Cream of mushroom soup is a simple type of soup where a basic roux is thinned with cream or milk and then mushrooms and/or mushroom broth are added. It is well known in North America as a common type of condensed canned soup. Cream of mushroom soup is often used as a base ingredient in casseroles and comfort foods. This use is similar to that of a mushroom-flavored gravy.
History
Soups made with cream and mushrooms are much older than the canned variety. Ancient Italian (Salsa colla) and French (Béchamel) cream sauces, and soups based on them have been made for many hundreds of years. In America, the Campbell Soup Company began producing its well-known “Cream of Mushroom Soup” in 1934.[1]
Simmer mushrooms, broth, onion, and thyme in a large heavy saucepan until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a blender or food processor. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse until creamy but still with some chunks of vegetable.
Melt butter in the same saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in half-and-half and mushroom mixture.
Bring soup to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Stir in sherry. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms and onion until tender.
Mix flour, salt, pepper and 1 can broth until smooth; stir into mushroom mixture. Stir in remaining can of broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cream. Simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In this cream of mushroom soup recipe, we use flour to thicken the soup, but there are plenty of handy ways to thicken soups and sauces. For gluten-free options, you could use cornstarch or arrowroot. They’ll also keep your sauce clear and cloud-free. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon for every cup of liquid in the recipe. Mix the cornstarch with equal parts water to create a slurry and pour it into the pot. Whisk continuously over high heat until the cornstarch is well incorporated, and the sauce starts to thicken.
You can eat this cream of mushroom soup by itself, with a crusty roll, or use it as a base for other delicious dishes that start with cream of mushroom soup.
Can homemade cream of mushroom soup be frozen?
We don’t recommend freezing most dairy-based soups, like this cream of mushroom soup, as they can taste—and look—grainy once reheated.
. *Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ/2000 kcal), **1 portion = half a can of soup as sold (147.5g), This package contains 2 portions
Product Details
Cooking instructions
General
(All cooking appliances vary, the following instructions are guidelines only)
Microwave
(Category E: 800W): Pour contents into a microwave dish and stir in one can of cold water (or 1/2 milk 1/2 water for extra richness). Microwave for 2 1/2 mins on full power, stir and microwave for a further 2 1/2 mins. Leave to stand for 1 min.
Hob
Empty soup into a saucepan. Gradually add one can of cold water (or 1/2 milk 1/2 water for extra richness) stirring constantly. Heat the soup to serving temperature.Do not boil or overheat as this impairs the quality.
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This easy homemade cream of mushroom soup is creamy without a lot of cream! It’s made with loads of mushrooms and that’s about it. So quick and easy, you’ll never buy the canned version again.
Our recipe calls for a couple pounds of cremini or button mushrooms. Either will do, though I think cremini (young portobello mushrooms) are a little tastier.
We also recommend adding a handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms to the soup. Even though they are more expensive than regular mushrooms, their flavor is much more intense and deepens the rich flavor of this soup.
Chef Tip for Best Mushroom Flavor
I discovered a tip from a chef friend that just a little tarragon will help bring out the flavor of the mushrooms, so we’ve added a little dried tarragon to the soup base. Not everyone has this herb though, you can easily substitute thyme (or put in a dash of nutmeg).
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
Method
1. Sauté the mushrooms:
Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a 5-6 quart thick-bottomed pot. When the oil is hot, swirl in the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms, stir to coat with the olive oil and butter.
Cook the mushrooms on medium high heat until they are lightly browned and have released most of their water, about 10 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of the cooked mushrooms from the pot and set aside (they will be added back in later).
2. Add shallots, garlic:
Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced shallots and the garlic to the pot, stir to combine, cook for about a minute.
3. Add salt, tarragon, stock:
Add the salt, dried tarragon, and the stock to the pot. Increase the heat to medium high, bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Purée soup:
Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a standing blender, purée the soup until smooth.
Then return to the pot. (If the soup is too thick for you, add some water or more stock to thin the soup to the desired level of thickness.)
5. Stir in cream and reserved mushrooms:
Whisk the cream into the soup and add the black pepper. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the reserved cooked mushrooms.