Cream of Mushroom Soup

This flavorful and delicious Cream of Mushroom soup has a hint of sweetness and savory! Made with all-natural ingredients, this bowl of comfort is ready in 40-minutes, you’ll never open another can of mushroom soup again!

This recipe was inspired by the delicious soup served at the landmark Italian restaurant in Dallas, Bugatti’s. Restaurant owner, Zee, never would give me his recipe, but he did tell me the two secret ingredients — sugar and dry sherry.

I experimented for years trying to match his delicious Zuppa du jour ! His version uses chicken stock; in my version, you can use chicken or vegetable broth/stock.

Why this recipe works

This cream of mushroom soup is not a thick creamy soup like Campbell’s Condensed cream of mushroom soup; it’s cream-based and is light and relatively thin – not a thick mushroom soup at all.

• Healthy-ish – better than high sodium canned soups and mushrooms are good for you! They’re high in nutrients and minerals like copper, magnesium, potassium and zinc, just to name a few
• Simple ingredients – nothing fancy! Mushrooms, onion, chicken broth, a touch of sugar, dry sherry, heavy cream, fresh thyme sprigs, salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Versatile – make it thick or thin, creamy or chunky -it’s your call!

Serve this easy homemade cream of mushroom soup with Chicken Fricassee, warm bread and a side salad!

This easy mushroom soup is light and relatively healthy, except for the heavy cream. If you want a super healthy version, just omit the cream. It won’t be creamy, but it will still be delicious!

Here’s what you need

The ingredient list for cream of mushroom soup is probably already in your kitchen! You’ll need a little olive oil or vegetable oil to saute the onions and mushrooms.

• Mushrooms-I use white button mushrooms, but you can also use porcini, cremini or shiitake mushrooms if you prefer, or use a mixture of mushrooms. The point is, you want the freshest mushrooms available.
• Broth– This easy mushroom soup can be made with chicken broth (or chicken stock) or with vegetable broth (vegetable stock) if you want a vegetarian or vegan option
• Onions– I use sweet yellow onion.
• Sugar– Just a little bit of sugar in this mushroom recipe – it really works well with the dry sherry and intensifies the flavor profile of the mushrooms.
• Sherry– Invest in a small bottle of dry sherry from the liquor store. Do not use cooking sherry from the grocery store – it’s too sweet.
• Heavy cream– Look for heavy cream, sometimes called heavy whipping cream in the dairy section of the grocery store.
• Thyme– I use fresh sprigs of thyme, however, you can substitute fresh with a pinch of dried thyme. (Dried herbs are stronger than fresh, so just use a little)

You can use chicken broth if you don’t have vegetable broth.

How to make it

First, take the heavy cream out of the refrigerator – you want it to be almost room temperature when you add it to the soup; clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Use a damp paper towel and wipe off any debris from the fresh mushrooms. Rough cut the mushrooms and set aside

Finely chop the onion. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven on medium heat, add a little oil and saute the onions for 5 minutes; meanwhile, add the chopped mushrooms to the food processor and pulse a few times until the mushrooms are in tiny chunks

Add the chopped mushrooms to the stockpot and saute 5 minutes

Add in the broth, sugar, sherry and a few sprigs of fresh thyme to the onions and sauteed mushrooms. Let this cook on medium high heat about 10 minutes; remove the pan from the stovetop heat and let it cool a bit

Once it’s a little bit cool, add heavy cream (make sure it’s not cold or it will curdle!) stir and return to medium low heat.

Let it cook for 15 minutes or so, remove the sprigs of thyme, season to taste with salt and pepper; serve

If you want a thicker cream of mushroom soup, add in a thickening slurry.

Sometimes, I leave a portion of the mushrooms sliced, just to give added texture. It’s up to you.

If you want a chunky cream of mushroom soup, don’t put all the mushrooms in the food processor. 

How to select mushrooms

Choose mushrooms that are firm with no bruising or mold. Most mushrooms are cello wrapped in the produce section.

Select one that is in the back and on the bottom, because extended exposure to the fluorescent grocery store lights turns mushrooms yellow.

How to clean mushrooms

The cardinal rule in the culinary world regarding how to properly clean mushrooms is: don’t rinse them. Mushrooms are like little sponges; they absorb whatever liquid they’re in.

For optimal flavor, use a damp paper towel and wipe away any dirt or debris and pull out the stems.

If you must wash them, just give ’em a quick rinse and pat dry immediately.

Storage and reheating

Store mushroom soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. It may thicken upon storage, so when you reheat it, you may have to add a cup of water.

Reheat on the stovetop or microwave. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Allow to thaw in refrigerator then reheat on stovetop or in microwave.

Serving suggestions

Serve Cream of Mushroom soup with warm French bread as an appetizer or as a main course. As an appetizer, this pairs well with beef or chicken. If you have any leftover mushroom broth, freeze it to use it in other broth-based soups and stews later on.

Homemade cream of mushroom soup is perfect for a light lunch or dinner!

Related recipes:

• Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• Irish-American Guinness Beef Stew
• Creamy White Bean Soup
• How to Fix Over Salted Soups and Stews

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!