Rich and creamy…but still light, this Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe is fantastic for chilly winter evenings. Ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish and completely from scratch.
I used to work in a small city where my office was several blocks from my parking garage. I remember dreading the rainy days because I’d end up chilled to the bone on rainy winter days. Most days I’d pack my lunch so I could avoid running out into the weather again but sometimes life just got in the way and it was either….make my lunch/be late to work…or go to work on time and starve.
I always chose the latter. But once I was starving…so hungry I wanted to gnaw on my shoe, so I grabbed my umbrella and sloshed my way down to the corner sandwich shop where I could smell the wonderful aroma of caramelized mushrooms. I immediately knew that I had to have a cup of the soup de jour. That’s when the craving for Cream of Mushroom Soup started.
Their recipe was rather thick…almost pudding like but the flavor was seriously on point. Rich, creamy, full of mushroom-y flavor but not so much so that it tasted too earthy. I knew I had to recreate it at home but a little looser…like a real soup should be. This Cream of Mushroom Soup is just that. Perfectly creamy, but light and silky. With large chunks of mushrooms and buttery, caramelized onions….it’s definitely not lackluster in the least.
Rich but light….it can be done. I made my version with half and half instead of heavy cream. The butter used to sauté the vegetables gives it enough depth of flavor to make it seem like you’re really eating something leaning more on the decadent side. I added a handful of fresh herbs to balance out the profile just a tad and simmered a bit to let all the happiness meld together. Set aside a few caramelized mushrooms to garnish, if you’d like…..this makes the perfect first course for a fun dinner party or a fabulous main course for a light lunch.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 12 ounces sliced button mushrooms
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the mushrooms. Cook until golden and softened, an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Add the half and half and Worcestershire.
- Serve immediately sprinkled with additional fresh thyme.
Notes
- If you are preparing this recipe as gluten-free, just be sure to use brands of chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce that are known to be GF.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Here are a few more soup recipes you might enjoy:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup from RecipeGirl
- Creamy Chicken Soup with Artichokes and Mushrooms from The Suburban Soapbox
- Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup from Half Baked Harvest
This is just what I’ve been looking for. Is this recipe good to be used as an ingredient in other recipes such as Green Bean Casserole?
It should be!
I can’t wait to make this. But I have problems digesting cow’s milk. Could I substitute the half and half with maybe half coconut milk and half coconut cream?? I think the texture might be close to the cow’s milk half and half, but not sure about the taste.
Since I haven’t tried that, I’m not sure. You can experiment!
❤️❤️👍🏼👍🏼❤️
I like,I like!
Do you have nutrition info?
Not for this one…