Forget the nightmares you've had of gloppy cream of mushroom soup from a can. Let's replace those not-so-fond memories with a new taste experience... cream of mushroom soup that is earthy, delicate, nourishing and wonderfully balanced. Let's walk through how to make this delightful soup together in this recipe that is easy to recreate right in your own kitchen.
This cream of mushroom soup recipe is: Gluten Free, Low Carb, Paleo Friendly and wonderfully filling.
A SATISFYING CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
Back when I was growing up, cream of mushroom soup was a staple canned food in our pantry. Used in everything from casseroles to gravy, it seemed like the wonder ingredient. If your dish needed a little something, pop open the can of condensed mushroom soup.
Do you remember what it looked like? Gray and congealed in the can... you need a spoon just to dig it out. And if you tried to eat it as a soup, well, it was less than appetizing. This stuff may have its place somewhere in the culinary world, but it's no longer in my kitchen.
Although not a wonder ingredient, my version of a cream of mushroom soup is a terrific soup. The flavors are balanced between the leeks, onions, parsley and mushrooms. A little bit of cream goes a really long way too... it doesn't weigh the soup down which allows it to remain very delicate. The balsamic vinegar provides just enough acidic punch to make it really interesting on your tongue.
This cream of mushroom soup is completely satisfying. With a portion of the soup pureed, it has a wonderful texture that plays the silkiness of the puree against the meatiness of the mushrooms. I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
A HEARTY WINTER SOUP
I'm into hearty winter soups. For most of my life I thought that soup for lunch or dinner just wasn't enough food. Then I changed how I made soup. For soups that weren't going to be completely pureed, I started to keep the ingredients a little larger.
Chicken and other proteins get cubed rather than sliced. Turnips and potatoes are a larger dice. I would add in more veggies and more of a variety of veggies than just carrots, celery and onions. You can see just how much of a hearty meal-in-a-bowl my homemade chicken vegetable soup is. Delicious, healthy and satisfying too.
In this cream of mushroom soup, we are going to puree about two thirds to three quarters of the soup. The ratio is completely up to you. If you want a more chunky soup, puree less. If you want a creamier soup with a surprise bite of mushroom now and again, then puree more of the soup. Pureeing more or less is not going to change the flavor much, but it will change the texture and heartiness.
HOW TO USE DRIED MUSHROOMS
For most of my life, I've been using dried mushrooms. My family has a Christmas Soup that we used to make every year that needed a huge amount of dried mushrooms. It was always an experience around the holidays going to various markets throughout Cleveland to find the right dried mushrooms for the Christmas soup. What I didn't realize at the time was just how much flavor dried mushrooms add to soup.
The added flavor from dried mushrooms doesn't come directly from the mushrooms themselves. The flavor comes from the concentrated mushroom stock that occurs during the rehydrating process. Here's how to properly rehydrate mushrooms:
- Measure your dried mushrooms first. You need to know how much you are working with.
- As a rule of thumb, I've always been told that you use between 1.5 to 2 cups of water per ½ cup of dried mushrooms. For less pungent mushrooms, add in less water to keep the flavor more concentrated. For more pungent mushrooms, add in more water.
- The water needs to be HOT. Not necessarily boiling, but hotter than tap water.
- The water needs to stay HOT. After you add the mushrooms and water to the bowl, cover it with a plate to keep warm.
- Soak the mushrooms for a reasonable amount of time. It's hard to tell how long to soak them because they can be sliced to different thicknesses. Carefully grab the thickest mushroom and press on it with your fingers. If it feels spongy, they're ready. If it is still firm, keep soaking.
Okay... so soaking the dried mushrooms is only the first step. Now we need to talk about how to get the mushrooms ready for the soup. You cannot just take the mushrooms out of the soaking liquid and use them! Almost every dried mushroom has grit on it. Here's how we handle the mushroom stock and rehydrated mushrooms:
- When the mushrooms are rehydrated, line a fine mesh sieve with a clean paper towel or cheesecloth. Place the sieve over another bowl to catch the mushroom stock.
