Name: Cream of Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp butter (unsalted); 1 medium onion (yellow,chopped); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 ½ lbs mushrooms (sliced); 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp Kosher salt (divided); 1 tsp pepper (freshly ground black); 1 tbsp thyme (fresh, chopped); ¼ cup sherry; 6 cups vegetable stock; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ tsp nutmeg (ground)

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Cream of Mushroom Soup, when done right, is nothing short of amazing.

We’re going to show you how to make the best cream of mushroom soup in the world. Whether you like it extra thick and creamy, or loaded with mushroom pieces, or silky smooth, we’ve got you covered. And this iconic soup comes together in only about 40 minutes!

A white bowl filled with cream of mushroom soup on a white background with a spoon and a sprig of thyme next to it.

HOW TO MAKE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

Cream of Mushroom soup is actually much easier than you might think.

The key ingredients, of course, are mushrooms. But rounding out the flavors with a few other important ingredients is critical in putting this soup over the top in yumminess.

Watch us show you how to make cream of mushroom soup in your own kitchen!

CHOOSING THE BEST MUSHROOMS

As mentioned, you want your cream of mushroom soup to taste like mushrooms. We love using a variety of fresh mushrooms.

Here a some of our favorites to use:

Cremini
Shiitake
Oyster
White button
Baby portobello
Porcini (see Tip, if using dried)

EXPERT TIP: We use a combination of any of the mushrooms listed above. We typically go with fresh mushrooms, but if you want to try dried mushrooms, then you’ll need to reconstitute them in warm water for about 20 to 30 minutes. The soaking liquid can then be substituted (or included with) the vegetable broth called for in the recipe.

You’ll want to start the flavor profile by sautéing chopped onions and garlic.

Next, it’s time to add in the mushrooms.

EXPERT TIP: After cooking over medium-high heat, the mushrooms will begin to exude liquid. They will seem dry at first, but be patient, as they soften, they will no longer look and feel dry. This typically takes about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the mushroom pieces. After they have softened, we like to take a slotted spoon and remove about 1 cup of the cooked mushrooms to use later as garnish.

HOW TO THICKEN CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

After the mushrooms have begun to soften and release their liquid, it’s time to create a roux. This is done by adding and coating the vegetables with flour before adding sherry and then vegetable stock and letting simmer for about 20 minutes until reduced somewhat and slightly thickened.

This is Step 1 for thickening the cream of mushroom soup.

EXPERT TIP: We like our soup to be thick, but not so thick that it’s like gravy. To achieve this thickness, we add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour to create the roux. If you like your soup to be a little thicker, then increase the flour amount to 1/3 cup, or 1/2 cup for a thick texture.

We’ll show you Step 2 for thickening in just a moment.

Now…Step 2 for thickening the soup. After the mushrooms have cooked in the stock and the liquid has reduced and thickened, we remove the mixture from the heat, and ladle about half into either a blender or food processor.

Puree the mixture until smooth and silky. The pureed mushrooms act as a natural thickener, but also, once added back with the reserved mixture, you will still have plenty of sautéed mushroom pieces in the soup.

If you prefer your cream of mushroom soup to have no mushroom slices in the final dish, then puree the entire mushroom mixture, not just half of it. If you prefer the soup to be silky smooth, then after pureeing the entire mushroom mixture, pass through a fine-mesh sieve, or colander lined with cheesecloth, using a wooden spoon to help. And then continue with the recipe.

FINISHING THE SOUP

Okay, folks, we’re almost there.

All we need to do now is gently pour in the cream. We recommend a heavy whipping cream, as it adds a luxurious texture and truly creamy taste to the soup.

It’s just about time for homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup! And you know another great recipe that uses our cream of mushroom soup? The classic Broccoli, Cheddar and Rice Casserole!