Simple Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of mushroom soup
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This easy cream of mushroom soup is a combination of fresh sliced mushrooms, bouillon, and seasonings. It is rich, creamy, and a delight to eat on chilly nights when all you want is pure comfort food. Serve it as a starter for a winter dinner, or enjoy it as the main, along with crusty garlic bread to soak up the delicious soup.

Making cream of mushroom soup at home is not difficult, and you'll find that the flavor outshines the condensed versions in cans. Essentially, you'll flavor a soup base with fresh mushrooms, onion, and chicken bouillon. The mushrooms are simmered in the broth for 20 minutes, and then a roux is added along with milk to make it nice and thick. Add some fresh or dried herbs or toss minced garlic into the pot to customize the flavor. For extra mushroom flavor, soak dried mushrooms in boiling water and add them along with the fresh mushrooms.

Canned cream of mushroom soup is condensed because most of the liquid is removed. Popularly used as an ingredient in casseroles and other recipes, you need to add about 2 cups of water to make an actual soup that's enjoyable on its own. This recipe is not condensed, so you'll need to reduce the liquid if you want to transform it into a condensed substitute. Take inspiration from a basic condensed soup recipe, and use this recipe to add the mushroom flavoring.

Dairy-based soups without preservatives don't keep well and are not great options to freeze. If you want to prep this soup in advance, make it no more than two days ahead and keep it refrigerated. Heat it gently in a saucepan and add more liquid as needed.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced

  • 2 cups boiling water

  • 3 chicken bouillon cubes

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large saucepan, combine mushrooms, boiling water, chicken bouillon, and onion. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

  3. Melt butter in another saucepan and blend in flour. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly until thickened.

  4. Add sauce to mushroom mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  5. If desired, blend some or all of the soup.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.


Recipe Variation

  • If you prefer a slightly thicker cream of mushroom soup, switch from milk to half-and-half.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
178 Calories
12g Fat
13g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 349mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 150mg 12%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 320mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)