In the depths of winter, not much is in season. But somehow every trip to the farmers’ market has exactly what I need for this stew: mushrooms (always in season, thank you fungi), onion, and cabbage. These ingredients are humble, but WOW do they deliver in this Caramelized Mushroom and Turmeric Stew. A stew that builds flavor from charred and darkened mushrooms, quickly frizzled onions, and cabbage that becomes so silky through a bit of simmering.
I love this soup because it’s comforting, cozy, and everything I want to eat in a snow storm. You can riff on it by swapping in whatever bean you like, but I love chickpeas if you have them, I prefer farro as the grain to help make this a full meal, but you could also use brown rice, barley, or quinoa.
This soup is a great plant-based option, but also equally delicious if you make it with chicken broth. The whole thing comes out warm, cozy, and really great with crusty sourdough.
Table of contents
Why this mushroom soup is worth making
I have a deep love for this soup, it’s easy, plant-based and has a great source of protein with the chickpeas or beans. The textures are great and it’s just so simple, but here are the highlights:
- It might make mushroom haters love mushrooms. The mushrooms get a head start in this recipe, getting all charred and caramelized and eliminating any of their slimy texture that some mushroom haters talk about. Just trust me, you may convert some people.
- The turmeric gently brings in depth of flavor. It’s just turmeric and cumin that are the main spices here, but when slowly simmered with the vegetables and aromatics, they bring a ton of warming, vibrant flavor.
- A silky broth builds richness through a quick trick: cornstarch slurry. It’s a small ingredient trick, but it really changes how filling and hearty this mushroom stew feels. It’s worth it not to skip it!
- Farro and chickpeas make it a full meal, so if you are looking for something comforting, easy and seasonal on a cold winter’s night – this is it.
The ingredients for this plant-based stew
I’ve been working on keeping my recipes simple, and I’m consistently wow-ed with how rich in flavor this soup is without that many ingredients. The vegetables really do the heavy lifting. Here is what you will need:
- 1/2 small white cabbage, 16 ounces / 454 grams
- 1 medium yellow onion, 10 ounces / 283 grams
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, 8 ounces / 227 grams
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 13.5- ounce cans white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup uncooked farro
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, whisked together with 1/2 cup water
Why the vegetables and grains go in a certain order in this stew
You’ll notice that different ingredients go in at different times with this mushroom soup, and that’s for a few reasons.
Reason #1 – The mushrooms and onion go in first to give them a head start, giving them both a deeper flavor. Mushrooms rapidly release a lot of moisture in the first 5-6 minutes of cooking, then the water starts to evaporate, giving the mushrooms a chance to caramelize and char. This gives them a deeper flavor and a better texture. So even if you have mushroom haters, they’ll probably love this soup.
Reason #2 – The cabbage goes in later so that it doesn’t inhibit the mushrooms, but also so that it doesn’t get mushy. Just like noodles in a soup, cabbage can go a bit too far if it’s overcooked. While this is hard to do, I like the cabbage to go in later so that it only cooks down a bit. That means it can hold up to the long simmering time of the soup while still staying silky, not mushy.
Reason #3 – The farro cooks IN the soup to maximize the broth’s richness (while also saving you time). A lot of people like to cook their noodles or grains separately (this is always a mystery to me) but by doing that you are missing out on giving your broth richness from the starches released from the grain.
This soup is all about using the process to build the flavor, which is my favorite thing to do to make simple ingredients pack a huge punch.
Is this mushroom stew freezer friendly?
Absolutely. It will freeze well for 6 months. You can reheat it in a medium pot on the stove top until it is steaming.
If you prefer to keep it in the fridge, it will keep for up to five days.
Looking for more soup recipes?
I’m building out my soup repertoire this year and I’m pretty excited about it! Here are a few fan favorites:
Caramelized Gochujang Tomato Soup
Perfect Chickpea Soup
Japanese Sweet Potato Soup
And that’s everything for this Caramelized Mushroom and Turmeric Stew!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 small white cabbage, 16 ounces / 454 grams
- 1 medium yellow onion, 10 ounces / 283 grams
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, 8 ounces / 227 grams
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 13.5-ounce cans of chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or 2 1/2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon vegetable base, dissolved in 8 cups of water
- 1/2 cup uncooked farro
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, whisked together with 1/2 cup water
Optional, for serving
- Chopped dill and scallions
Instructions
- Chop the cabbage into bite-sized chunks, thinly slice the onion, thinly slice the mushrooms, and grate 3 garlic cloves. Set all of this aside.
- Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for 10-13 minutes or until the vegetables are a third of the size and the onions and mushrooms are beginning to char and frizzle at the edges.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the mix.
- Add the other tablespoon of butter and let it melt a bit (the pot will be looking a bit dry by now), then add the grated garlic and the cabbage.
- Mix until the cabbage is fully coated with the spices. Season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Cook another 5 minutes or until the cabbage has cooked down and is beginning to look melty.
- Add the 2 cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas, then the 8 cups of broth.
- Bring this to a simmer and stir in the 1/2 cup of farro. Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes.
- Whisk together the cornstarch slurry and add this halfway through the simmering time.
- After the 30 minutes is up, taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Let the soup simmer another 10 minutes.
- Taste to make sure the cabbage is softened and the farro is cooked, then serve warm. Top with the herbs and enjoy!
Old Version
Below is the original Turmeric & Ginger White Bean Soup that was first developed. For the updated recipe, please see the above.
Makes 6 servings
Total cook time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1 pound dried white beans, any variety, or 4 (15-ounce) cans of white beans, any variety
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into matchstick pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced into matchstick pieces (*see note)
- 2 small Birdseye chilies, sliced
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 lime for zest and juice
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
For serving:
- Toasted sweetened coconut flakes
- Fresh cilantro
- Steamed white or brown rice
Instructions
- If you are using dried beans, soak them in water for 6-24 hours before beginning this recipe. When you are ready to begin, drain the beans and set aside.
- If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse them well, then set aside.
- Set a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes.
- Add the onion, ginger, turmeric, and chilies and season with a liberal sprinkle of salt. Going from the top to the bottom of the lime, remove four peels. Slice them thinly to match the matchstick slices of the ginger, and add them to the pot as well. Stir and let this cook down for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is softened and the whole pot is taking on the yellow turmeric hue.
- Add in the garlic cloves and cook another 3-4 minutes or until you can no longer see any raw garlic. Add in the crushed nigella seeds. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the beans and stir to coat them in the vegetables, they should take on the yellow turmeric hue rather quickly. Season with a big pinch of salt and then add the vegetable stock and the water.
- Bring this to a simmer, and let the whole pot simmer for 40 minutes to an hour. If you are using dried beans, check at the 40-minute mark for doneness.
- When the beans are soft enough to be mashed, scoop out 2 cups of the beans into a small bowl or measuring cup. Mash them up with a wooden spoon or spatula, and then add them back into the rest of the soup. This thickens the soup without adding anything else!
- Season with salt to taste.
- When the beans are done (or if you are using canned beans, when the soup has been simmering for just about an hour), remove the pot from the heat. Squeeze in the juice from the peeled lime.
- To serve, portion into bowls and garnish with toasted coconut flakes and cilantro. Serve with rice!
Comments
I made the Ginger & Tumeric White Bean Soup today. It is excellent! Only change was I substituted the Nigella seeds for oregano & black pepper. Highly recommend!
So so glad you enjoyed! And great sub idea, thank you for sharing it. I know others will find it helpful!
wowww i put some mustard greens from my garden and it’s delicious!! thank you for the recipe!
Ahhh I’m so happy you liked it! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
This soup is everything I want on a cold day as an avid cabbage lover and soup eater. I think my eyes fooled my brain because the broth is giving gravy? But in a great way? 10/10 would recommend.
I’ve been a long time stalker and dabbler of making your recipes- today I felt compelled to comment. This recipe was amazing and so comforting. I was able to give my husband a warm soothing meal in the wake of his uncle’s passing and his 24 hour journey to the funeral. Thank you Justine.
I’m so glad it could bring you some comfort <3 Sending you both love during this time.
This was so good – comforting, warming, delicious, and filling. I added a small grilled cheese with tomato chutney on the side.
So so happy you liked it!
So delicious! The beans and the farro make this so filling
So so glad you liked it!!
The perfect soup for a cold evening, so delicious and comforting. Cabbage and mushrooms are two of my favourite vegetables and what a great way to eat them. I just love when soup is a complete meal, i will definitely be making it on repeat through the cold months.
