Vegan Fall Soups – Creamy Carrot Bisque & Mushroom Croutons

Whenever the weather turns a little bit cold, it is just the excuse I need to put on a soup. On the stove top or in a Crock pot, I will make a curry, a stew, chili, or even a plain old noodle soup, as long as it’s got tons of veggies and piping hot liquid. Sign me up.

The only problem with being a vegan soup-a-holic, is that you have to think creatively if you don’t want to repeat the same seven soup recipes until you can’t stand the sight, the scent, of soup. You have to be willing to experiment with pantry staples, with seasonal items, all of it.

How do you think I came up with mushrooms croutons?

Sometimes as the summer tips to fall, the supermarket offers up carrots by the busload. Big packages for a good price means I’ll put those carrots to use with stir fry recipes, kimchi, and all manner of vegan salad. But as we are at the cooler stage in the calendar, I figured it was the perfect time for a bisque.

I know, I know, you want to argue the semantics of this being a bisque due to the lack of crustaceans, but let’s just call it a creamy vegan soup then. Okay?

Cool.

When it comes to whipping up a creamy soup, the first question you should ask yourself is, am I a blend first vegan cook or a cook and then blend chef? That is an important question because it will determine the order in which you do things.

Personally, I am a cook first and then puree in a blender or use an immersion blender to get a creamy texture with some vegetable chunks. I like to make sure it’s all done and then hand blend it once I’m sure all the ingredients are soft and bisque-y.

Start with the onion, carrot, ginger and potato. Cook until soft, seasoning generously. Add garlic and tomato paste, bring to a boil and then simmer.

I cooked the mushrooms in the oven. Slice them thickly, season with herbs and spices, and bake 15 to 30 minutes. I know it seems like a lot of time but these are croutons, so you want them a little crispy. Right?

When your vegetables are soft enough, blend until smooth, adding milk and/or broth has necessary to create the perfect consistency. Cook until warm through, and serve with sliced raw scallions, bulgur or other grain, or if you’re feeling bold, bread.

This carrot bisque is the perfect way to warm yourself on a chilly autumn or winter today. The ginger adds a great pop of flavor while the tomato paste gives the recipe a depth of flavor that is unmatchable. Change the flavor profile by switching up the herbs and spices, or even jumping cuisine.