Rich and delicious mushroom soup is wonderfully satisfying to enjoy any time of the year. It’s a hearty soup recipe prepared in just one pot, and is perfect to make even on a busy weeknight in only 30 minutes. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions and photos with a video to make my savory, creamy, absolutely delightful cream of mushroom soup from scratch.
About Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
As a family, we love soups. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold or hot outside, there are so many terrific and tasty soup recipes that are perfect for any weather! A few of our year-round favorites include Tomato Soup and Sweet Corn Soup.
Today I’m sharing with you another classic homemade soup recipe we adore, cream of mushroom soup.
This naturally vegetarian dish is hearty, rich, and full of deep umami flavor. It’s great topped with fresh herbs and served as a side or main dish!
My creamy mushroom soup is a one-pot recipe, too. Button mushrooms are sautéed with onion and garlic, then combined with flour and butter to make a thick roux.
Vegetable stock (or water!) is poured into the same pot, and milk and cream are added for the perfect creaminess.
The soup is ready in only 30 minutes, including prep time. Try this healthy, delicious, quick and easy dinner recipe as part of your weekly meal plan!
How to Make Mushroom Soup
Prep Ingredients
1. First, measure and set all the ingredients ready for the soup (mise en place).
2. Rinse or wipe dry 200 to 250 grams (about 1 cup) of white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.
Slice of the lower part of the base stalk of each mushroom. Then chop them in halves or quarters, or slice them thin.
Make Mushroom Soup Base
3. Next, heat a heavy saucepan or pan over low to medium-low heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter (salted or unsalted) in the pan.
4. When the butter has almost melted add bay leaf or tej patta (Indian bay leaf). Keep the heat low and be careful to not burn the butter.
5. Sauté until the bay leaf becomes fragrant, only for about 2 to 3 seconds.
6. Add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions (about 1 small to medium-sized onion) and ½ teaspoon minced or finely chopped garlic (2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves).
7. Mix and stir.
8. Sauté until the onions soften and become translucent.
Cook Mushrooms
9. Add the sliced or chopped mushrooms to the pot.
10. Mix again. You will see the mushrooms releasing water after a few minutes.
11. Continue to sauté as the mushrooms brown.
12. Continue to sauté until all the water dries up in the pan. Then add 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
13. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat as you continuously stir. You shouldn’t be able to smell the raw flour after a minute or two.
14. Then add freshly crushed black pepper or ground pepper to taste. Mix well.
Make Cream of Mushroom Soup
15. Now add 1 cup of water or vegetable stock, or mushroom stock.
16. Stir and mix well.
17. Add 1 cup whole (full fat) milk.
Tip: The milk should be at room temperature when you add it.
18. Mix very well.
19. Season with salt to taste and mix again. If using vegetable or mushroom stock instead of water, you likely will only need a small amount of extra salt, if any at all.
20. Simmer the cream of mushroom soup over medium-low heat. Stir often; it will start to bubble up like in the picture below.
21. The soup will also begin to thicken. Continue to simmer the mushroom soup for more 4 to 5 more minutes.
As it cooks the soup will thicken more and more. Stir regularly so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
22. Then add 6 tablespoons light cream or cooking cream or low fat cream (about 25% to 30% fat) or 3 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream.
You can also add 7 to 8 tablespoons of half and half.
23. Stir and mix well.
24. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro) or any fresh herbs of your choice.
25. Simmer the cream of mushroom soup for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often.
26. Lastly, sprinkle 1 to 2 pinches of ground nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg and stir. Nutmeg gives a nice pleasant aroma but can be skipped if you do not have it.
27. Switch off the heat and pour the mushroom soup in individual serving bowls.
Serve the cream of mushroom soup steaming hot garnished with more freshly chopped parsley or coriander leaves.
What to serve with Mushroom Soup
Creamy mushroom soup is delicious to enjoy with a hearty sandwich or piece of crusty bread, like crostini or bruschetta.
It’s a wonderful starter to serve before a pasta or risotto or pilaf course. And it pairs great as a side dish with nearly any entree!
Have a bowl of this comforting soup as a main dish of its own, and serve with a fresh side salad or veggies.
FAQs
As-is this recipe is not gluten free. I use whole wheat flour to make a thick roux for the creamiest mushroom soup.
If you’d like make a gluten free version, simply substitute the whole wheat flour with your preferred GF-friendly mix. Potato starch, tapioca starch, and cornstarch are all great alternatives.
You can substitute the dairy butter used to make the roux with your favorite plant-based butter alternative.
Use nondairy plant based milk – like cashew or soy milk – instead of dairy milk and cream. You can include cashew cream as well, for a rich and thick vegan mushroom soup.
Homemade mushroom cream soup will stay good for up to 1 to 2 days in the fridge. Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
The soup will thicken more after cooling. So to thin the consistency add some water or vegetable stock while reheating. Reheat in a microwave or in a saucepan.
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Mushroom Soup Recipe (Cream of Mushroom Soup)
Ingredients
- 200 to 250 grams button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 small to medium-sized onion
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 2 to 3 small to medium-sized garlic
- 1 tejpatta (Indian bay leaf) or bay leaf
- 1 to 2 pinches ground nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- 1 cup whole milk – at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons light cream or 3 tablespoons whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro) or any fresh soft herbs like basil
- freshly crushed black pepper as required
- salt as required
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley – can also use the same herb you add in the soup for garnishing like coriander leaves or basil
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse or wipe white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms. Slice of the lower part of the base stalk of each mushroom. Then chop them in halves or quarters, or slice them thin.
- Peel, rinse and chop onion and garlic finely. Get all the other ingredients ready and set them aside.
Sautéing onions and garlic
- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Add the bay leaf and saute till fragrant for about 2 to 3 seconds.
- Add the finely chopped onions and garlic.
- Sauté stirring often on medium-low heat till the onions soften and become translucent.
Cooking mushrooms
- Add the sliced or chopped mushrooms and saute till the mushrooms start to release water.
- Saute till all the water dries up and the mushrooms become a light golden.
- Add the flour and saute for 3 to 4 minutes stirring often on a low to medium-low heat. The raw aroma of flour should not be felt.
- Then add freshly crushed black pepper and mix well.
Making mushroom soup
- Add water first followed by milk.
- Stir well and season with salt.
- On a low to medium-low heat let the soup come to a gentle simmer first.
- The mushroom soup would also begin to thicken. Stir at intervals.
- Further simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes till the soup thickens more.
- Then add the cream and chopped parsley.
- Simmer mushroom soup or 1 to 2 minutes more stirring often.
- Lastly, sprinkle ground nutmeg powder and stir.
- Switch off the heat and pour the soup in serving bowls.
- Serve the cream of mushroom soup steaming hot garnished with parsley or coriander.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
- Serve the mushroom soup with a side of any sandwich or crusty bread or toast. Crostini or bruschetta also pair well. You can also serve as a starter with a pasta or pilaf main course. Enjoy the soup with a side salad of fresh veggies.
- Keep any leftover soup for 1 to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The consistency will thicken more after refrigeration. Add a splash of water while reheating to loosen the consistency.
Video
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Mushroom Soup recipe from the archives was first published on January 2014. It has been updated and republished on November 2021.
Soup is delicious. Can this soup be frozen?
Thanks. Since the soup is milk and cream based, I would not suggest freezing it.
It came out beautiful , the looks, smell n of course the taste… all of them
Thank you for the positive feedback on the recipe.
Wonderful.!!!!
One of best soup I ever prep at my home. Your all recipes are so delicious
Thank you so much.
Thanks for the feedback and the rating. Glad to read. Most welcome.
Amazing recipe and quick to make too. Thank you
Thanks for the feedback.
Made the soup exactly as per the recipe..and it came out very well. A very delicious and filling soup.Would highly recommend.
Thank you for the lovely feedback and the rating. Glad to know.
This recipe is so simple and yet very delicious. It haas turned out awesome everytime. Thank you 😊
Dassana, I have been reading your recipes ever since you first started posting them. So I have seen your blog grow. Your recipes are a joy. Practical sensible doable and the final result is always outstanding. I have learnt so much from you. Thanks a zillion – Ashish
Thank you Ashish. Yes, slowly and steadily the blog has grown over the years and with the blessings and positivity of readers like you, will continue to grow. Thank again and most welcome.
Hi Dassana,
Your recipes have been very helpful to me. I can totally rely on them because they never fail. Your blog was a great help several years ago, when I was going through a really difficult time in my life. Suddenly I was expected to become a good cook overnight. And I, being a bachelor who lived away from home at a hostel for several years, was not at all prepared for that responsibility. I don’t have enough words to really thank you. All I can say is you are doing a really noble work here. All the best and keep up the good work.
hi ashwini, i can totally understand living in a hostel and the responsibilities that come with it. i am so glad that the recipes from the blog have helped. it also feels nice to know that the recipes do not fail. thank you very much and i wish you all the best.
Thanks for the recipe , can it be made without onions ?
onions add some sweetness in the soup. but you can try making without onions. as a substitute for onions, add a pinch of asafoetida before adding mushrooms. welcome.
Hello Dassna..
As always , Your recipes are absolutely hearty, warm and comforting.
You are like Maa Annapurna in my kitchen and my culinary life. Thank you.
I have made the Mushroom soup for dinner and it smells divine.
However, I wanted to increase the soup quantity as more people are to have it. 4 instead of 2.
I doubled the amount of butter + milk and water… While it gave me more liquid soup.. Did I do the right thing? As the butter quantity increased so wouldn’t it add to many more calories??
Was there another way of not changing the taste of the soup yet, increasing the liquid content without butter? ( Just curious)
I also wanted to send you a pic of the soup..but I don’t see any option here to attach pics..
hi sneha, thanks for this beautiful comment. i am so touched and humbled. thanks again. all the ingredients need to be doubled for the correct consistency and taste. if only butter, milk and water is increased, the soup will have a liquid consistency and a diluted taste. increase the cream and flour – which will thicken the soup. also, increase the herbs and spices. calories will increase but not much as the soup will have 4 servings instead of 2.
there is a way and that is by adding cornflour (corn starch) or potato starch. but since in this recipe roux is made, if you increase the flour, the soup will thicken.
on the comment interface, we do not have any option of attaching pics. already our pages are heavy due to the step by step pictures. if we give the option of attaching pictures, the pages will become more heavy.
let me know if you have any more queries regarding the soup.
Awesome!! I made the recipe exactly minus cream and it tasted too good. Thank you!
thanks arti for this lovely review and rating. cream can be skipped. welcome and happy cooking.
I love your recipes. So detailed and delicious! Thank you.
thank you sheena.
Hi Dassana,
I love your recipes, they have right proportions of spices to make them delicious. Please answer my query.
What snacks go well with this soup?
thanks meghna. i would serve a side of sandwiches or cheese chilli toast or any kind of stuffed or open toast sandwich with this soup. you can even serve crostini, bruschetta as a side snack. even a pasta or spaghetti dish goes well. a side salad of mix vegetables or cherry tomatoes or potatoes can be made. hope this helps.
Tried this recipe today and turned out well. Everyone enjoyed the soup and my kid loved it. Only thing is I felt we can do away with the nutmeg sprinkle in the end for those who doesn’t like the flavour of it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
thanks mamatha for sharing the feedback and rating on mushroom soup recipe. in any recipe, any spice or herb can be done away with if someone does not like it or if someone has an allergy to it. so you can easily skip nutmeg in mushroom soup recipe. you can also add herbs or spices which you or your family prefer. welcome and happy cooking.
must try recipe of yours maam
have made it 3 times now and each time has been lipsmackingly good
just a query: can we add fresh basil leaves in the soup?
ps: can u please post veg french onion soup recipe
radhika, yes you can add fresh basil leaves. add them once the soup is done and simmer for a minute. fresh basil leaves will give a really good aroma. for french onion soup, i have got maximum requests. i will try to add the recipe when the monsoon sets in.
and thanks for the rating as well as the feedback on mushroom soup.