Vegan Cream of Bacon Substitute
Unlike other Cream of whatever soup substitutes, this one is dairy-free, gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan! It’s also surprisingly healthy! Use this as a 1:1 sub for any Cream of soup but especially in any recipe calling for Campbell's Cream of Bacon Soup. It’s especially good for potato casseroles or breakfast casseroles. The methods may seem untraditional, but the final product will surprise you with how close it is to the original!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup dry red lentils
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup vegan bacon bits divided
Instructions
- Simmer the ingredients: Add the water, red lentils, cashews, bouillon, half of the vegan bacon bits, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to a medium saucepan and stir. Turn the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil* (see notes). When the mixture begins boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer (covered) for about 10 minutes.
- Blend the soup base: Carefully transfer the mixture to your Vitamix or another high-powered and heat-safe blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Add the rest of the vegan bacon bits: Then, stir in the remainder of the bacon bits. You can transfer this to a bowl to stir if you want, but I prefer to just stir them up in the blender (less dishes). Make sure the blender is off or you take it off the base with the blade turning mechanism though!
- To store: Immediately pour the mixture into four 8-oz mason jars and cover with the canning lids. Let them cool on the counter completely. When cooled, gently press down on the center of your canning lid (it should seal when you do this if it hasn't already) and place in the fridge for future use in all your cozy soups, stews, and casseroles!
Notes
*Be careful when boiling the mixture because it will boil up fast and can boil over if you’re not careful. Keep a very close eye on it as soon as you see it begin to bubble! Then, when it starts to bubble to the top, it’s ready.
You'll need a high-speed blender for the best results in this recipe. An immersion blender will not work.
Vegan Bacon Bits
We used the “accidentally” vegan McCormick bac’n pieces. Check out our post about vegan-friendly bacon bits for a complete list of vegan bacon bits brands!Cashew Substitute
Sunflower seeds or hulled hemp seeds are a great substitute for the cashews in this recipe. If you do this, I would also recommend adding a Tbsp or two of olive oil to the blender to match the fat content of the cashews. This will ensure the best texture!Nutrition
Serving: 1(8-oz) jarCalories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 15gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 405mgFiber: 5gSugar: 1g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!