Creamy Mushroom Soup
Mushroom soup turns watery and bland because the mushrooms are stewed instead of browned. Mushrooms are 90% water and must be browned over high heat in a wide pan until their water evaporates and they go deep brown — only then do they release their flavour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Calories
- 240
Creamy mushroom soup is a French classic, and its most common problem is a pale flavour and a grey colour. The solution is a single step taken before the soup even begins.
Method
-
1
Brown the mushrooms
Heat a tablespoon of butter in a wide pan over high heat and add the mushrooms in two batches. They will release water first — wait for it to evaporate and for them to start browning.
⏱ 14 min -
2
Salt late
Season the mushrooms after they brown, not before. Salt draws water out of mushrooms, so early salting stops them browning at all.
⏱ 2 min -
3
Onion and garlic
Set a third of the mushrooms aside to serve, and in the same pan soften the onion in the rest of the butter, then add the garlic and thyme for half a minute.
⏱ 7 min -
4
The roux
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for two minutes over low heat until the raw smell goes. Raw flour leaves a distinct doughy taste in the soup.
⏱ 3 min -
5
Stock and blend
Pour in the stock gradually while stirring, simmer for 15 minutes, then blend with a stick blender until smooth.
⏱ 18 min -
6
Cream at the end
Lower the heat, stir in the cream, and do not let it boil afterwards — boiling splits the cream. Serve with the reserved mushrooms on top.
⏱ 5 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Brown the mushrooms in batches in a wide pan — crowded, they stew in their own water.
- Salt after browning, not before, or the mushrooms will never brown.
- Cream last and over low heat — boiling splits it.
- A few reserved browned mushrooms on top give a different texture in the bowl.
People also ask
Why is my mushroom soup bland?
The mushrooms stewed instead of browning. Brown them over high heat in a wide pan in batches until their water has evaporated and they are deep brown — that browning is the entire source of flavour.
Why did my cream split?
You boiled it. Add the cream as the last step over low heat and stir, and do not let the soup boil afterwards — high heat separates the cream's fat from its liquid.
Can I make it without cream?
Yes — one boiled potato blended into the soup gives the same body, or half a cup of full-fat coconut milk for a vegan version.
Cook mode
Creamy Mushroom Soup
-
1
Brown the mushrooms
Heat a tablespoon of butter in a wide pan over high heat and add the mushrooms in two batches. They will release water first — wait for it to evaporate and for them to start browning.
-
2
Salt late
Season the mushrooms after they brown, not before. Salt draws water out of mushrooms, so early salting stops them browning at all.
-
3
Onion and garlic
Set a third of the mushrooms aside to serve, and in the same pan soften the onion in the rest of the butter, then add the garlic and thyme for half a minute.
-
4
The roux
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for two minutes over low heat until the raw smell goes. Raw flour leaves a distinct doughy taste in the soup.
-
5
Stock and blend
Pour in the stock gradually while stirring, simmer for 15 minutes, then blend with a stick blender until smooth.
-
6
Cream at the end
Lower the heat, stir in the cream, and do not let it boil afterwards — boiling splits the cream. Serve with the reserved mushrooms on top.
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