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Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon (Paleo, AIP, Whole30)

March 2, 2021

(updated March 23, 2023)

4.65 from 85 votes
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What’s Inside: This Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon is dairy-free, made with simple ingredients, and comes together in 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights and meal-prepping! It’s restaurant-quality without worrying about additives or dairy.

dairy-free creamy mushroom soup

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “So good! Thank you for this recipe- I’ve seen a lot of dairy-free cream of mushroom soups out there but was sold on this one because of the sweet potato puree and the bacon. It did not disappoint. My husband is not gluten or dairy free and still loved it. 🙂” – Amber

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of hot food, especially when it’s a homemade gluten-free soup? This Creamy Mushroom Soup recipe is my take on classic cream of mushroom soup, made with whole ingredients and topped with crispy bacon bits. It’s perfect for those chilly months leading up to spring and calls for a lot of AIP-friendly ingredients you likely have on hand.

 

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how to make creamy mushroom soup recipe dairy-free soup recipe aip soup recipe paleo soup recipes

Check out this post to learn how to incorporate more bone broth into your diet!

Can You Really Make Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup?

Many people who follow Paleo, dairy-free, or Whole30 diets can all agree on one texture they miss — creaminess. This is especially true when it comes to soups.

So many gluten-free soups and Paleo soup recipes are also dairy-free soups, and they often turn out like thicker purees more than the soups we’re actually craving. I knew there had to be a way to achieve a level of creaminess without the use of heavy cream or milk. Through a lot of trial and error, I discovered the secret ingredient for this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup. (And no, it’s not coconut milk.)

OK, that is one of the ingredients for my dairy-free cream sauce, but it’s not the secret ingredient. The key to achieving velvety smooth creaminess in this dairy-free soup recipe is one white sweet potato.

how to make creamy mushroom soup recipe dairy-free soup recipe aip soup recipe paleo soup recipes

How To Make a Dairy-Free Cream Sauce with Sweet Potatoes

For this Creamy Mushroom Soup recipe, the white sweet potato perfectly compliments the soup because both are a little nutty and very earthy. The starches and complex carbohydrates in the sweet potato expand when added to the hot soup, resulting in a velvety smooth dairy-free cream of mushroom soup that will quickly make you forget about the canned stuff from your childhood.

Make the cream-free cream sauce by blending the diced, peeled, and boiled sweet potato with the water and coconut milk until smooth. That’s it! And no, it won’t taste like coconut!

how to make creamy mushroom soup recipe dairy-free soup recipe aip soup recipe paleo soup recipes

Key Ingredients

For this dairy-free soup, you’ll need pastured bacon, a yellow onion, a handful of garlic cloves, 1.5 pounds of white mushrooms like baby Bellas or cremini, dried thyme, dried parsley, dried rosemary, arrowroot powder, balsamic vinegar, bone broth (preferably chicken), and sea salt.

how to make creamy mushroom soup recipe dairy-free soup recipe aip soup recipe paleo soup recipes

How To Make This Recipe

  1. First, you need to cook your bacon until crispy, leaving some grease in the pot.
  2. Now to cook your veggies. In the same pot, sauté the onions, then add the garlic followed by the mushrooms and dried herbs. Cook for just 5 minutes to soften the mushrooms and build flavor.
  3. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle the arrowroot flour over the veggies to create a roux. Stir to coat.
  4. Whisk in the broth, season with salt, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick.
  5. Reduce the heat under your soup to low and slowly stir in the dairy-free cream sauce until incorporated.
  6. Now for finishing touches. Ladle into bowls, garnish with bacon pieces and parsley, and enjoy!

Can’t have coconut? No problem, just use a bit less water to make the cream sauce. The sweet potato is thick enough.

Serving Variations

In addition to the bacon crumbles and fresh parsley, you could garnish this soup with a sprinkle of the dried herbs that were used in the soup, freshly cracked pepper (unless AIP), and you can even serve over a veggie rice!

For the dip-lovers, you could even serve this Creamy Mushroom Soup with grain-free bread like my Paleo soda bread biscuits and my cloud bread. Or, grab some store-bought Paleo-friendly crackers.

how to make creamy mushroom soup recipe dairy-free soup recipe aip soup recipe paleo soup recipes

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

  • Store cooled, leftover soup in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Store the bacon bits separately to keep them crispy.
  • Freeze cooled, leftover soup in a freezer-safe, airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months. Make sure to label so you know what you’re thawing at a later date! This dairy-free cream of mushroom soup is perfect for meal-prepping or making ahead. (Freeze flat to optimize space in your freezer.)
  • Reheat thawed and chilled soup in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring halfway through, if you’re in a rush. But if you have the time, or if you’re reserving for dinner later, warm in a pot on the stove over medium-low until bubbling and warmed through. This will ensure even heating throughout the soup. Thin out with water or broth, if needed.