I’m so so happy you liked it!
Can’t wait to try this one! I have lots of dried wild mushrooms left from foraging this summer and I am hoping that dried mushrooms will work 🙂
Okay first, that’s so cool. Second – just to make sure you aren’t wasting them, could you soak them in water to rehydrate them before you use them in the recipe? That way you’ll get the correct amount and won’t be overusing your summer haul!
Hi! I was looking through your “gluten-free” tag and found quite a few recipes – like this one – with farro. I just wanted to let you know in case someone cooking for a gluten intolerant or celiac crowd looks here for inspiration. The recipe sounds delicious though – I will definitely try it with another type of grain!
Hi Bea, this is a great note – and thank you! I’m currently recategorizing my site so this is super helpful!
So, so good. Perfect winter day stew. Made a double batch to freeze some for lunches and it feels like money in the bank. Thanks for another great recipe!
So happy you liked it!
So, the idea was to make this last night so that I could have leftovers this week. Well my 11 year old ate so much of it last night and then again for lunch today, I think I will have to find a plan B. This is definitely a great winter veg soup- defo a keeper.
Haha sorry about the plan B but I’m glad they liked the recipe so much!!
This was absolutely delicious! I made it with some chickpeas that I cooked from dry and I think that really took it to the next level.
I’ve socked away a few servings in my freezer for some lazy nights and I’m so excited!
Omg I just finished my last serving from the freezer and I’m so jealous you have a fresh batch! So glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review 🙂
What a delicious soup! I will definitely make it again. Thank you for this great recipe.
I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
Hi Justine! I made the soup last week. It was so delicious. I made some adjustments according to what I had in my fridge and my food allergy. I added chicken for protein because beans are hard to digest for me. I also didnt have mashrooms so I added red lentils instead. It was creamy, and the turmeric oh my god!!! I added some masala too. I have never had cabbage in a soup before but oh my god I will make this again and again. I love your recipes, your energy and your book!
Oh my gosh this makes me so happy!! I’m so thrilled you liked it and the adjustments sound delish <3
made this last night and i can’t stop thinking about it. filling from the farro and beans, luscious from the buttery cabbage, a vegetarian’s dream soup!
I’m so beyond thrilled you like it!
This was freaking delicious, comforting and filling! Loved it and shared the recipe with a few friends. Perfect warming soup for winter weather and turbulent times. Made this and the sesame carrot, cabbage slaw to use up the other half of my cabbage and have a little fresh crunch. Set for lunches for the week!
Omg a double whammy – music to my ears. Stay warm out there, and I’m glad thing could bring you something good in a tough and sad week
I made this for a gathering and everyone LOVED it! I subbed spinach for the cabbage because that’s what I had available and it worked great.
made this last night and it was so good! so warm and comforting and delicious. will definitely be a regular part of my soup rotation
I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
This was my first soup of the new year and it’s so so good! Loved the spices and the cabbage. Already sent it to my friends who like to cook.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup!! Its deceptively simple ingredients have such a depth of flavor. Great for meal prep as it gets better throughout the week, and ended up being very inexpensive and accessible in a midwestern january. Definitely adding this to my winter soup rotation for years to come 🙂
YAY! I’m so so glad you loved it and will be adding it to your soup rotation. Thanks so much for your review, it means the world to me.
This soup is delicious! Thanks so much for sharing. Been following you for a bit and this is my first time letting you know my gratitude. You have great cooking and baking style- keep on doing what you’re doing!
Omg 🥹 thank you so much for being here, it means everything to me. I’m so so thrilled you enjoyed the soup. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I’m not sure what I did wrong! :/ I have tried a few recipes from here so far. Maybe I riffed a bit and it bit me in the butt — I don’t totally remember. But the mushrooms turned out kinda slimy and I didn’t salt/season it enough. But what I DID love was the corn starch trick. I will definitely be trying that again to add thickness and amazing mouth feel.
Hi Simone! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t meet your expectations. My one guess is that your mushrooms may have needed more initial cook time, or they needed more fat. The recipe calls for a longer mushroom cook time so that their texture is no longer slimy and instead meaty, so if you try it again, opt to keep them on the stove a little longer and hopefully that will help!
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