Cream of Mushroom Soup

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup – It’s a rich and flavorful soup made with sauteed mushrooms and onions, bright herbs, and a creamy broth. It’s the ultimate mushroom soup recipe!

Creamy Cozy Mushroom Soup

So what is the secret to perfect creamy mushroom soup? Browning the mushrooms first. In my opinion it’s the only way to make mushroom soup.

It’s key to building up that golden brown, rich depth flavor. It also gives the soup a warmer more appealing color as well, rather than being a unappetizing dull grey. We eat with our eyes first after all.

While yes it does take 30 minutes of sautéing and makes the process go slower it’s easily worth the effort. Trust me the patience pays of in the end result as it becomes a golden soup with perfectly tender mushrooms.

The other ingredients that highlight it are dry white wine to build up flavor, and a parmesan rind for a hint of cheesy goodness (never toss those things, they are great simmered in soups and sauces).

It is the best mushroom soup I’ve had and I’m hoping you agree!

Serve it with artisan bread for dipping and a simple side salad to complete the meal.

Mushroom Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tbsp pieces, divided
  • 2 lbs baby bella mushrooms, sliced (aka cremini)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
  • 3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan rind (about 3 to 4 inches long)
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch well blended with 2 Tbsp water (optional, for more thickening)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Recommended Toppings

You can serve as is sans toppings but here are a few flavor upgrades that also give it a visual boost as well:

  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Fresh herbs such as parsley or a little thyme
  • Grated parmesan
  • Cooked bacon
  • Croutons

How to Make Mushroom Soup

Here is a summarized version of the steps (scroll below for full recipe in recipe box):

  1. Melt butter and saute mushrooms until browned, this will take about 25 to 30 minutes.
  2. Add onions and saute a few minutes, then add garlic and saute a few more minutes.
  3. Melt a little more butter into mixture then cook flour to lose it’s raw taste.
  4. Pour in wine and broth. Season with rind, thyme, salt and pepper.
  5. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.
  6. Thicken with cornstarch mixture. Stir in cream and lemon juice.
  7. Ladle into bowls and garnish.

 

Possible Variations and Substitutes

  • Make it vegan: Use vegetable broth for the chicken broth, omit the parmesan/rind, replace butter with olive oil, replace heavy cream with canned coconut cream.
  • Dried herbs: Fresh thyme can be replaced with 1/2 to 1 tsp dried thyme to taste.
  • Gluten free option: Omit the flour. Increase cornstarch by an extra 1 Tbsp. Ensure other ingredients are gluten free friendly.
  • Omit wine: If you don’t keep wine on hand just increase the chicken broth by an extra 2/3 cup.
  • Cream substitute: Half and half may be substituted for heavy cream. Use 1 cup.
  • Alternate wine: You can also make this dry vermouth wine.
  • Mushrooms: You can also make this with button mushrooms or by using a blend of various mushrooms (such as adding some porcini or shitake for deeper flavor).
  • Pureed soup: If you’d like a smooth, pureed mushroom soup just reduce the flour to 2 Tbsp, omit the cornstarch. Puree soup with an immersion blender in pot off heat after cooking.

Storage

  • Soup should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
  • Serve within 3 days.
  • Or this mushroom soup can be frozen up to 3 months.

More Comforting Soups to Try

Cream of Mushroom Soup

It's a rich and flavorful soup made with sauteed mushrooms and onions, bright herbs, and a creamy broth. It's the ultimate mushroom soup recipe!

Servings: 6

Prep20 minutes

Cook1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 20 minutes

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tbsp pieces, divided
  • 2 lbs baby bella mushrooms, sliced (aka cremini)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
  • 3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan rind (about 3 to 4 inches long)
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch well blended with 2 Tbsp water (optional, for more thickening)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Optional Garnishes

  • Grated parmesan, sautéed mushrooms, chopped fresh parsley
  • Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a heavy pot over medium heat.

  • Add mushrooms and two pinches of salt and toss. Let cook tossing occasionally, until liquids have evaporated and mushrooms have browned, about 25 to 30 minutes (toss more frequently near the end of cooking to prevent burning).

  • Add onions and saute 3 minutes longer, tossing occasionally. Then add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer, tossing frequently.

  • Melt in remaining 2 Tbsp butter then add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes while scraping bottom of pot and tossing constantly.

  • Pour in white wine and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot and stir mixture.

  • While stirring, slowly pour in chicken broth. Add parmesan rind and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Reduce heat to low and let gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally.

  • If you'd like to thicken soup more add cornstarch water mixture during the last 1 minute of cooking.

  • Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice and remove from heat.

  • Serve with optional garnishes of parmesan, sauteed mushrooms and parsley.

Recipe makes about 9 cups.

Nutrition Facts

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 360 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 65mg22%

Sodium 479mg21%

Potassium 1085mg31%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 840IU17%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 122mg12%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.