I know a bunch of people are going to ask me why I need to use “chicken” in the title of this recipe. I’ve address the issue before, but in this case, I think some extra explanation is warranted. The “chicken” in this soup is tofu. And “cream of tofu soup” just sounds like a terrible, terrible thing. As much as I love tofu, I’d never in a million years make cream of tofu soup. Except that I did. I just don’t think of it that way. The tofu doesn’t get creamed (I had some ugly tofu experiences involving the blender back before I knew how to cook tofu). It gets baked! The soup is creamy and it’s loaded with veggies and savory baked tofu in a creamy cashew base. Unfortunately, that’s too long for a recipe title, and I did, in fact model this one after cream of chicken soup. So let’s call it vegan cream of chicken soup. Settled? Good! Oh, and it’s also delicious! Let’s talk about how to craft this scrumptious soup. To make the tofu “chicken” you’ll soak some tofu cubes in a savory marinade, and then bake them. Baking gives the tofu a chewy texture and seals in the flavor of the marinade. While the tofu is baking, work on the soup. Start by sautéing some onions, celery and carrots for a few minutes. Once they begin to soften up, add some garlic and a bit of flour (which helps thicken the soup). Cook that for a minute, and then add some white wine. Once the wine has had a few minutes to cook off, you can add your broth and some herbs. Raise the heat to bring everything up to a simmer. While the soup simmers, blend up some soaked raw cashews and non-dairy milk to make your cashew cream, and add that to the soup towards the end of the simmer time. The baked tofu and peas go in last. Cook the soup for another minute to heat everything up, and then grab a spoon!
Tips for Making Awesome Vegan Cream of Chicken Soup
If you’re going to have leftovers, I recommend storing the tofu and the soup separately. It’s not totally crucial, but it does help to keep the flavor in the tofu.Not into tofu? Substitute seitan. You can make your own or buy it at the store. No need to marinate or bake it (seitan is already marinated). Sauté it with the veggies if you like, otherwise just throw it it.Forgot to soak your cashews? Try boiling them for 15 minutes.Allergic to cashews? You could probably substitute coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk (like in this recipe) for the cashew cream mixture, but I haven’t tried it, so no promises.Want an alcohol-free version of this recipe? Try an alcohol-free cooking wine (keeping in mind that you may need to use less salt in the recipe), or just leave the wine out.Assuming you’re okay with using wine, check Barnivore to make sure the brand you pick is vegan.
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