Description
This creamy mushroom soup is a comforting and flavorful dish, combining both white button and cremini mushrooms with aromatic herbs, garlic, and a touch of white wine. The soup is partially blended to create a lovely texture with both creamy smoothness and chunky mushroom pieces. Optionally enriched with heavy cream or crème fraîche, it is perfect as a starter or a light meal, garnished with fresh parsley, thyme, and a drizzle of olive oil for an elegant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mushrooms & Flavorings
- 1 pound white button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (plus more for garnish)
Optional & Garnishes
- ½ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche (optional, plus more for serving)
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics and Mushrooms: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sea salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion softens slightly. Add half of the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Then add the remaining mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Add Garlic, Wine, Broth, and Simmer: Stir in the grated garlic until fragrant, then pour in the dry white wine, vegetable broth, tamari, and fresh thyme leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and mushrooms to become tender.
- Blend the Soup: Allow the soup to cool slightly to avoid splattering, then transfer about two-thirds of the soup to a blender. Blend until smooth to create a creamy texture while leaving some mushroom pieces unblended for a nice chunky contrast.
- Combine and Finish: Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining chunky soup. If desired, stir in the heavy cream or crème fraîche and cook the soup for an additional 2 minutes, warming it through and mellowing the cream’s raw flavor. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or additional cream if you like, fresh parsley, and thyme leaves for added aroma and visual appeal. Serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- This soup can be made richer by adding heavy cream or crème fraîche, or you can skip the cream for a more intense mushroom flavor.
- Use fresh thyme for the best flavor, but dried thyme can be substituted if needed (use about 1 teaspoon).
- To make this soup vegan or dairy-free, omit the butter and cream, and substitute olive oil and coconut or cashew cream as a replacement.
- For an even deeper flavor, you can roast the mushrooms before sautéing.
- Serve with crusty bread or a light salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
