Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

Published: Dec 21, 2019 · Modified: Dec 19, 2023 by Gail Gromaski · 9 Comments · Some of the following links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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A homemade, dairy-free version of a childhood favorite, this delicious Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup is a perfect way to warm up on a chilly day! This simple mushroom soup without cream is also low carb, Paleo and Whole30 compliant and can be on your lunch or dinner table in less than 45 minutes! Please note: this recipe is NOT low FODMAP.

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Cream of Mushroom: A Classic Soup
Dairy-Free Mushroom Soup in the Instant Pot
Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Whole30
A Note About FODMAPs
Necessary Equipment
Ingredients and Success Tips
Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30)
Related Recipes

Cream of Mushroom: A Classic Soup

Cream of mushroom was one of my favorite soups to eat as a kid. I'd crumple up a bunch of saltines into the soup and savor the creamy, mushroomy goodness. The cream of mushroom soup I ate as a kid came from a can, however, and I wanted to come up with a homemade, dairy-free, additive-free alternative that I could make in the Instant Pot.

Dairy-Free Mushroom Soup in the Instant Pot

As with many different dishes, when making this soup in the Instant Pot, you can achieve an abundance of flavor in a short amount of time. The aromas that this soup produces while it's cooking are heavenly, and once that timer goes off on the Instant Pot, I can hardly wait to pour myself a bowl.

Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30) - Good Noms, Honey! (2)

Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Whole30

This Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup is dairy-free, Paleo, and Whole30 compliant. However, if you're doing a Whole30, I would not consider just this soup to be a compete Whole30 meal. Eat it alongside some protein, like tuna salad wrapped in lettuce or on a cucumber. As the old jingle goes, "Soup and sandwich go together." This is true of homemade soup, too.

A Note About FODMAPs

In case you're wondering: this cream of mushroom soup is not low FODMAP. In fact, it's chock full of FODMAPs, so fellow IBS sufferers - I'm sorry, but this is not for you. This is one of the rare times I will post a recipe that's not low FODMAP to my blog. I wrote it before making the decision to feature low FODMAP recipes in addition to Paleo and Whole30 recipes. Ultimately, my goal is to heal my gut to the point at which I can return to eating things like this without having to worry too heavily about FODMAPs. So, I guess you could say that I'm saving this one for myself to enjoy in the future. In the meantime, I've put it here for non-IBS sufferers to enjoy (you lucky ducks).

Can you adapt it for low FODMAP? Maybe someday, but as of right now, I am not comfortable doing so. If you're looking for an amazing low FODMAP soup to warm up with until then, try my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup, Low FODMAP Leek and Potato Soup with Bacon (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker), or my Low FODMAP Low Carb Lasagna Soup (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker).

Necessary Equipment

The equipment I use to make this dairy-free cream of mushroom soup in the Instant Pot includes:

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Chopping knife
Cutting board
Measuring spoons and cups
Plastic spoon for stirring and scraping
Ladle
Heat-resistant bowl or measuring cup (the larger, the better)
Immersion blender
Small bowl or measuring cup
Whisk

Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30) - Good Noms, Honey! (3)

Ingredients and Success Tips

This mushroom soup is a really simple recipe using simple ingredients, so I won't go on and on about them here. Here are a few things to consider when making this recipe:

Mushrooms

I use white button mushrooms in this recipe as I feel they taste the best; however, you could probably use other types if you wanted to. In one of my tests, I tried cremini mushrooms but found the flavor odd and too far from my childhood memory of cream of mushroom soup. I slice the mushrooms thinly but not super thin and leave the stems on.

Aromatics and Herbs

I use a medium sweet onion, three cloves of garlic, and ½ tablespoons of fresh thyme to enhance the mushroom flavor. Fresh thyme tastes the best, but you can also use ½ teaspoons of dried thyme instead of fresh if that's all you have on hand. I've tested the soup with both, and it's yummy either way.

Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30) - Good Noms, Honey! (4)

I sauté the onion until it's translucent and starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes. This brings some yummy caramelized onion flavor to the soup. Then, I add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes.

Spices, Broth and Coconut Milk

I season the soup with 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper, but be sure to taste the soup at the end and adjust these to your own taste. The amount of salt that you'll need will heavily depend on the brand of broth you use and its salt level. I often use my my own homemade chicken bone broth or Imagine Chicken Bone Broth, which is not overly salty, and I usually end up putting in up to 2 teaspoons of salt and ¾ teaspoon of pepper. Also, if your soup tastes too coconutty (not a word, but it should be), you need more salt and pepper, so add more in ¼ teaspoon intervals until you can no longer taste any coconut flavor.

Chunkiness Level

After the soup pressure cooks, I ladle out 1-2 cups of the soup into a heat resistant bowl or measuring cup and immersion blend the soup that remains in the Instant Pot. If you want a super chunky soup, ladle out more or perhaps skip blending any of it. If you'd prefer a smoother soup, don't ladle out any of it and blend it entirely. In the soup pictured, I ladled out 1 cup of the soup.

Dairy-Free Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup (Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30)

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Description

A homemade, dairy-free version of a classic soup, this Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day! This simple soup recipe is low carb, Paleo and Whole30 compliant but is not low FODMAP.

Ingredients

UnitsScale

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tablespoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
3 cups chicken bone broth (homemade or store-bought)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk, divided
2 teaspoons tapioca flour

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Hit "Sauté" on your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and add the olive oil to the pot. Once the display reads "Hot," add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion starts to brown, about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the sliced mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sea salt and pepper to the pot and stir fry for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Hit cancel on the Instant Pot. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of the coconut milk and stir well to combine. Scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula (I love my Instant Pot spatula).
Close the lid and set the pressure release valve to "Sealing." Press the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button and set the timer for 5 minutes.
Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Carefully ladle 1-2 cups (depending on how chunky you'd like your soup) into a heat-resistant measuring cup or bowl. Blend the soup remaining in the Instant Pot with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the reserved soup back into the Instant Pot and stir. Skip this step if you'd like your soup completely smooth.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 2 teaspoons of tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Hit the "Sauté" button on the Instant Pot and wait about 30 seconds for the soup to boil. Slowly pour in the flour/milk mixture while constantly stirring the soup, until it thickens, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot. Once it's cool enough, taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary. If the soup tastes too coconutty, add more salt and pepper in ¼ teaspoon increments until the coconut flavor dissipates and you no longer taste any coconut.