- Strain the mushrooms. Your stock is now ready to go into the pot. The grit will remain in the paper towel or cheesecloth.
- Remove the mushrooms from the strainer. Discard the paper towel or cheesecloth. Place the mushrooms back into the strainer.
- Rinse under running water, mixing the mushrooms around with your hand. If you feel anything that shouldn't be in there (sticks, pine needles etc) take it out.
- Your dried mushrooms are now ready to use!
QUICK COOKING TIP: I've been asked in the past about using different kinds of mushrooms. For example, is it possible to use hen of the woods, shiitake or even portobello mushrooms? The answer is that yes, it is possible but it isn't what I used. Does that mean you should use exactly what I did? No way. Just plan on needing to do some flavor adjustments.
Additionally, wild mushrooms are relatively expensive compared to white, crimini or baby bellas. I mean if you want to buy chanterelles to make this soup it would be delicious, but the ingredients would be relatively cost prohibitive. Instead, my suggestion would be to create the base of the soup with the more widely available mushrooms and add in the wild mushrooms after the "puree step" in the recipe.
Keep in mind that some of the wild mushrooms have very different moisture capacities. Lobster mushrooms tend to be more dry while oysters store a ton of water. Chanterelles can be dry or moist, depending on how they have been stored. Cook each one accordingly before you add them to the soup.
Ok. Let's get cooking.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Just a touch of sour cream goes a long way in this cream of mushroom soup. This recipe is both hearty and delicate all at the same time. Enjoy by itself or over rice, topped with sausage or chicken for a complete meal in a bowl.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Chicken Stock, Homemade or low sodium organic
- 1.5 lbs Mushrooms, White or Bella, cleaned & diced
- ½ cup Dried Porcini, Soak in 2 cups hot water
- 1 Onion, Spanish. Peeled & diced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, Minced
- 1 Shallot, Minced
- 1 Leek, Cleaned & sliced
- 1 tablespoon Thyme, Fresh, stems removed
- 2 tablespoon Parsley, Fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup Sour Cream, Plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoon Butter, Divided
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil, Divided
- ½ teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Salt, Kosher
- 1 teaspoon Pepper, Fresh Cracked
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add the chicken stock to start warming.
- Add your dried porcini mushrooms to a glass bowl. Pour 1.5 to 2 cups of very hot water over them. Allow them to soak for 15 minutes. After they have rehydrated, strain them through a sieve that is lined with a paper towel or cheesecloth. Add the mushroom stock to the chicken stock. Rinse the remaining porcini under cold water to remove any grit. Set the porcini aside.
- In a large saute pan, add in 2 tablespoon butter and olive oil. Heat over high heat. Add the onions, leeks and shallots. Add a pinch of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- After 2 or 3 minutes, add in the garlic and thyme. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant and the leeks lightly brown. Add the onion mixture to the chicken stock.
- Add the remaining butter and olive oil. Return the pan to high heat and add in the fresh mushrooms. If you need to split your mushrooms into 2 batches, make sure that you split the butter and olive oil as well. Cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes and then add a couple pinches of salt. Cook for 2 more minutes and add to the chicken stock when nicely browned.
- Add a touch of oil to the pan if there is none remaining from the last batch of mushrooms. Add in the rehydrated porcini. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant. Add to the chicken stock.
- Bring the soup to a boil. After the soup boils for 1-2 minutes, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Add in the remaining salt and pepper sparingly, remembering to stir, taste and readjust until it is balanced.
- Turn off the heat and remove about ¼ of the soup from the pot. Make sure that you have a lot of the mushrooms in the bowl that is set aside. Add in the parsley and sour cream to the soup remaining in the pot. Using your immersion blender puree the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Add the set aside soup back into the pureed soup. Mix well. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
This soup is great on its own, but it is also wonderful served over rice. You can top it off with some delicious browned sausage or sauteed chicken. It is a delicious meal in a bowl.
