This creamy mushroom soup is easy to make and features a deep, woodsy blend of dried porcini and cremini mushrooms for the best mushroom flavor.
Mushrooms are a favorite ingredient of mine. I love their deep, woodsy flavor and the meaty bite they add to dishes. I have many mushroom recipes I love, like my mushroom stroganoff, mushroom risotto, and caramelized onion and mushroom crostini, just to name a few. This creamy mushroom soup is a new favorite to add to the mix. It features a harmonious blend of dried porcini mushrooms and cremini mushrooms for the ultimate mushroom flavor and texture, and it’s flavored with garlic, white wine, and thyme. Best of all, it’s ultra-creamy and tastes extra savory and delicious.
What’s in This Creamy Mushroom Soup
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this creamy mushroom soup.
- Dried porcini mushrooms
- Butter
- Yellow onion
- Cremini mushrooms
- Garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flour
- White wine
- Thyme leaves
- Bay leaf
- Vegetable broth, chicken broth, or chicken stock
- Heavy cream
Tip: Top your soup with finely chopped chives, parsley, or dill for extra herbed flavor.
How to Make Creamy Mushroom Soup
There are really just 3 steps to this simple mushroom soup recipe. Here’s how to make it:
Soak, drain, and chop the porcini mushrooms. Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes to rehydrate. When soft, drain them, reserving the liquid and separating any dirt or hard bits. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
Sauté the onions, fresh mushrooms, and garlic in butter.
Sprinkle the mushroom mixture with flour and toss well to coat. The flour helps thicken the soup. Cook the floured mushrooms to cook out the raw flour flavor.
Flavor and Deglaze
Stir the liquids into the soup to deglaze the pan. Add the wine to the mushrooms, stirring up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook for one minute. Add the reserved porcini mushroom liquid and the chicken or vegetable stock.
Add the aromatics. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer for 10-15 more minutes until reduced and thickened. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems.
Note: If you want to make this soup more smooth, use an immersion blender to mix. I don’t blend mine because I like the chunky mushroom texture.
What is the Best Mushroom for Soup
I like a mix of dried porcini mushrooms and cremini mushrooms for this soup because they’re hearty and I think they have more depth of flavor than white button mushrooms. The dried porcini mushrooms are particularly special because they add a deeper mushroom flavor.
What is the Difference Between Condensed Mushroom Soup and Cream of Mushroom Soup
These two products aren’t identical, but they are very similar. Condensed cream of mushroom soup is a concentrated soup that you would add broth or water to make cream of mushroom soup.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dried porcini mushrooms about 1 cup dried mushroom
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 ½ pounds cremini brown mushrooms sliced into large chunks
- 3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes to rehydrate. When soft, strain the mushrooms, pressing through a mesh strainer. Reserve the liquid and separate any dirt or hard bits from the mushrooms. Finely chop the porcini mushrooms and set aside.
- In a 4 or 5-quart Dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes until they start to soften. Add the fresh chopped mushrooms, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the minced porcini mushrooms and garlic then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the mushroom mixture with the flour and toss well to coat. Cook for one minute.
- Stir the wine into the mushrooms until smooth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and cook for one minute. Add the reserved porcini mushroom liquid and the chicken or vegetable stock. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and cook for 10-15 more minutes until reduced and thickened. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve hot.
