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Creamy mushroom soup made from scratch with browned cremini mushrooms, a whole head of roasted garlic, and just ¼ cup of heavy cream. No flour or roux, so it is naturally gluten-free. Top each bowl with caramelized mushrooms and crispy sage.
Homemade Mushroom Soup Is So Much Better Than the Canned Stuff
I have a soft spot for a bowl of mushroom soup on a gray Colorado afternoon. My Hungarian mushroom soup is the paprika-and-sour-cream version, and my older shiitake mushroom soup is the rustic, chunky one. This one is different from all of them. It is blended, elegant, vegetarian if you use vegetable stock, and it looks like something a restaurant would charge you 20 dollars for. Serve it in small bowls as a first course, or in big ones with crusty bread for dinner.
It is essentially what we would call a cream of mushroom soup, but the finishing touches make it feel like a restaurant first course and set it apart from other recipes online. I top it with golden sautéed mushrooms, crispy sage leaves, cracked black pepper, and a thin drizzle of truffle-infused olive oil (optional, but so good!). So yum! Let me show you how it comes together.
Tell Me More About This Creamy Mushroom Soup
- No flour, no roux: Most cream of mushroom soup recipes thicken with flour. This one does not. Blending the cooked mushrooms with carrots gives you body and a velvety texture, which also keeps the recipe naturally gluten-free.
- Roasted garlic: A whole roasted head of garlic becomes sweet and mellow rather than sharp.
- White miso is my secret ingredient: I use white miso (also called shiro miso) because it is the mildest. It disappears into the soup completely. Nobody at my table has ever guessed it is in there. They just notice that the soup tastes richer than it should for the ingredient list. It works the same way the Tamari does in my Hungarian mushroom soup, giving you a fuller flavor without piling on salt.
- Only ¼ cup of cream: The soup tastes rich but is not heavy. You get the silkiness from blended mushrooms without a cup of cream weighing them down.
- Easy to make vegetarian: Use vegetable stock and the soup is completely meat-free.
You'll Need These Ingredients:
This photo shows everything you need for this classic cream of mushroom soup:
Key Preparation Tips
- Do not crowd the mushrooms: Mushrooms release a lot of water, and if the pot is packed, they steam instead of browning. Use a wide Dutch oven and give them room. If your pot is on the small side, cook the mushrooms in two batches.
- Wait for the water to cook off: Your mushrooms will look wet and gray for the first several minutes. Keep going. Around minute 8 to 10 the liquid evaporates and they finally start to brown and shrink.
- Roast the garlic ahead: The garlic takes 30 minutes in the oven, which is longer than the rest of the prep. I roast it while I clean and slice the mushrooms, or I roast two or three heads at once earlier in the week and keep them in the fridge.
- Blend hot soup carefully: An immersion blender straight in the pot is the easiest and safest option. If you are using a countertop blender, work in batches, never fill it more than halfway, and remove the center cap of the lid with a towel over the top so steam can escape.
- Never boil the soup after adding the cream: High heat can make the cream separate and turn grainy. Add it off the boil, warm gently for 3 to 4 minutes, and then serve.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Soup (Step-by-Step Photos)
This is a recipe overview. Scroll down to find the complete instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Roast the garlic: Slice the top off the bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the soft cloves once cool.
- Sauté: Cook the onion in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes, then add the roasted garlic, thyme, and sage for 1 minute.
- Brown the mushrooms: Reserve 1½ cups for garnish. Add the rest and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until deeply browned and the moisture has cooked off.
- Simmer: Add carrots, stock, and miso. Simmer 20 minutes until the carrots are completely soft.
- Blend: Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a countertop blender.
- Finish with cream: Stir in the heavy cream and warm gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let it boil after adding the cream.
- Make the garnish: Sauté the reserved mushrooms in butter over medium-high heat until golden, and crisp the sage leaves in the same pan.
Variations
- Vegan and dairy-free: Use olive oil in place of butter, vegetable stock, and full-fat coconut cream or cashew cream instead of heavy cream.
- Wild mushroom version: Swap in shiitake, oyster, or maitake for half the cremini, or soak ½ oz of dried porcini in warm water and add both the mushrooms and the strained soaking liquid.
- Add wine: Add a splash of dry sherry or white wine to the pot after browning the mushrooms and let it cook off before adding the stock.
- Heartier: Stir in cooked wild rice or barley after blending for a main-course soup.
- Cheesy: Finish each bowl with grated Parmesan or a spoonful of crème fraîche.
What to Serve with Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Bread. I serve this with my garlic butter dinner rolls, a slice of garlic bread, or a crusty seeded rye loaf. My savory bacon and cheddar scones are wonderful here too.
