Fresh mushrooms, tender shallots, garlic, spices, and a splash of cream, pureed together to create a warm bowl of velvety goodness. This Cream of Mushroom Soup is the perfect meal for a brisk fall day.
Happy Sunday! It sure has started to feel a lot like fall around here. Some of our big events this week included story time at the library, lunch at the zoo, Andrew heading off on another business trip, errands, and lots of family fun this weekend.
Oh, and I guess I should mention the biggest highlight of our week: Tuesday (September 30th) was our 8th anniversary! Wow! I can’t even believe it has been EIGHT years already! We have certainly had our share of adventures throughout the last eight years. Three kids, six jobs, five moves, two states, three trips to Europe, and tons of laughs and other fun in between. I couldn’t be more thankful and appreciate of my incredible husband, Andrew! What an amazing blessing it is to share my life with him! Eight years ago we got married at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Detroit, Michigan, had our reception at Atlas Global Bistro, and then the next night headed to Paris and Italy for our three week honeymoon. Here are a few of our pictures 🙂
As the weather gets colder, snuggle up with the ones you love, and dig into a warm bowl of Cream of Mushroom Soup. This is such a fantastic fall (or anytime) recipe. Comforting, filling, and loaded with tons of healthy, good for you mushrooms. I was just reading something the other day saying HOW great mushrooms are for us! An even better reason to LOVE this soup, right?!
My inspiration for this recipe came from America’s Test Kitchen‘s lighter version of Cream of Mushroom Soup. I tested and tweaked it enough times that I finally had to create my own recipe. I just love the complexity of the flavors that this soup has, yet how simple it seems. I love serving this soup for dinner, with hot, fresh bread and butter, and a side salad with protein. I just started adding fresh parmesan cheese and chives on top, and it is fantastic! I definitely recommend the parmesan 🙂 You could also serve this soup for a lovely fall luncheon, or just pour it in a mug, top with cheese, and dive in.
Another plus with this soup, is that it freezes well, too! This is one of the recipes that I made a huge batch of right before we had Charlie. It’s such a treat to have homemade creamy mushroom soup right after having a baby (or anytime during the fall or winter), without having to fuss in the kitchen. If you’re looking for a great recipe that’s super freezer friendly, this is it.
When you’re thinking about your menu for the week, don’t forget to add this Cream of Mushroom Soup to the top of your list!
Ingredients
- 7 large shallots, minced (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 1/4 pounds (36 ounces) white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 3/4 inch thick
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups (1 quart) hot water
- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and fresh ground pepper
- Fresh parmesan cheese and chives for serving
- 14 large shallots, minced (about 5 cups)
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 12 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 1/2 pounds (72 ounces) white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 3/4 inch thick
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 cups (2 quarts) hot water
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and fresh ground pepper
- Fresh parmesan cheese and chives for serving
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over medium-low heat, add the oil, shallots and salt. Stir together, then cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Then stir in the garlic and nutmeg and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Then add the white mushrooms and stir. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 7 more minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and start to release their juices, stirring occasionally. Then turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid.
- Add the broth, water, and porcini mushrooms, and stir. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Remove soup from heat.
- Working in two batches, carefully add half of the soup mixture to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Then pour pureed soup into a clean sauce pan, and stir in half-and-half, and cook for about 3 minutes over low heat, until hot. (Do not boil) Remove from heat, and add the sherry and lemon juice and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a garnish of chives on top.
Notes
Heavy cream, or even whole milk can be substituted for the half-and-half, depending on the creaminess desired.
To freeze soup: make as directed, omitting half-and-half. Cool soup in refrigerator, then freeze in an airtight container. When ready to use, place soup in refrigerator the night before to thaw, then cook over low heat until warm. Stir in half-and-half and cook for about 3 minutes until hot. (Do not boil).
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