Description
This creamy mushroom soup is rich, flavorful, and easy to make. The secret to its deep, savory taste lies in the slow caramelization of fresh mushrooms, which unlocks their magical flavor. Blended to a smooth texture and finished with cream, this soup is perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Butter and Mushrooms
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 (16 ounce) packages sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 pinch salt
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle with kitchen twine
Thickening and Liquids
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth, or more to taste
- 1 cup water, or more to taste
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Seasoning and Garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish, or to taste
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all the ingredients needed for the recipe to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Caramelize Mushrooms: Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt, sautéing until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the juices evaporate and the mushrooms caramelize, about 15 to 25 minutes. Set aside some nicely caramelized slices for garnish.
- Sauté Onion: Add the diced onion to the pot with the caramelized mushrooms. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Flour: Stir in the all-purpose flour to the mushroom and onion mixture. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, to eliminate the raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.
- Add Aromatics and Liquids: Place the thyme bundle and garlic cloves into the pot. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup water. Stir to combine, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Soup: Let the soup simmer on low heat for 1 hour to deepen the flavors. After simmering, remove and discard the thyme bundle and garlic cloves.
- Blend Soup: Puree the soup in batches using a blender until smooth and thick in texture.
- Finish with Cream: Stir the heavy whipping cream into the pureed soup. Adjust consistency by adding more chicken broth or water if the soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the finished soup into bowls. Garnish with the reserved mushroom slices and fresh thyme leaves before serving.
Notes
- Slow caramelization of mushrooms is key to unlocking deep flavor; be patient during this step.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, blend only half the soup and stir in the rest.
- Adjust seasoning at the end as needed; the broth may add saltiness.
- Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.