- A crisp salad balances all that richness. Try my simple green salad, a lemony arugula salad, or my apple spinach salad for something a little sweet.
- Make it a full lunch with a sandwich, like my pear and brie grilled cheese, fan-favorite blackberry-brie grilled cheese sandwich, or an Italian-style mortadella sandwich.
- Serve it as a first course before something hearty, like my beef bourguignon or Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy.
- Pour it over grains. A ladle of this soup over rice, barley, or buttered egg noodles makes it a main dish.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
This creamy mushroom soup is blended velvety smooth with deeply browned cremini mushrooms, a whole head of roasted garlic, and a splash of heavy cream. One pot, naturally gluten-free, and topped with crispy sage and a drizzle of truffle oil.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Immersion blender
Ingredients
Soup
- 20 oz cremini mushrooms (570 g) sliced and divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 head roasted garlic or 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ tablespoon fresh sage leaves chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 4 cups vegetable stock (950 ml) or chicken stock
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60 ml)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Garnish
- Reserved sautéed mushrooms
- Crispy sage leaves
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Truffle-infused extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Roast the garlic (optional but worth it). Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top off a whole head of garlic, drizzle it with olive oil, and wrap it in foil. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Let it cool, then squeeze out the cloves.
- Cook the aromatics. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the roasted garlic, thyme, and chopped sage, and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Brown the mushrooms. Set aside 1½ cups of the sliced mushrooms for the garnish. Add the remaining mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply browned and most of their liquid has cooked off.
- Simmer. Add the chopped carrots, stock, and white miso. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the carrots are completely soft.
- Blend. Using an immersion blender, or working carefully in batches in a countertop blender, blend the soup until completely smooth. Return it to the pot.
- Add the cream. Stir in the heavy cream and warm gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let the soup boil after adding the cream. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- Make the garnish. Meanwhile, sauté the reserved mushrooms in a little butter over medium-high heat until golden and caramelized. Season lightly with salt and pepper. For crispy sage, fry a few whole leaves in the same pan for 20 to 30 seconds, then drain on a paper towel.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the sautéed mushrooms, crispy sage leaves, and freshly cracked black pepper. Finish with a light drizzle of truffle-infused olive oil and serve warm.
Notes
- About the miso: White miso adds a savory flavor that makes a vegetarian soup taste far richer. Use white miso (shiro miso), which is the mildest variety. Red miso is much stronger and will overpower the mushrooms. You can also leave it out and season with more salt, or substitute 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Tamari.
- Can I make this without heavy cream? Yes. Half-and-half works, and full-fat coconut milk, cashew cream, or oat cream makes it dairy-free. You can also leave the cream out entirely. The blended mushrooms and carrots already give the soup a creamy texture.
- Do not boil after adding the cream, or it can separate and turn grainy. Keep the heat low so the dairy stays smooth.
- Adjust the thickness. For a thicker soup, simmer a few extra minutes before blending. To thin it, add warm stock a splash at a time.
- Can I use a regular blender? Yes. If you use a countertop blender, let the soup cool for a few minutes first. Work in batches, fill the blender no more than halfway, and remove the center cap of the lid so steam can escape. Cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel and hold it down while you blend.
- No truffle oil? Use good extra virgin olive oil, or skip it. The soup does not depend on it.
- You will need these supplies: a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, a cutting board and knife, a small skillet, foil for the garlic, and an immersion blender or countertop blender.
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead
- Fridge: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of stock when reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently over low heat, stirring. Don't boil it once the cream is in.
- Freezing: Freeze the blended base before adding the cream, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, reheat, then stir in the cream and garnishes fresh.
- Make-ahead: Roast the garlic up to 4 days in advance and keep the cloves covered in olive oil in the fridge. You can also make the soup through the blending step a day ahead and finish it right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
229
% Daily Value*
Fat
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Cholesterol
32
mg
11
%
Sodium
1338
mg
58
%
Potassium
852
mg
24
%
Carbohydrates
20
g
7
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
8
g
9
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
6083
IU
122
%
Vitamin C
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
84
mg
8
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
It's 104 today - so need to wait a bit to make this soup - but I am eating a Mortadella sandwich right now - as that is one of my favorite meats and on rye bread with lacy Swiss. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Could I use portabello mushrooms?
Getting ready to get the ingredients for this lovely sounding soup! One of the ingredients is white miso...is that the same as white miso paste? Thanks for the recipe and the help! I'm giving it 5 stars before making it because it sounds so yummy!
I'm really looking forward to giving this a try when it gets a bit more Fall like here. Thanks for the notes on switching out heavy cream. I was going to ask if that was possible! Great recipe!
I love your recipes. Thanks for sharing….