Favourite Cream of Mushroom Soup

This cream of mushroom soup is the from-scratch version that bears almost no resemblance to the canned condensed kind. The technique splits the mushrooms in two: half get chopped and pureed into a velvety base, while the other half stay sliced for whole pieces in every spoonful. The result is a soup with both creamy depth and toothsome texture.

Browning the chopped mushrooms with onion and thyme for 15-20 minutes is the foundation step. Most home cooks rush this and end up with watery soup, but the long saute drives off moisture and concentrates the mushroom flavor into something deeply savory. Skip it and the soup tastes thin no matter how much cream you add.

A splash of dry sherry at the end is the move that ties everything together. Three tablespoons of sherry hits the warm cream base with a slightly nutty, almost toasty note that classic French chefs have used in mushroom soup for generations. Without it, the soup is good; with it, the soup tastes like a restaurant.

Use cremini or a mix of cremini and white button mushrooms for the deepest flavor. White button alone makes a milder soup; portobellos or shiitakes add even more umami if you want to go further.

Chef Tips

• Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth instead of rinsing. Mushrooms are sponges and waterlogged ones won’t brown properly.
• Cool the mushroom mixture slightly before blending. Hot soup creates pressure in the blender that can blow the lid off, hot soup is a serious burn hazard.
• Don’t boil the soup hard after adding cream. Gentle simmering preserves the creamy texture; high heat can break the cream into a curdled mess.
• Make a day ahead if possible. The flavors deepen overnight and the soup tastes noticeably richer the next day.

Variations

• Substitute half-and-half or whole milk for the cream for a lighter soup.
• Use a mix of wild mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, chanterelle) for a more woodsy complex flavor.
• Stir in a tablespoon of fresh chopped chives or parsley at serving for color and brightness.