This easy, creamy mushroom soup recipe will have you falling in love with this classic savory soup all over again (and ditching the canned stuff for good).
While this soup simmers, make a side dish from the list of recommendations, and have dinner ready in 40 minutes or less. Shortcut tips are included!
Updated July 26, 2022
I have never gone gaga over mushroom soup. My head chef in culinary school adored anything with mushrooms, especially mushroom soup, but I never saw what all the fuss was about.
All that came to a halt a few months ago when I had lunch at a friend's house and she served a creamy mushroom soup. To be honest, she ran the menu by a couple of us in advance, and I said something like "great!". I always think it's great when someone makes lunch for me.
And my friend is a great cook, and I figured if I was going to eat mushroom soup, I'd rather it be hers.
Fast forward to the end of lunch. I knew I HAD to get the recipe. I loved everything about it.
As it turns out, it's one by Deborah Madison. Yes, The Deborah Madison. I've made it now 3 or 4 times since that lunch, and never tire of it. And even though it's not a complicated soup to make, I've simplified it a bit further over the past couple months.
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Ways to Simplify This Mushroom Soup
I love that this soup uses bread to thicken the soup in the same way it's used for gazpacho. And it's so much easier than making a roux - a much more common way to thicken soups.
Some other tips for simplifying this soup are:
1 - Purchase white button or cremini mushrooms that are pre-sliced.
2 - The original recipe recommends making a mushroom stock from scratch. I use Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base instead.
3 - I purchase Lightly Dried Parsley for adding to dishes. It keeps much longer than fresh parsley in the refrigerator. The only brand I use is Gourmet Garden, and is readily available in most stores in the fresh herbs department of local markets. I also use their Stir-In Garlic Paste.
4 - Use one of those powerful blenders so you can purée the soup all in one batch.
5 - The light cream is optional, and I don't always add it in at all. The soup is creamy from the bread, so it's personal preference. If you want a more robust, savory mushroom flavor, I vote no to adding any cream.
Non-Dairy Options to the Cream
If you follow a dairy-free diet, here are some options for replacing the cream.
1 - Substitute 2 - 4 tablespoons of coconut milk, full fat.
2 - My friend did a genius move, and puréed ¼ cup cooked rice into the soup. I have not tried this, but suggest that a creamier rice, such as risotto, would work best.
3 - Eliminate the ingredient completely, and just go to the next ingredient in the recipe.
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Sides to Serve with Mushroom Soup
A soup and salad (such as this Kale Salad) always works for lunch. But if you're serving this for dinner, you may want something a little heavier.
Mac 'n Cheese - either this Impossible Pie version, mini Mac 'n Cheese Bites, or a Cauliflower Mac 'n Cheese.
Crispy Black Bean Burger or Beyond Beef Burger
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries or these Spiralized Shoestring Garlic Truffle Fries
Best Kitchen Tools For This Recipe
I can never over-emphasize the importance of have a good, sturdy, heavy-bottomed pot. My favorite is Le Creuset, and yes completely worth the money. Your grandchildren will use it someday.
A great quality chef's knife. You'll be surprised at all the ways you use it.
Powerful blender. It's a huge convenience to be able to purée the soup all in one batch.
Want more vegetarian and vegan dish ideas? I can help you. I have three newsletters for different topics: 1) Weekly Recipes, 2) Vegetarian Meal Plans, and 3) Monthly Vegetarian Tips for helping you to move to a more vegetarian diet. Choose which newsletters are most relevant to your lifestyle and you'll also get my 5 SECRETS TO FUSS-FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS.
Easy Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste, or 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lightly dried parsley, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, optional
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base
- 2 slices bread, crusts removed
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup light cream, optional
Garnish Options
- Sliced scallions
- Coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Chopped apple
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pot, and add the sliced onions and salt. Cook until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the garlic, parsley, and nutritional yeast (if using). Sauté another couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Sauté another 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the water, bouillion paste (or broth). Tear the bread into large pieces, and add. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Pour the soup into a blender and purée to the level of smoothness you prefer. Pour it back into the heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and black pepper.
- Stir in the cream (if using).
- Serve warm, garnished with your preference of condiments.
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