If you want a more creamy soup, add in more sour cream. If the consistency is too thick, add in some milk or cream.
Want to make a Paleo version of this soup? Substitute ghee for the butter and coconut cream for the sour cream.
This soup will taste very earthy and rich with all the mushrooms and leeks. As with most soups, it tastes best the day after it is made!
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Amount Per Serving Calories 511
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP RECIPE:
One of the many things I love about living in France is the abundance of delightful mushrooms at the markets... particularly in early autumn. Fresh ceps (the French name for porcini) and girolles (chanterelles) take a steak dinner from ordinary to extraordinary in a snap! I also like that the white and crimini mushrooms arrive in my basket mostly cleaned. I've been noticing more and more in the States that the mushrooms are being sold with an incredible amount of dirt on them.
My final thought is more of a suggestion for this soup. I've mentioned it in the notes of the recipe but it is worth repeating... ladling this soup atop freshly cooked basmati rice is a real treat. We added in sausage one day that was delightful. The next we added in chopped sauteed chicken breast. Just fantastic. Completely filling. Super satisfying too.
How will you prepare this soup? To eat on its own as a starter or jazzed up for a full meal in a bowl? However you do it, let me know and have a great time in the kitchen.
Lauren O'Connor says
Sounds delicious! Have been looking for a good mushroom soup recipe.
Scott Groth says
Hi Lauren:
Thanks for chiming in- I really appreciate it! I hope that you have an opportunity to give this soup a try. It is really yummy.
Have an excellent day today and happy eating.
Take care,
Scott
Kaleigh @ Lively Table says
I looove mushrooms! This sounds perfect.
Scott Groth says
Hi Kaleigh:
Thank you for writing- I really appreciate it! As I said in the post, I love mushroom soup. With this version, my absolute favorite part is the partial puree. It gives the soup such a wonderful texture and depth of flavor.
Hope that you have a fantastic day in the kitchen-
Take care,
Scott
Chris says
Love Cream of Mushroom for many recipes. I would drop the salt and definitely go with a no salt added Chicken Stock, especially if it is my own. I can then control the sodium! Thanks for a great recipe!
Scott Groth says
Hi Chris:
Thanks for writing- much appreciated. I always use homemade chicken stock without the salt. It just tastes better. Have you tried to make chicken stock with rotisserie chicken bones yet? Give it a shot- it is so good.
Hope you have a great day-
Scott
Katrin says
This soup sounds amazing. I love that you use porcini mushrooms in it. With their intense flavour you've taken this to the next level.
Scott Groth says
Hi Katrin:
Thank you so much- I appreciate it more than you know! The porchini do add so much flavor. I made a mushroom risotto last night with massive dried porchini we bought at a market in Venice last week. So delicious.
I hope that you have an excellent day today-
Happy cooking!
Scott
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
Once again you have made a beautiful dish!! I love mushroom soup and this recipe looks so hearty!!
Scott Groth says
Hi Elaine:
Wow- thanks so much! You are a ray of sunshine around my blog. I hope that you have a fantastic day today!
Take care,
Scott
Michele says
Our local farmers market has a great selection of mushrooms. Im going to put them to good use with this recipe!
Scott Groth says
Hi Michelle:
Thank you for stopping by. How did the soup come out?
Have a delicious day in the kitchen and happy eating!
Scott
Taylor @ The Girl on Bloor says
Oh this looks so hearty and delicious!!! I need a big bowl of that right now!
Scott Groth says
Hi Taylor:
It truly is amazingly flavored and absolutely mouth-watering. I know that I say this for a lot of my recipes, but this is one of my favorites too.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Take care and happy cooking!
Scott
Shannon @ Pass Me Some Tasty says
I totally grew up as a kid with the congealed cream of mushroom soup baked into different dishes. This looks a 100% better than that stuff and I look forward to trying it out!
Scott Groth says
Hi Shannon:
It also tastes better than the frozen cream of mushroom. You'll know what I'm talking about when you try it. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks for visiting the website and happy cooking!
Scott