Creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils & rice

Name: Creamy mushroom soup with lentils and brown rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons raw cashews*; 4 cups water (divided); 1/2 teaspoon white miso paste; 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (or white button mushrooms, divided); 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 onion (chopped (about 1 cup chopped onion)); 3 cloves garlic (minced); Salt (to taste); 1/2 cup French lentils du Puy; 1/2 cup basmati brown rice; 1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon no chicken base); 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; Freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Updated: Apr 14, 2025 · Published: Oct 2, 2019 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 38 Comments

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Creamy vegan mushroom soup with lentils and brown rice is cozy and warming. The flavor is reminiscent of a mushroom stroganoff without the noodles.

With the fragrant addition of rosemary, thyme, garlic, and onions, this soup packs a wallop of homey deliciousness. Vegan & gluten-free.

Creamy mushroom lentil soup in bowl by crackers and spoon.

Cooler days call for a hearty, warming bowl of vegan mushroom soup with lentils & brown rice.

You’ve got to love a full meal in one pot with mushrooms and cashew cream, lentils for protein, and Basmati rice for staying power.

This is the kind of soup that only requires some crackers or a loaf of crusty bread for dipping and nothing else. Dinner is served.

If you’re a big mushroom fan like I am, you’re going to love this cozy sauna-in-a-bowl.

Lentils and brown rice in containers by fresh thyme.

This filling soup includes:

Cremini or button mushrooms
French lentils du Puy
Basmati brown rice
Onions & garlic
Rosemary & thyme
And a mushroom-y cashew cream

For this vegan mushroom soup with lentils, I opt for delicate French lentils du Puy.

They hold their toothsome shape, unlike their brown or red brethren.

In this post:

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Why readers love this recipe
Step by step instructions
Standard blender instructions
Storage & reheating instructions
📖 Recipe

Why readers love this recipe

“I am about to make this delicious soup for the third time. It’s so, so good! Hearty and delicious! Thank you for the great recipe 🙂“ – Sarah

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Cashew cream in Vitamix blender pitcher.

Make a mushroomy cashew cream in a high-speed blender.

Blend the following:

Raw cashews
Water
Miso paste
Cremini mushrooms

Set aside.

Mushrooms and onions sauteing in soup pot.

Sauté onions and garlic in a pot with oil, until fragrant.

Add sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt.

Cook a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, while the mushrooms release their liquid and soften.

Then add the following:

Water
French lentils du Puy
Brown rice
Bouillon
Dried rosemary
Dried thyme
Salt

Stir and bring to a simmer.

Once the liquid has started to simmer, lower heat and cover for 30 minutes.

Cashew cream added to pot of mushroom lentil soup.

Add the cashew cream to the pot, stir, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

Add freshly ground pepper and any additional salt to taste.

Standard blender instructions

Creamy mushroom lentil soup in bowl by purple napkin and fresh thyme.

No high-speed blender? No problem.

Grind dry raw cashews in a coffee grinder until they become a flour.

Then add the cashew flour to your standard blender along with the other cashew cream ingredients (water, miso paste, and mushrooms).

If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you’ll need to soak the raw cashews for a few hours in water to soften them.

Just drain off the soaking liquid before starting the recipe.

Storage & reheating instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 4 days.

Reheat on the stove in a pot, or in the microwave.

The soup will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. So you’ll need to add a splash of water before reheating.

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About Cadry Nelson

Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

Comments

5 from 12 votes (1 rating without comment)