More Soups To Try

Looking for more Paleo soup recipes? I’ve got you covered!

Video: Watch How To Make The Recipe

dairy-free creamy mushroom soup

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon (Paleo, AIP, Whole30)

4.65 from 85 votes
This Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon is dairy-free, made with simple ingredients, and comes together in 30 minutes.
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Author: Alison Marras
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4

Ingredients

Soup

  • 12 oz pastured bacon chopped into bits
  • 1 yellow onion minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 pounds mushrooms sliced (cremini, baby bellas, etc.)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4 cups bone broth or broth
  • 1/4 tso sea salt
  • Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional

Dairy-Free Cream Sauce (yields approx. 1.5 cups)

  • 1 white sweet potato peeled and chopped
  • 3-4 cups filtered water, divided
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk

Instructions:

  • Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add chopped bacon and saute until crispy (about 3-5 mins.). Transfer cooked bacon bits to a plate and set aside, leaving 1-2 Tbsp of bacon grease in the pot (you can strain and save the rest for later in the fridge).
  • Add and sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add mushrooms, thyme, parsley, and rosemary, cooking for 5 minutes. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and mix, let it cook for 2 more minutes or so.
  • Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, mix again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, season with salt.
  • Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until thickened.
  • Meanwhile, make the cream sauce by boiling sweet potatoes in a small saucepan with enough water to cover for 10-12 mins. Once sweet potatoes are fork-tender, strain and add to a blender. Add 1 cup water and coconut milk and blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to loosen. You want it to be a thick creamy consistency, set aside.
  • Returning to the soup, reduce heat to low, and stir in cream sauce. Allow to gently simmer (do not boil). Adjust salt and seasonings to your taste.
  • Mix in the bacon bits (or you can sprinkle them on top of the bowls you serve in to keep it crispy) and chopped fresh parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Keywords: AIP, dairy-free, paleo, whole30
Course: Appetizer, dinner, Main Course, Soup
-Alison Marras
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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36 comments

  3. So good ! Thank you for this recipe- I’ve seen a lot of dairy free cream of mushroom soups out there but was sold on this one because of the sweet potato puree and the bacon. It did not disappoint. My husband is not gluten or dairy free and still loved it. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Love the look of this recipe but haven’t tried it yet — Can you use regular white potatoes (instead of white sweet potatoes)? I haven’t seen white sweet potatoes before, I’m not sure if I can find them…

    Reply

    • You could, but I’m not sure how the texture will be. Many have also used orange sweet potatoes (yams). You could always ask your grocer for Japanese or white sweet potatoes.

      Reply

  6. This Creamy Mushroom Soup with Bacon was so flavorful and delicious! I will be making it again soon since the family loved it.

    Reply

  9. This looks incredible! I’ve been searching for gluten-free and dairy-free recipes and I can’t wait to try this heartwarming soup.

    Reply

  11. I’ve never liked mushrooms, so I’m not sure why I tried this recipe. But this is FANTASTIC! I can’t believe how great it is, and that I actually LIKE it. lol I will be making this regularly. So fabulous to find an AIP soup that I actually like — I’ve been making one basic recipe over and over and was so burnt out on it (it was pretty bland). This is so flavorful! Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you. <3

    Reply

  12. This is REALLY fantastic. I’m not even a big mushroom fan, plus I only had a regular sweet potato and no rosemary…and I could NOT stop eating this! Do you know if it freezes well? I’d love to make a mega batch for the winter if it does. (It does save well in the fridge and makes great leftovers.)

    Reply

    • YAY and yes for sure, just fill a freezer-safe container 3/4ths bc it will expand and you might end up adding a bit of water/broth when you reheat if it gets thick. Up to you on the bacon, definitely won’t be crispy.

      Reply

  19. Please—how many ounces of sweet potato?  I have white sweet potatoes in my pantry that weigh from 4 ounces to well over a pound!  That could make a huge difference in the soup.  

    Reply

    • Hi Kathleen, I don’t know the ounces but would estimate 1 1/2 – 2 cups, use your best judgement, it’s not a perfect science. You just want to get it to a creamy consistency and pour as much as you need for the soup.

      Reply

    • it totally is, I had leftovers a few times! My hot tip is tto just store the crispy bacon separately so it doesn’t get soggy unless you’re into that 😉

      Reply

  23. So much flavor in this creamy soup! I love mushrooms and all the herbs you’ve added. I use potatoes to make a dairy free “cream soup” as well. Delicious!

    Reply

    • Potatoes are MAGIC! I’ll have to check out your cream soups as well – can’t get enough.

      Reply

  25. This soup looks and sounds amazing!  I’ve never had a mushroom soup like this and can’t wait to try it! 

    Reply

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