Creamy Mushroom Soup (Printable)

Rich, earthy soup with mixed mushrooms, vegetables, and cream for cozy comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables & Mushrooms

01 - 1 lb mixed fresh mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake), cleaned and sliced
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced

→ Dairy & Liquids

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - ½ cup heavy cream
10 - 2 tablespoons dry sherry, optional

→ Herbs & Seasonings

11 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.
02 - Add the onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened and translucent.
03 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Stir in the mushrooms and thyme. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deeply browned and their moisture has evaporated.
05 - Pour in the sherry if using; let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavors.
06 - Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, purée part or all of the soup to achieve desired consistency.
08 - Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat through without boiling to prevent cream separation.
09 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours coaxing flavor from every ingredient when really it's done in under 45 minutes.
  • The cream melts into the broth so beautifully that nobody will guess how simple it actually is.
  • You can adjust the texture from chunky to silky depending on your mood and what your immersion blender decides to do.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the mushrooms properly because that's where all the depth comes from, and rushing it means missing the entire point of the soup.
  • If you want to use dried porcini mushrooms for extra earthiness, rehydrate them first and use that soaking liquid instead of some of the broth for an even richer flavor that tastes almost mystical.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife for the mushrooms so you get clean slices instead of bruised pieces that weep all their liquid before they hit the pan.
  • Don't crowd the pan when you're browning the mushrooms because they'll steam instead of developing that golden crust that carries all the flavor.
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