Description
This homemade creamy mushroom soup is rich, velvety, and bursting with earthy mushroom flavor. Made with fresh mushrooms, aromatic herbs, and a touch of cream, it’s an easy, comforting recipe that tastes like it came from a gourmet restaurant. Perfect for cozy dinners or elegant dinner parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, and/or shiitake), cleaned and sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Optional: truffle oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare the mushrooms: Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt. Slice them evenly, about 1/4-inch thick. Set aside a handful of the prettiest slices for garnish if desired.
- Sauté the aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Cook the mushrooms: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pot, then add all the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture, it evaporates, and they turn golden brown. Don’t rush this step – proper caramelization creates incredible depth of flavor. Season with salt and pepper.
- Create the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir well to coat everything evenly. Cook for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (that’s pure flavor!). Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine reduces by about half and the alcohol cooks off.
- Add broth and herbs: Pour in the broth and add the fresh thyme. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together beautifully.
- Blend to desired consistency: This is where you decide your texture preference. For a completely smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree everything until silky. For a chunkier, more rustic texture, blend only half the soup (or transfer half to a blender, puree, and return it to the pot). For an even chunkier soup, skip blending entirely or just pulse a few times.
- Add the cream: Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper if needed. Let the soup heat through for 2-3 minutes, but don’t let it boil after adding cream.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley, reserved sautéed mushroom slices, a crack of black pepper, and a drizzle of truffle oil if you’re feeling fancy. Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers.
Notes
- Mushroom variety: Using a mix of mushroom types creates more complex flavor, but all of one variety works perfectly fine too.
- Thickness control: For thicker soup, reduce the broth to 3.5 cups or add an extra tablespoon of flour. For thinner soup, add more broth after blending.
- Wine-free version: Replace wine with 1/2 cup extra broth plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar for acidity.
- Dairy-free option: Replace butter with vegan butter or additional olive oil, and use full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
- Gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose flour with cornstarch (use 1 tablespoon) or gluten-free flour blend.
- Salt considerations: If using regular (not low-sodium) broth, reduce added salt significantly and taste before seasoning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg