Cream of Mushroom Soup

 If you could dream up the most luxurious, creamy, hearty soup, it would be this Cream of Mushroom Soup. This creamy mushroom soup is packed with two different kinds of mushrooms, lots of dry sherry, garlic, and just a hint of fresh thyme. Delicious and oh-so dreamy.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I have a major thing for creamy soups. This Creamy Alfredo soup packed with tortellini and broccoli is a favorite and this simple Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup is my go-to when I need a little comfort in my life.

I just can’t get enough. The velvety texture. The rich mouthfeel. Heaven.

Today’s simple mushroom soup recipe, is no exception. And friends, let me assure you, this is not your average canned cream of mushroom soup. 

This is a creamy mushroom soup PACKED with umami mushroom flavor, nutty sherry, and hints of fresh thyme. The mushrooms are enveloped around rich chicken stock, smooth cream, and a subtle sweetness from a little bit of sugar. 

The beauty of this version of Cream of Mushroom soup is you can adapt the texture to your own taste. If you like a creamy mushroom soup, puree the entire soup in the blender. Like just a hint of texture? Throw about 3/4 of it in the blender. If you want to leave all the mushrooms whole, then by all means, go for it. 

Ingredients in Cream of Mushroom Soup

Butter. There’s no better duo than butter and mushrooms. I promise, if you’re not a mushroom fan, just sauté them in a little bit of butter, season with a little bit of salt, and you will become a forever convert. 

Onion and garlic. The base of any delicious soup. 

Mushrooms. I like to use two different kinds of mushrooms – cremini and shiitake. Cremini mushrooms are  baby portabellas so they have a heartier, more mushrooms forward taste I adore. Shiitake mushrooms are mild, but have their own earthy flavor that brings a bit of depth to the soup. 

Thyme. The combination of thyme and mushrooms is almost as delicious as the combination of mushrooms and butter. Thyme, like mushrooms is slightly woody, with just a hint of lemon and is an essential subtle ingredient in this cream of mushroom soup. 

Flour. You need just a little bit of flour help give the soup a little bit of body and thickness. 

Sherry. Dry sherry is one of my very favorite ingredients to add to creamy soups. I throw it in my chicken noodle soup, my chicken pot pies, and even lace it in creamy peas. 

Chicken broth. The body of the soup. If you want to keep this completely vegetarian, you can use veggie stock instead. 

Sugar. I find this creamy mushroom soup needs just a hint of sweetness amongst all the savory flavors. It doesn’t make the soup sweet, per se, just balances out all of the flavors. 

Vinegar. Because we use quite a bit of cream in cream of mushroom soup, you need a little bit acid to cut through all that richness. A hint of apple cider vinegar does just that. If you have sherry vinegar on hand, even better. 

Cream. You can’t have cream of mushroom soup without the cream, right? And you really do need heavy cream. It MAKES the CREAM OF mushroom soup. Duh. 

How to make Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cook onion and garlic. Start out by sweating a little bit of onion and garlic in butter. You only want to sweat the vegetables, not brown them. Just a few minutes is all you need, enough for them to smell fragrant and start to become translucent. 

Cook the mushrooms. Stir in ALL the mushrooms along with the thyme. I know it looks like a lot, but I promise, they will cook down. I like to hold off on seasoning the mushrooms until the end, so they don’t release a ton of moisture while they cook. Once the mushrooms are cooked down, add the the salt and give it a stir. 

Stir in flour. Flour is the thickening agent in this creamy mushroom soup. You only need a little bit to give the soup some body and thickness. 

Whisk in everything else. Take the cream of mushroom soup off the burner. Slowly whisk in the sherry, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, remaining salt and cream. 

Bring the mixture up to boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Puree the soup. Ladle about three-quarters of the soup into a blender. Carefully puree the soup until silky smooth. Return to the pot. Season cream of mushroom soup to taste with salt and pepper. 

Can I make Cream of Mushroom Soup in advance? 

YES! This creamy mushroom soup is the perfect soup to make in advance. It reheats BEAUTIFULLY and should keep in the fridge for up to five or six days. You don’t even need to reheat it in over the stove, just ladle into a bowl and heat in the microwave for about a minute and a half. 

Do I have to use heavy cream? 

Even though I think you really need heavy cream to make this soup super luxurious, if you want a creamless mushroom soup, you could possibly leave out the cream. I’d recommend adding in a little bit of plain Greek yogurt instead, and make the soup as directed. 

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• When it comes to pureeing the cream of mushroom soup, it’s really about personal preference. I LOVE a completely smooth, velvety pureed soup, so I pureed most of the soup. If you like your soup to have a little bit more texture, feel free to only puree half the soup or even just leave it as is. 
• You can use any combination of mushrooms. I happen to love the heavy hand of cremini mushrooms paired with just a little bit of shiitakes, but if you want to use all cremini, then go for it. 
• If you have sherry vinegar on hand, use that instead of apple cider vinegar. If you don’t have either, honestly any type of acid will work. White vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice will all be great. 

What to serve with Cream of Mushroom Soup

• For the ultimate soup and salad combo, pair Cream of Mushroom Soup with our favorite gooey Margherita Grilled Cheese. This sandwich is so cheese, so simple, and so delicious. 
• These Peppadew Pepper and Goat Cheese Grilled cheeses are kind of out-of-the-box, but such a fun spin on a grilled cheese. 
• If you want to keep things super light, our Everyday Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad is always a win.