Guys. I ignore Valentine’s Day. I’m sorry if it’s an occasion you love, but it’s not something I’ve bought into. However, after adding two children to our family, I have a new found appreciation for those times where it’s just Eric and I. Alone time doesn’t happen very often, so using a day like February 14th as an excuse to recognize ourselves as a couple and as parents is ok. I’ve also learned the past few years that despite our lack of time, we don’t have to sacrifice that “fancy feeling” for a quick meal. In honor of Valentine’s Day, and in honor of all the parents that want it to be easy but special, I give you this Mushroom Soup with Truffled Croutons. This meal also works really well for something to bring to a Galentines gathering.
I also included some how-to’s and tips on the pictured Galentines Day tablescape. If your only here for the recipe, skip to the bottom of the post!
Perfect for Galentine’s Day
I lack love for Valentine’s Day, but I do love and appreciate the spin-off day that emerged a few years ago. To celebrate Galentine’s Day, I got together with my good friend Lydia, from Dressed in Grace. This mushroom soup recipe and radicchio salad (upcoming Salad on Sunday post) was prefect for us both to enjoy over lunch. It’s always nice to be able extend some love to my friends who add that extra love and support in my life.
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What is Galentine’s Day
I won’t take credit for making this day up. Galentine’s Day was born during an episode of Parks and Recreation. The fictional day falls on February 13, or what some consider Valentine’s Day Eve. So, what was supposed to be a bit of comedy, exploded and become popular enough to be celebrated along with the original holiday. I kind of love it. If you’re looking for a simple way to set a Galentine’s Day table, I included some tips below!
Table Setting How To
Simplicity is key. Let the food decorate the table. Aside from the gorgeous colors from the salad and the light pink swirls in the soup, it was easy and inexpensive to design this table setting. The muted pink table cloth is actually a few yards of linen fabric I had cut at a fabric store in town. The rough cut edges give it character. If you prefer a more finished look, Etsy has an amazing selection of linen table clothes – this one is a similar color to the fabric I chose. Lydia and I combined our collection of plates for the perfect mix of old and new. I love finding a balance of modern and vintage pieces to create a unique table setting. And that’s my number one tip for designing a tablescape: use what you have first. Setting a table should never break the bank.
DIY Napkin Rings
My favorite part of this Galentine’s table setting is the DIY napkin rings. I found some beautiful muted, blush pink ribbon from Native Ribbon Co. and immediately wanted to tie it around the current linen napkins I had. It’s the easiest little detail that adds a girly touch to the table setting – Galentine’s Day ready!
The Mushroom Soup
When you think of mushroom soup, it’s a bit unexciting. The color is unappealing and the ingredients seem bland, which doesn’t leave you much desire to try it out. But, I remembered a couple of months ago Eric and I tried truffle gnocchi with a mushroom sauce and the flavors were to die for. The combination of both of those earthy flavors was uniquely comforting. What brought it all together was the wine in the sauce. So, that’s what I did for this mushroom soup recipe. The garlic, onion, potatoes and mushrooms are fried together in olive oil and then deglazed with a dry white wine before the remaining ingredients are added to the pot. The smell is fabulous and feels fancy even though this soup can be made in 30 minutes.
There is no heavy cream used in this homemade mushroom soup. I have been trying to keep my recipes as clean and healthy as possible so coconut milk was used for creaminess instead. It’s gluten free and can also be vegan mushroom soup – just skip the crème fraiche swirls.
The Homemade Croutons
So these are really yummy. If you are a gluten free eater, go ahead and omit these from the mushroom soup recipe. But if you can handle a little bread in your diet definitely make these. It really completes this recipe. The mushroom and truffle together is one of my new favorite flavor combinations. Also, homemade croutons are easy. I used a sourdough loaf, cut a portion of it into cubes, tossed them in olive oil and truffle salt, and threw them in the oven on low heat. To finish them off, toss them again with finely chopped parsley.
How to Make Homemade Croutons
Baking croutons low and slow is key. It crisps the bread, but leaves the perfect amount of chewiness. And that right there is what makes a homemade crouton so much better than store bought. There is also some room for creativity when you make your own croutons. I didn’t want to incorporate the truffle flavor in the mushroom soup, so adding it to the croutons was a delicious solution. The mushroom soup needed some texture as well, which is why the croutons complete this dish.
Mushroom Soup with Truffled Croutons
A gluten-free mushroom soup recipe topped with homemade croutons tossed in truffle salt. The combination of those earthy flavors is uniquely comforting. The soup is creamy from the coconut milk and the ingredients are all non-dairy.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup of sliced crimini mushrooms
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 20 grams dried porchini mushrooms
- 3 potatoes, peeled
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 cups organic vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups cubed sourdough bread
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs truffle salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add one cup of water and add the dried porchini mushrooms. Let the mushrooms soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
- To a large pot, add two tablespoons of olive oil and turn the burner on to medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced crimini mushrooms to the pot. Fry for two minutes. Then add the potatoes, onion and garlic and cook for two minutes, or until the onions become translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the white wine and deglaze the pot. With a wooden spoon, scrape any ingredients off the bottom of the pot. Continue cooking for two minutes.
- Then add the soaked porchini mushrooms and the water, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, toss the cubed sourdough pieces in the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the truffle salt onto the croutons. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown. Remove from the oven and toss in the parsley. Add salt to taste.
- After the soup simmers, remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Garnish with croutons and enjoy.
Notes
To make the light pink swirls, mix a tablespoon of beet root powder into 4 ounces of creme fraiche. Omit this garnish to keep the recipe vegan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 528
- Sugar: 6.9 g
- Sodium: 1020 mg
- Fat: 19.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 77.7 g
- Protein: 14.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: healthy soup, gluten-free, mushroom soup, homemade croutons
