Creamy Mushroom Soup

1 week ago 8

This mushroom soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and bursting with savory mushroom flavor. Make it with or without cream—it's delicious either way!

Cream of mushroom soup

This mushroom soup recipe has become one of Jack’s favorite comfort foods. He loves anything and everything with fresh mushrooms, and this creamy, savory soup is positively packed with them.

One and a half pounds of mushrooms cook down with onion, garlic, and tamari to create the soup’s umami base. Fresh thyme brings out the mushrooms’ earthy flavor, and white wine adds a nice tang to brighten it all up.

I puree part of this mushroom soup, so it’s creamy with or without heavy cream. Jack likes the rich flavor of the cream version—it tastes like a classic cream of mushroom soup. I prefer the option without cream because it has a bolder, more concentrated mushroom flavor.

Really, you can’t go wrong. This mushroom soup recipe is delicious either way.

Mushroom soup recipe ingredients

Mushroom Soup Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this mushroom soup recipe:

Mushrooms, of course! No need to splurge on fancy mushrooms. A mix of white button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms gives this soup a fantastic texture and flavor.
Onion and garlic – They add savory depth of flavor.
Extra-virgin olive oil and butter – For sautéing the onions and mushrooms. You could use just one or the other, but I love the combination of oil and butter here. The butter adds a rich, buttery flavor. The olive oil adds lighter, fruitier notes.
Dry white wine – It adds delicious acidity to the soup.
Tamari – Or soy sauce! I love to use these ingredients when I cook mushrooms. They bring out the mushrooms’ umami flavor.
Fresh thyme and parsley – The thyme adds woodsy, earthy flavor. I use the parsley for garnish. It offers a nice fresh contrast to the rich soup!
Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable stock or use store-bought.
Heavy cream or creme fraîche – These ingredients are totally optional. I love this soup without them, but if you’re craving a more classic cream of mushroom soup, I recommend adding one for extra richness.
And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Tip: To make this soup dairy-free, use 4 tablespoons olive oil instead of a mix of oil and butter. Skip the cream.

Sautéing mushrooms in large pot

How to Make Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup recipe has three simple steps: sauté, simmer, and blend.

Start by sautéing the onion and mushrooms. Melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes so that it starts to soften.

Then, add the mushrooms in two batches. Let the first batch cook for about 5 minutes, or until it’s soft and lightly browned. Add the second batch and cook until softened.

Why two batches? This recipe calls for a lot of mushrooms! They’ll cook more evenly if you allow half to cook down before adding the rest. Working in batches also promotes browning. If you added all the mushrooms to the pan at one time, they’d release too much moisture to allow any to brown.

Simmering mushroom soup

Next, simmer the soup. Stir in the garlic, followed by the wine, broth, tamari, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Then, blend part of the soup. Allow it to cool slightly, then transfer two-thirds to a blender. Blend until smooth, then stir the pureed soup back into the pot.

Pouring blended soup back into pot

Two Options: With Cream or Without

At this point, you have two options.

Option 1 (Jack’s favorite): Add heavy cream. This option yields a richer, more classic cream of mushroom soup. Stir 1/2 cup heavy cream into the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes to warm the soup through and cook off the raw cream taste.
Option 2 (my favorite): Skip the cream. The soup will still be creamy, but it will be slightly less rich and have a more concentrated mushroom flavor. Simply season the soup to taste after stirring the puree back into the pot.

Both options are delicious topped with fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil and/or cream. A few homemade croutons are great here too!

How to Store Mushroom Soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They reheat nicely in the microwave or on the stove.

You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Mushroom soup recipe

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this creamy mushroom soup, try one of these easy soup recipes next:

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

This easy mushroom soup is creamy, comforting, and packed with savory flavor! You can make this recipe two ways. Add heavy cream for a richer, more classic cream of mushroom soup, or skip it to give the soup a more concentrated mushroom flavor. Both options are delicious!

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened slightly. Add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the remaining mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, followed by the wine, broth, tamari, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer two-thirds to a blender and blend until smooth.
Stir the blended soup back into the pot with the chunky soup. If desired, add the cream and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the soup is warmed through and the raw cream taste has cooked off. Season to taste.
Ladle into bowls and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and/or cream, fresh parsley, and thyme.

Read Entire Article