Cream of Mushroom Soup
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Cozy, rich, and just right for any meal, this cream of mushroom soup delivers deep, satisfying flavor.
In the fall, and especially when the holidays roll around, most grocers sell wild mushrooms in packages that are washed, sliced, and ready to cook, making this cream of mushroom soup easy to whip up. The secret to the soup’s wonderful flavor is that some of the wine is added at the end—meaning it’s not cooked off—which adds bright flavor that cuts through the earthiness of the mushrooms and richness of the cream. This is one of my favorite soup recipes for holiday meals—it’s creamy and flavorful, yet not so rich that it spoils everyone’s appetite. But it’s also the perfect choice for a cozy lunch or light dinner.
A shopping tip: When selecting mushrooms or any prepared produce, remember the grocer’s rule: first in, first out. The oldest packages will be in the front. For the freshest produce, reach to the back of the shelf and you’ll typically find packages with a later expiration date.
Table of Contents
“So delicious! We loved this soup on the night I made it, and it was even better the next day!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Shallots and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor base of the soup
- All-Purpose Flour: Acts as a thickening agent, ensuring the soup has nice body.
- Mixed Wild Mushrooms: The heart of the soup, these mushrooms have wonderful varied textures and deep, earthy flavors. Each type contributes its unique taste profile, from the meaty texture of portobellos to the delicate flavor of oysters.
- White Wine: Adds acidity, depth, and brightness to the soup, balancing the richness of the other ingredients.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base of the soup, the broth enriches the soup with a savory depth.
- Heavy Cream: Brings a luxurious creaminess and richness to the soup, softening the earthy tones of the mushrooms and balancing the acidity from the wine.
- Thyme, Sage, Chives: These herbs are chosen for their ability to marry well with mushrooms. Thyme and sage offer a woodsy, aromatic quality, while chives add a mild onion-like flavor and a burst of color as a garnish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large pot melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute more.
Add the mushrooms, ¼ cup of the wine, chicken broth, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
Using a slotted spoon, remove about 2 large ladlefuls of the mushrooms and set aside (don’t worry if there are some shallots mixed in there).
Using a handheld immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and use a blender to puree in batches. Be sure to remove the center knob on the blender top and cover with a dish towel to avoid splatters.)
Stir in the cream, the remaining ¼ cup of wine, the thyme, the sage, and the reserved mushrooms.
Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Ladle into bowls and top with the chives and homemade croutons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The soup will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cream of mushroom soup does not freeze well due to the dairy content, which can lead to separation and a grainy texture upon thawing and reheating. If you’re preparing the soup with the intention of freezing, consider making it without the cream and then blending in fresh cream once you’ve thawed and gently reheated the soup.
Yes, the wine can be omitted. To replace the acidity of the wine, add a bit of fresh lemon juice to the soup before serving.
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Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cozy, rich, and just right for any meal, this cream of mushroom soup delivers deep, satisfying flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped shallots, from 4 medium shallots
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ lbs mixed wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, portobello), stemmed and roughly chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine, divided
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish
- Homemade or store-bought croutons, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute more, then add the mushrooms, ¼ cup of the wine, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove about 2 large ladlefuls of the mushrooms and set aside (don’t worry if there are some shallots mixed in there). Using a handheld immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and use a blender to puree in batches. Be sure to remove the center knob on the blender top and cover with a dish towel to avoid splatters.)
- Stir in the cream, the remaining ¼ cup of wine, the thyme, the sage, and the reserved mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and top with the chives and croutons.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This soup will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 271
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 568 mg
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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My husband loves mushroom soup and will get it out. We live near Kennett Square, PA, mushroom country. I never tried making it, but you made it easy! He raved how delicious it was. I will make it again and again! Thanks!
Wonderful! Very easy to make and was delicious! I added about 1/3 more garlic but other than that, I followed the recipe as written. I also made the homemade croutons. Excellent!
So delicious! We loved this soup on the night I made it, and it was even better the next day!
We don’t have a great selection of mushrooms at our local grocer (portobello and white). Should I reconstitute dried mushrooms for the mixture or stick with fresh/available mushrooms?
Hi Brenda, It will work either way. I’d probably go with fresh just to make life easier. 🙂
Just made this and it’s delicious. I’m wondering how to freeze it ? Will the 1/2 & 1/2 I used be a problem?
Cream-based soups don’t freeze all that well — they tend to separate when thawed — but you can give it a shot. Just reheat gently on the stovetop to re-emulsify if necessary. Hope that helps and glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t know if it will work with cream based soups but with a blended vegetable soup (no cream) whenever I reheat from frozen I just stick my immersion blender in the hot soup and ‘re puree it to emulsify it again. it comes exactly like freshly made! worth a try!
Perhaps it could be frozen prior to adding the cream. Just take out the portion you want to freeze; add cream only to the portion you are using. Then, when you use the frozen soup, add the cream once it is heated through. Worth a try. This is a very good recipe.
Delicious recipe!
I did not use croutons. Instead I served thesoup in demi-tasse as « mise en bouche » and topped with milk foam = MUSHROOMS CAPPUCCINO.
Jenn: My husband went foraging for chanterelles and I want to use those to make the wild mushroom soup. My question is they have a lot of moisture or liquid. Do I need to brown them first on medium heat and let the liquid evaporate or just throw them in uncooked as per the instructions?
Hi Carol, I’d just throw them in. Enjoy!
I am told that it’s easier to find dehydrated mushrooms in our area. Would I just weigh them after rehydrating them? Do you have any suggestion or rule of thumb about how much dehydrated mushrooms to use? The recipe looks wonderful and I really want to try it.
Hi Anne, Yes that’s how I would go about it. Please LMK how it turns out!
Oh Jenn, my husband absolutely LOVES mushroom soup but he’s gluten intolerant. He’s asking if you would have some suggestions in order to maybe substitute cornstarch for the flour in order to make it more “tender tummy” suitable? He says if anyone will know, it’ll be you!😉
Hi Vicky, you can use gluten-free flour. If you’d prefer to use cornstarch, wait until the very end and then make a “slurry” by combining 3T cornstarch with 3T cold water; mix until completely smooth. Whisk half of the slurry into the soup and bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop and simmer until the broth is thickened and any starchy taste has been cooked away. If you want it thicker, add the remaining slurry little by little and repeat. Hope you and your husband enjoy!
In my experience, corn starch tends to thicken more than flour (I know because I have a family member who is gluten intolerant). So I would suggest using less than 1/4 cup, unless you like a thicker soup anyway.
Why not try a small potato? This is what I put into my mushroom soup to thicken.. I’ll definitely try adding white wine next time though! Sounds delicious
Hi Vicky! I made this tonight using Bob’s 1-to-1 and it is FANTASTIC. Thickened to the perfect consistency.
What can be used instead of heavy cream to make it a lighter version?
Hi Karen, you can use 1/2 and 1/2, whole milk, or just omit the cream. Enjoy!
Jenn, what else can I use instead of white wine? Ty.
Hi Irina, Vermouth would work well. You can also try a squeeze of lemon if you’d prefer to avoid alcohol. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this soup twice this week it’s the best cream of mushroom ever I actually added dried onions instead of croutons yummy