Creamy Mushroom Soup

5 from 3 votes

Creamy mushroom soup combines earthy mushrooms, celery, onion, garlic, and fresh thyme in an irresistibly creamy broth that's perfect alongside salads, sandwiches, or as a precursor to a fancy steak dinner.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 25

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2.5 pounds cremini mushrooms sliced, see notes below
1 large white onion diced
3 ribs celery diced
5 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups low sodium chicken stock plus more for thinning, if needed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 large bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large heavy pot to a touch higher than medium heat with the butter and olive oil. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle them with salt, and saute until they release their water and start to brown (20-25 minutes). This will take a good amount of time because of the amount of mushrooms.
Next, add in the celery and onion and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes or until the veggies are softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the flour and cook until no white specks appear (1-2 minutes).
Add the white wine and bring to a boil. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to dislodge all of the brown bits. After 1 minute of boiling add the chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes of simmering remove the bay leaf and puree the soup. Ladle the soup into a blender or use an immersion blender. For a more rustic soup, only partially puree the soup.
Add the cream and mix well. Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper levels. If the soup is too thick, simply thin with more stock or water.
Serve with croutons, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or creme fraiche, and a garnish of thyme if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Cremini (baby Bella) mushrooms are widely available and work very well for this soup, but feel free to use an assortment of exotic mushrooms if desired. Porcini mushrooms are especially delicious in this soup.
Greens like escarole, spinach, or kale can be added to brighten up the soup.
For a vegetarian dish use vegetable or mushroom stock.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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