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Homemade cream of mushroom soup is full-flavored and so easy to make. Soup in a can will be a thing of the past!
The deep, earthy flavors of a classic mushroom soup recipe can’t be beat, especially when it’s so easy to throw together. Serve it with a side of roasted broccoli and green beans for a garlicky, parmesan-crisped vegetable pairing that makes the meal even more satisfying.
Mushroom Soup Recipe
If you’re not normally a big fan of cream of mushroom soup, I am about to convert you! Full-flavored with garlic, onions, and herbs subtle enough to complement the natural flavor of the mushrooms, every spoonful is deeply satisfying.
Cooked with easy-to-find ingredients you may already have in your kitchen, this simple creamy mushroom soup recipe is easy to follow and is the perfect appetizer for a summer feast or main course for a winter dinner.
I usually lean on my creamy pumpkin soup or a bowl of tortellini soup when the weather cools down. But after making this, I have to admit, this best cream of mushroom soup recipe might just be my new favorite.
What Makes This Recipe Stand Out
Most standard recipes rely entirely on chicken stock, but I use a few specific secrets to build a much deeper flavor in this mushroom soup:
- Marsala wine and beef bouillon: Adding a crumbled beef bouillon cube and a splash of Marsala wine creates an INCREDIBLE base. You simply cannot get it from chicken broth alone.
- Extra onions: I use double the usual amount of onions to balance the earthiness from the mushrooms.
If you want to take your homemade cream of mushroom soup to the BEST level, try adding one of these flavor boosters:
- Dried porcini mushrooms: Stir in a tablespoon of ground porcini powder for a nutty depth.
- Miso paste or soy sauce: A small spoonful. This adds saltiness without changing the flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce or a parmesan rind: Simmering the broth with either of these is an upgrade to the taste.
How to Make Mushroom Soup
When learning how to make cream of mushroom soup, you’ll realize there’s a depth of flavor that you just won’t find in canned soup. This comes down to the fresh herbs and ingredients used.
You will only require a handful of ingredients:
- Mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms are perfect for this easy mushroom soup recipe. You could also use mini portobello, brown, or cremini mushrooms, or a combination of your favorite mushroom varieties.
- Herbs: The herbs that best complement those flavors are a combination of thyme and parsley. Of course, if you don’t like those, you can also use rosemary, oregano, tarragon, chives or cilantro. Use what you love!
- Cream: Half and half, heavy cream, light cream or thickened cream all yield similar results, however heavy cream adds richness.
- Flour: I use flour to create the creamy texture that creamy mushroom soup is best known for. You can leave it out and use cornstarch if you wish. I recommend 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with a 1/4 cup of water (slurry).
If you’re unsure what quantity will be best for your liking, add the cornstarch slurry in tablespoon increments, stirring in between, until you’ve achieved your ideal texture.
Note: See recipe card for the full list of measurements and ingredients.
Can You Make Mushroom Soup Without Cream?
If you need to leave out the cream, you can substitute it with evaporated milk or regular milk (full fat or 2% are both fine). Just be careful not to bring it to a rapid boil as it may curdle. Go with a very gentle simmer over low heat for about a minute to heat it through.
For a dairy-free option, you can leave out the cream or milk altogether. My best mushroom soup recipe is still thick and creamy without the dairy component!
How To Make Mushroom Soup Tasty
Making it from scratch will always beat store-bought options. What makes my version stand out? I rely on a few fresh additions to build layers of depth into a straightforward mushroom soup recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves are ideal, but jarred minced garlic works if it is what you have on hand.
- Onions: Do not let the quantity scare you. I use two medium onions (about 1.5 to 2 cups). Given the high volume of mushrooms, those two onions are essential for balancing the overall flavor in this cream of mushroom soup.
- Wine: Dry red or white wine pairs perfectly here and adds immense flavor. If you want to skip the wine, feel free. You do not even need to substitute it with extra broth.
- For white wine, I love Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- If you are using red wine, I recommend a Marsala, Sherry, Merlot or Pinot Noir.
Stock
Or broth! Chicken or beef work well for mushroom soup. Just use what you have on hand. Personally, I prefer chicken stock. For a vegetarian option, use a good quality vegetable stock.
Bouillon: I find beef bouillon provides excellent depth of flavor when compared to chicken bouillon. Alternatively, you can use vegetable stock powder for a great vegetarian soup.
Don’t forget a side of garlic bread to mop up all of that soup sitting at the bottom of your bowl!
Looking For More Recipes? Try These!
If you end up buying extra mushrooms like I usually do, you can use them up by making some stuffed appetizers with sausage and cream cheese, or serve them with a pan-seared steak. They also work thrown into a skillet with garlic chicken thighs or simmered into a flavorful gravy over Salisbury steak.
When you are ready for your next bowl after this easy mushroom soup recipe, switch things up with a smooth roasted tomato basil blend or a batch of butternut squash. Be sure to serve your soup with a side of warm, cheesy garlic bread with chili flakes for dipping. If you need something with a bit more food, a classic chicken noodle or a beef and cabbage simmer will easily feed the whole family.
FAQs
Traditional recipes use flour to thicken the broth, so they are usually not gluten-free. To make homemade mushroom soup gluten-free, simply skip the flour and use the cornstarch slurry option mentioned in the recipe (2 to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup of water).
