Soup weather is right around the corner (though honestly for me, I would eat soup all year round). And I am here to tell you this comforting, creamy wild mushroom soup recipe is incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Full of earthy flavors and nothing like the thick, shiny congealed and condensed grossness that comes out of a can. This homemade wild mushroom soup comes together with only a few ingredients, and served up with a big hunk of sourdough or French bread...I mean, it doesn't get any better.
I could talk about my love of homemade soup for days. If you've never made soup from scratch, I am here to tell you that you are missing out.
There is truly nothing like a warm, comforting bowl of homemade soup. Made with minimal ingredients, all of which you can recognize, homemade soup is healthy and truly tastes so much better.
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What are the best kinds of mushrooms for wild mushroom soup recipe?
You can use any mix of mushrooms you like for this creamy wild mushroom soup. I use shitake, oyster, cremini and regular old button mushrooms - all fresh and all purchased at my regular grocery store. For extra mushroom flavor and a really nice and deep earthy flavor I always add one variety of dried mushrooms also. Usually porcini mushrooms or if I am treating myself, morels (these are pricey though so I rarely buy them). Most grocery stores sell some varieties of dried mushrooms, so you can pick whatever you can find. Soak them in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes to soften before adding. PRO TIP - the soaking liquid...yeah that is like mushroom gold. DO NOT throw it out! Throw that mushroom liquid right into your soup!
Really any mix of mushroom will do, use what you like and what is reasonably priced. I do recommend making sure you use a variety is all.
Ingredients
This creamy wild mushroom soup comes together with minimal ingredients, though you would never guess that with it's rich, earthy and intense flavor. Here's what you need:
- shallot or onion
- a little garlic
- sherry (or a white wine you have)
- fresh thyme
- dried dill
- veggie or chicken stock
- Salt and pepper
- half and half or milk
- flour
- lemon juice to brighten it at the very end
- Creme fraiche or sour cream for garnish
Again, most things you probably have at home already, so what are you waiting for?
Tips for success
This creamy soup recipe comes together so easily, that I don't really have too many tips. But here are a few:
- Really get some good color on the mushrooms. Caramelizing them will help give a rich and earthy depth of flavor to the wild mushroom soup
- If you don't have wine or don't like wine in cooking, deglaze the caramelized vegetables with a bit of stock before adding all the stock to the pan. The idea is that you want to scrape up all the crispy caramelized mushroom bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with the liquid
Top tip
Here is a HUGE PRO TIP - don't skip out on the lemon juice at the end. IF you don't have lemons and are all 'oh f--k now what I am gonna do I already started this soup,' do not worry...ADD VINEGAR, white vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar...ANY KIND OF VINEGAR. The point of the lemon juice is to give this soup balance and it needs acidity to balance the flavors. Vinegar does exactly the same thing as lemon juice here, so use it if you don't have a lemon.
What to serve with this soup recipe
Soup is always good on it's own, with a big piece of crusty bread. But if you're looking to make a more complete meal, a kale caesar salad would be great alongside, or get into those fall flavors with a delicata squash and pear salad.
Equipment
- dutch oven or soup pot
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 4-5 cups fresh mushrooms use whatever variety you find at the store
- 1 ounce dried mushroom of choice if you can't find any that is all good, just leave it out and maybe increase the fresh mushrooms
- ½ cup shallot finely diced
- fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme
- 2 teaspoon dill
- 2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
- 1 cup sherry or whatever white wine you have on hand
- 3 cups vegetable stock or use chicken stock
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup half and half or milk
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice see note below - for real, it is important
- 4 tsp creme fraiche or sour cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In your best soup pot or a dutch oven, melt the butter and sautee the mushrooms over high heat. You want a lot of color and caramelization on these so mushrooms first for about five minutes or so, stirring them around, then add your shallot or onion. Continue sauteeing for another five minutes to soften the onion, then add the garlic, thyme, dried dill and concentrated stock or demiglace (if using) and sautee just a few more minutes to melt the stock concentrate and soften the garlic.
- Slowly pour in the sherry, while still on a high heat, and stir and scrape all the crispy goodness at the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. Pour in your stock. Bring to a simmer on medium and let this cook for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add your flour to you rhalf and half or milk (this is called a slurry) and whisk it up nice and thick.
- After simmering the soup for about 10 minutes, slowly pour in the milk slurry, while stirring. Stir this completely into the soup and continue to simmer. This will thicken and 'cream' up the soup a bit, but not making it too thick - just perfect. Simmer for maybe 15 more minutes. And last but HUGE step - stir in your lemon juice right before finishing.
- Garnish each bowl with a lil bit of creme fraiche or sour cream and nice hunk of bread for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Need more soup ideas? Here you go
Marion says
These pictures are gorgeous. They look elegant - like a romantic candle-lit dinner. Soup was as
good as it look! Retro 80"s Bon Appetit.
Mom
Carole Eidsvoog says
Can you make your slurry out of gluten free flour? Cup 4 Cup has a lot of cornstarch in it. Your soup looks delicious!
kwalsh0722 says
Hi! You can use cornstarch. Recipe calls for three tablespoons of flour, so use 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed into 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and then add to the soup after adding the liquid and whisk in to thicken.
YtheWait says
Great!!!!!!!!!!!