But even as an 8 year old I took great pride in heating my own soup, and discovered for myself how much better it was if you added milk instead of water, and how important it was to slowly add the milk while stirring so it wouldn’t form clumps. As a grown-up I still love mushroom soup, and happily make it from scratch using lots of fresh mushrooms, shallots, garlic, chicken stock and cream. Many people add a dash of sherry or nutmeg to mushroom soup.
Video: Cream of Mushroom Soup
The Best Mushrooms for This Soup
Our recipe calls for a couple pounds of cremini or button mushrooms. Either will do, though I think cremini (young portobello mushrooms) are a little tastier. We also recommend adding a handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms to the soup. Even though they are more expensive than regular mushrooms, their flavor is much more intense and deepens the rich flavor of this soup.
Chef Tip for Best Mushroom Flavor
I discovered a tip from a chef friend that just a little tarragon will help bring out the flavor of the mushrooms, so we’ve added a little dried tarragon to the soup base. Not everyone has this herb though, you can easily substitute thyme (or put in a dash of nutmeg).
Substitutions and Suggestions for Cream of Mushroom Soup
We’ve gotten a lot of great suggestions from readers over the years who have made this soup and made their own variations. Here are a few:
Add or substitute some wild mushrooms (you can also try this version) Add shredded chicken for extra protein For a richer soup, swap the chicken stock for beef stock For a lighter soup (or a vegetarian version), swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock For a dairy-free version, swap the cream with coconut milk For another dairy-free version, add some rice during cooking, then blend If the soup tastes a little bland to you, add a splash of rice vinegar or cider vinegar If you don’t have tarragon, try thyme, oregano, or rosemary
Can This Be Used in Place of Condensed Cream of Mushroom?
Condensed cream of mushroom soup is quite a bit thicker than this soup. We don’t recommend using it as a substitution.
Storing and Freezing Cream of Mushroom Soup
This soup will keep refrigerated for up to five days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you’d like to freeze this soup, don’t add the cream. Wait until it’s defrosted, heated, and ready to serve to whisk in the cream.
Love Mushrooms? Try These Recipes
Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Mushroom Risotto Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy Vegan Mushroom Barley Soup Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Cook the mushrooms on medium high heat until they are lightly browned and have released most of their water, about 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the cooked mushrooms from the pot and set aside (they will be added back in later). Then return to the pot. (If the soup is too thick for you, add some water or more stock to thin the soup to the desired level of thickness.)