I do not recommend freezing soups made with heavy cream or milk. The dairy tends to separate and become grainy when thawed. If you want to make this ahead for the freezer, cook the soup completely but leave the cream out. Freeze the base, and then stir the fresh cream in while reheating it on the stove.
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you are ready to eat, reheat it very gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently so the cream doesn’t curdle.
Yes! While brown or cremini mushrooms offer a slightly deeper, earthier flavor, standard white button mushrooms work fine and will still give you a fantastic creamy mushroom soup.
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Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups onions diced (about 2 medium onions)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 pounds brown mushrooms fresh, sliced
- 4 teaspoons chopped thyme divided
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine any dry red or white wine
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1-2 teaspoons salt adjust to taste
- 1/2-1 teaspoons black pepper cracked, adjust to taste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes crumbled
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half, sub with evaporated milk
- 1/2 tablespoon parsley chopped, fresh, to serve
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme chopped, fresh, to serve
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until melted. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add mushrooms and 2 teaspoons thyme, cook for 5 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to cook for 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, mix again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, season with salt, pepper and crumbled bouillon cubes.
- Cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in cream or half and half. Allow to gently simmer (do not boil). Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
- Mix in parsley and remaining thyme. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead
If you have leftovers, you can store the soup in the fridge for up to four days. Just keep it in an airtight container. When you are ready for another bowl, reheating is simple:- Stovetop: Warm it gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Avoid bringing it to a rapid boil so the dairy doesn’t curdle.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huuuge hit. I didn’t have low sodium broth, but just regular broth was perfect. I didn’t need to add any salt at all. We had an open Bota box of pinot grigio so I used that as the wine. Really, really perfect. I’ve already shared the recipe. Yum!
I just made the cream of mushroom for the green bean casserole….sooo good!
Thank you!
Made this a few times now. I use the soup as a mushroom sauce for either steak or chicken too. Yum 😋
That sounds AMAZING!!!
Got this recipe from a friend who served me some. Until then, I did not know how good mushroom soup was! Nothing like the can, for sure! I get a roasted chicken, debone it and simmer the carcass for hours to make the broth then follow the recipe and add in chicken chunks at the end. So amazing!
I made a half batch of this for the first time today. It looked nothing like the picture, but tasted out of this world. Not sure if there was any mention of scooping out the gills (I’ve read it’s optional for smaller mushrooms like bellas), but I did and ended up lightly chopping them in the food processor. I will definitely make again.
This soup is absolutely amazing and so flavorful.
I’m going to be making this but really how much onion? Onions come in every size.
Hi Annette,
The recipe calls for 2 diced onions, but since onions come in various sizes, the amount can vary. Here’s a general guideline for how much onion to use based on different sizes:
Small onion (about 4 ounces): 2 small onions would be sufficient.
Medium onion (about 6-7 ounces): 1 medium onion would be roughly equivalent to 1 cup when diced, so you may need 1-1.5 medium onions to reach the equivalent of 2 onions.
Large onion (about 10-12 ounces): 1 large onion would typically be enough, as it should yield around 1.5-2 cups diced.
As a rough estimate, use about 1.5 to 2 cups of diced onion for a full-bodied flavor, adjusting according to your preference.
Hi Tom, I want to make this using fresh green beans for Green Bean casserole.
Shall I just let it gently simmer to reduce for a thicker soup, instead of adding additional flour?
Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving 🤗
I’m going through the comments to figure this out too; the recipe says 2 onions or half a cup … ?? In what world is 2 onions half a cup? I wonder if it’s supposed to say 1 to 2 cups?
Hi Nicola, it really depends on the size of the onions. When I wrote this recipe, I used two small onions, which gave me about half a cup. Alternatively, you can use one medium onion or just a portion of a large one to reach the equivalent of half a cup. Hope that helps!
Are you able to freeze this soup?
Hi Trisha,
Yes, you can freeze cream of mushroom soup, but there are some important considerations to keep in mind:
Texture Changes: When freezing soups that contain cream, the texture may change upon thawing. The cream can separate, resulting in a grainy texture. To combat this, try to use a fat separator or blend the soup again after thawing.
Cooling: Allow the soup to cool completely before freezing to avoid condensation and ice crystals in the container.
Containers: Use airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. If you’re using bags, remove as much air as possible before sealing.
Portioning: Consider freezing the soup in portions, for easier thawing and reheating.
Thawing: To thaw, place the soup in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting in the microwave. Reheat slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently.
If you follow these tips, your cream of mushroom soup should freeze well and taste great when reheated!
P.S A fat separator is a kitchen tool designed to separate fat from liquids, commonly used for gravies, broths, and soups. It usually consists of a container with a spout positioned near the bottom that allows you to pour out the liquid while leaving the fat behind.
Wonderful soup! Made it as written. Will make again and again. Highly recommended!
Could you add rotisserie chicken to it?
Hi Misty,
Yes, you can definitely add rotisserie chicken to cream of mushroom soup for added flavor and protein! Here’s how you can do it:
Preparation: Remove the skin and shred or chop the rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Incorporation: After the soup has simmered and thickened, you can stir in the shredded chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. This allows the chicken to heat through and absorb some of the soup’s flavors.
Adjust Seasoning: Since rotisserie chicken can be seasoned, taste the soup before serving to adjust the seasoning as needed.
Adding rotisserie chicken makes the soup heartier and can enhance its flavor profile. Enjoy your meal!