Creamy Homemade Mushroom Soup

Why you’ll love it

• Deep mushroom flavor from browning the mushrooms well before simmering.
• Creamy but still chunky, thanks to blending only part of the soup.
• Ready in under an hour with everyday ingredients.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the soup

• 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb (900 g) cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 tsp dried thyme)
• 1/4 cup (32 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry sherry or dry white wine (optional)
• 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

To serve

• Chopped fresh parsley or chives
• Crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches

Step-by-step method

1. Brown the mushrooms in batches. Heat 1 tbsp of the butter and the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add half of the mushrooms and 1/4 tsp of the salt and cook, stirring only occasionally, 6–8 minutes, until their liquid evaporates and they are deeply browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 1 tbsp more butter, the rest of the mushrooms and another 1/4 tsp salt.

2. Cook the aromatics. Return all the mushrooms to the pot and lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and the onion and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. Add the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.

4. Deglaze and simmer. Pour in the sherry, if using, and cook 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Slowly add the broth while stirring, then add the remaining 3/4 tsp salt and the pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Blend part of the soup. Use an immersion blender to purée about half of the soup right in the pot, leaving plenty of mushroom pieces. (Or transfer 3 cups to a blender, blend with the lid vented and a towel on top, and return it to the pot.)

6. Add the cream. Stir in the cream and heat 2–3 minutes over low heat, without letting the soup boil.

7. Season and serve. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley or chives. Serve with crusty bread.

How to know it is done

The soup is ready when it is creamy and lightly thickened, coating the back of a spoon, with tender mushroom pieces throughout, and it no longer tastes of raw flour. If it is too thick, thin it with a little more broth; if it is too thin, simmer it uncovered a few more minutes before adding the cream.

Tips for the best result

• Do not crowd the pot: browning the mushrooms in two batches gives them color and much deeper flavor.
• Wait to stir until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
• Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel instead of soaking them, so they brown instead of steam.
• Keep the soup below a boil after adding the cream so it stays smooth.

Variations and substitutions

• Wild mushroom: replace 8 oz (225 g) of the cremini with shiitake or oyster mushrooms, and add 1/4 oz (7 g) dried porcini soaked in hot water (use the strained soaking liquid as part of the broth).
• Vegetarian: use vegetable broth.
• Gluten-free: skip the flour and thicken the simmering soup with 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water.
• Lighter: use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream; heat gently so it does not curdle.
• Fully smooth: blend the whole soup for a silky cream of mushroom soup.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 5 (before adding the cream) up to 3 days ahead, cool it and refrigerate it covered. When ready to serve, reheat it over medium-low heat and stir in the cream at the end.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until hot but not boiling, or microwave individual portions 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway; add a splash of broth if it has thickened. To freeze, freeze the soup before adding the cream for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and add the cream while reheating.