Cream of Mushroom Soup

Like magic, it's creamy without a lot of cream.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 28, 2023
Elise Bauer

Cream of mushroom soup has been a favorite of mine as long as I can remember. Of course when we were growing up it was Campbell's and it came in a can.

Cream of Mushroom Soup in a bowl
Elise Bauer

But even as an 8 year old I took great pride in heating my own soup, and discovered for myself how much better it was if you added milk instead of water, and how important it was to slowly add the milk while stirring so it wouldn't form clumps.

As a grown-up I still love mushroom soup, and happily make it from scratch using lots of fresh mushrooms, shallots, garlic, chicken stock and cream. Many people add a dash of sherry or nutmeg to mushroom soup.

Best Cream of Mushroom Soup in a bowl
Elise Bauer

The Best Mushrooms for This Soup

Our recipe calls for a couple pounds of cremini or button mushrooms. Either will do, though I think cremini (young portobello mushrooms) are a little tastier.

We also recommend adding a handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms to the soup. Even though they are more expensive than regular mushrooms, their flavor is much more intense and deepens the rich flavor of this soup.

A Chef's Tip for the Best Mushroom Flavor

I discovered a tip from a chef friend that just a little tarragon will help bring out the flavor of the mushrooms, so we've added a little dried tarragon to the soup base. Not everyone has this herb though, you can easily substitute thyme (or put in a dash of nutmeg).

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Elise Bauer

Substitutions and Suggestions for Cream of Mushroom Soup

We've gotten a lot of great suggestions from readers over the years who have made this soup and made their own variations. Here are a few:

  • Add or substitute some wild mushrooms (you can also try this version)
  • Add shredded chicken for extra protein
  • For a richer soup, swap the chicken stock for beef stock
  • For a lighter soup (or a vegetarian version), swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock
  • For a dairy-free version, swap the cream with coconut milk
  • For another dairy-free version, add some rice during cooking, then blend
  • If the soup tastes a little bland to you, add a splash of rice vinegar or cider vinegar
  • If you don't have tarragon, try thyme, oregano, or rosemary

Is This Like Canned Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup?

Condensed cream of mushroom soup is quite a bit thicker than this soup. We don't recommend using it as a substitution.

Storing and Freezing Cream of Mushroom Soup

This soup will keep refrigerated for up to five days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

If you'd like to freeze this soup, don't add the cream. Wait until it's defrosted, heated, and ready to serve to whisk in the cream.

Love Mushrooms? Try These Recipes

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 6 servings

If you want to make ahead and freeze, don't add the cream. Wait until it's defrosted, heated, and ready to serve to whisk in the cream.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 tablespoons butter

  • 2 pounds (900g) cremini (or button) mushrooms, cleaned, roughly chopped or sliced 1/8-inch thick

  • Small handful shiitake mushrooms, chopped

  • 3/4 cup minced shallots (6 ounces, 170g)

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 teaspoons)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

  • 4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option)

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)

Method

  1. Sauté the mushrooms:

    Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a 5-6 quart thick-bottomed pot. When the oil is hot, swirl in the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms, stir to coat with the olive oil and butter.

    Cook the mushrooms on medium high heat until they are lightly browned and have released most of their water, about 10 minutes.

    Remove 1 cup of the cooked mushrooms from the pot and set aside (they will be added back in later).

    cream-of-mushroom-soup-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  2. Add shallots, garlic:

    Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced shallots and the garlic to the pot, stir to combine, cook for about a minute.

  3. Add salt, tarragon, stock:

    Add the salt, dried tarragon, and the stock to the pot. Increase the heat to medium high, bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

    cream-of-mushroom-soup-method-3
    Elise Bauer
  4. Purée soup:

    Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a standing blender, purée the soup until smooth.

    Then return to the pot. (If the soup is too thick for you, add some water or more stock to thin the soup to the desired level of thickness.)

    cream-of-mushroom-soup-method-4
    Elise Bauer
  5. Stir in cream and reserved mushrooms:

    Whisk the cream into the soup and add the black pepper. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the reserved cooked mushrooms.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
340 Calories
26g Fat
20g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 340
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 11g 57%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 532mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 3mg 16%
Calcium 64mg 5%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 1036mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.