You can serve a cup of it as an appetizer, or serve a bowl as a filling and flavorful main course. Soup is the perfect wintertime appetizer. But it’s not just an appetizer! In fact, I often serve a bowl of it as a main course. And if you like mushrooms, I think you are going to absolutely love this delicious soup. It’s silky, creamy, and incredibly flavorful. One of us actually dislikes mushrooms (even these wonderful sauteed mushrooms), but she loves this soup and regularly asks for seconds when I make it.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this cream of mushroom soup. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Unsalted butter: For cooking the mushrooms and garlic. I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great. Fresh mushrooms: I normally use cremini mushrooms. White mushrooms are fine too. Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work. Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the soup could end up too salty. Chicken broth: Store-bought is fine. But when I have homemade chicken broth, I use that instead. Dried thyme: Make sure it’s fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish. Heavy cream: I tried once to use half-and-half instead, and decided that heavy cream is much better. Cornstarch: I sometimes use it to thicken the soup. It’s an optional ingredient.
Instructions
Expert tip
There are two ways to puree a soup. For a very creamy texture, working in at least two batches, carefully transfer the hot soup to your stand blender. Blend each batch until completely smooth and transfer it to a bowl. When all batches are done, return the pureed soup to the pot and proceed with the recipe. You can see the results of this method in the photos on this page - very smooth and creamy.
You start by cooking the mushrooms and garlic in butter with some salt.Next, add the remaining ingredients except for the cream and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.Puree the soup using an immersion blender.Stir in the cream (and the cornstarch slurry if using), heat, and serve.
The second method is to use an immersion blender and blend the soup right inside the pot. I used this method when filming the video, and as you can see, the soup is not as creamy. However, it’s just as tasty, and using an immersion blender is easier. Which of these methods you choose is up to you. Both work and both yield great results, just different textures. When using a stand blender, never fill your blender past the maximum fill line. It’s best to fill it no more than half full. If the lid of your blender wasn’t designed to allow steam to escape, you’ll need to remove the center piece and drape a clean towel on top of the lid. You can hold down the lid when blending to prevent it from being pushed off, but do so without actually placing your hand - or your face - over the hot steam.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
Want to change things up? Here are a few ideas:
Add a handful of wild mushrooms to the soup. One of the reasons I like to use frozen mushrooms is that they contain wild mushrooms which are very flavorful.Sage is very good in this soup, in addition to or instead of thyme.You can cook the mushrooms in olive oil instead of butter. I do think that butter is best, but olive oil is very good too.When adding heavy cream to the soup, you can also add ¼ cup of grated (not shredded) parmesan.You can turn this soup into a complete meal by adding cooked shredded chicken breast. Add it at the very last stage of cooking, after you’ve added the cream and cornstarch, to ensure it doesn’t dry out during prolonged cooking.
Serving suggestions
I usually serve cream of mushroom soup as a first course at dinner, a cup per person. But a bowl of it is also wonderful for lunch. Add a couple of cheese muffins or cheese biscuits to make a tasty, filling lunch.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2-3 days. Gently reheat them, covered, in the microwave on 50% power or on the stovetop on medium heat, taking care not to bring the soup to a boil. You might need to slightly thin the soup out first by mixing in a tablespoon or two of water.
Related recipes
👩🏻🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe card
❤️ Let’s connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
