
Citrus: Love adding lemon and lime to my soups. A little squeeze at the end is sometimes exactly what the soup needed!
Fats, creams, and oils: Adding in things like ghee, great quality butter coming from healthy cows that are pasture raised, organic whole fat milks, full fat coconut cream or milk, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. I add these things in either at the end or when I am sautéing the vegetables pre-broth. The good news about bone broth is that it already has fat in it! Another reason why I love using bone broth as my base.
Putting it all together
If you’re knew to a recipe or meal I always suggest you keep it super simple. It’s all about proportion - you want the main vegetable to be the bulk of the ingredients. Same goes with herbs and spices. Choose your dominate flavor or spice and then go from there. If you add 1 zucchini, but then put 3 potatoes you don’t have zucchini soup, you have potato soup with a little zucchini… make sense? Here is a super basic soup that gives you an idea of where to start.
Basic Zucchini Soup
pick your broth - chicken bone broth (1 bag)
choose your key vegetable/s - let’s say 3 zucchini + 2 kale leaves with stems
add in some texture - 1 medium size potato
flavor - salt, pepper, ghee, and a squeeze of lemon at the end
blend and enjoy!
Shiitake Mushroom Soup Recipe
1 lb of shiitake mushrooms
1-2 celery stalks
1/4 head of cauliflower
1/2 an onion
3 feel stalks
2 small carrots or 1 medium size
3-4 garlic cloves
1 bag of beef bone broth + extra water to cover all vegetables
flavor - 3 caps of coconut aminos, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp dry dill, a few shakes of cardamom, coriander, and adobo seasoning.
blend
a squeeze of lime juice to top
small handful of arugula chopped to top soup alongside a little leftover bacon from my breakfast… if you don’t have those things, no worries, the soup doesn’t need it!
Let me know how it goes! And like always, if you have any questions please leave in the comments OR you can go to the CHAT and start a convo there!