Easy Creamy Mushroom Soup (No Cream Required!)

A cozy, comforting blend of earthy mushrooms, herbs, and broth, this gluten-free mushroom soup recipe is creamy, but not heavy, and still Mediterranean Diet-friendly!

While studying for my bachelor’s degree in Barcelona, I lived with two roommates from outside the city. One of them visited her family near the French border every few weekends. She would come back to the apartment with clean laundry and a new stash of home-cooked meals from her mother. She’d share them with us, and we’d revel in the fresh, Spanish home cooking.

A fall and winter staple was her mother’s mushroom soup, which I now associate with the back-to-school season. On one visit to her hometown, her mother showed me how to make it. It’s a simple soup, rich with mushroom flavor, and unburdened by extraneous ingredients.

This mushroom soup is creamy without a drop of cream, made in one pot, and ready in under an hour. My roommate’s mother always blends it silky smooth, but I like to puree just half, so there are still tender mushroom pieces. You can do either! It’s wonderful the day you make it, and even better after a night in the fridge.

Table of Contents

1. Mushroom Soup Ingredients
2. How to Make Mushroom Soup
3. The Best Mushrooms for Mushroom Soup
4. What to Serve with Mushroom Soup
5. Mushroom Recipe Favorites
6. Mushroom Soup Recipe

Mushroom Soup Ingredients

This mushroom soup relies on easy-to-find mushroom varieties and pantry staples that bring out the most savory mushroom flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil adds richness to the soup. For this soup, I like a mild, buttery olive oil like Italian Nocellara or California Arbequina.
• Onion forms the aromatic base of the soup, adding a sweet and savory richness.
• Mushrooms: I like to use a mix of mushrooms, balancing readily available mushrooms like cremini with extra flavorful varieties like shiitake.
• Garlic: Sweet and nutty garlic adds savory complexity to the soup.
• Dried thyme: While I usually prefer to cook with fresh herbs, the earthy, robust flavor of dried thyme stands up better to the taste of the mushrooms.
• Kosher salt: Salt brings out the other flavors in the dish. Adjust the salt, keeping in mind the salt level of the stock you choose.
• Freshly ground black pepper adds mild warmth to the soup.
• Chicken stock: Stock adds body and flavor to the soup. Use homemade or your favorite store-bought. You can substitute vegetable broth to make this soup vegetarian.
• Bay leaves add a herbaceous, woody flavor that complements the mushrooms.
• Milk: Use whole milk or 2% reduced-fat milk to add creaminess to the soup. To make the soup dairy-free, substitute with soy, almond, or cashew milk.
• Cornstarch thickens the soup slightly to give it a creamier texture.
• Fresh chives: A sprinkling of fresh chives adds green color and flavor to the soup. Feel free to substitute parsley, thyme, rosemary, or another fresh herb.

How to Make Mushroom Soup

This creamy mushroom soup comes together entirely on the stovetop. I like to blend half the soup and stir it back in for a soup that’s both creamy and has bites of mushroom. But you can puree the whole soup or leave it entirely unblended. If you have an immersion blender, feel free to use that!

• Cook the mushrooms. Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 pounds stemmed and sliced mushrooms and a diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid the mushrooms release has evaporated and the onion is soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Simmer the soup. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and season with salt and black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock and add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Thicken the soup. Whisk together 1 cup milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the milk mixture to the pot, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Blend half the soup. Transfer half of the soup to a blender (in batches, if necessary). Remove the cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a folded tea towel. Blend the soup until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir to combine. 
• Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped fresh chives.

The Best Mushrooms for Mushroom Soup

For this mushroom soup, I usually stick to common supermarket varieties. Instead of selecting just one type, I use a mix of two or three. This allows me to make an extra flavorful soup while balancing the cost.

• Shiitake are full of meaty flavor. Even just adding a small proportion of shiitake mushrooms will go a long way toward adding more savory oomph to the soup.
• White button are the most common and most affordable, but they also have the mildest flavor. I use these for about one-third to one-half of the total amount of mushrooms.
• Cremini are also known as baby bellas. These are portobello mushrooms that haven’t grown to their full size yet. They are slightly more flavorful than white button mushrooms, so I use a large proportion of cremini mushrooms as well.
• Full-grown portobello mushrooms will be firmer and more flavorful than cremini mushrooms. Because they are larger, roughly chop them instead of slicing.

What to Serve with Mushroom Soup

For a rustic and comforting meal, serve this mushroom soup with bread for dipping:

• Bread: Roasted garlic focaccia or a crusty baguette.
• Soup and salad night: Pair it with a heartier salad like this sweet potato salad or an apple walnut salad.
• Appetizer or first course: Mushroom soup would be a satisfying appetizer to a main like braised chicken thighs with grapes and fennel.

Mushroom Recipe Favorites

Italian

Mushroom Risotto

Vegetarian

Savory Mushrooms and Leeks Galette

Soups and Stews

Simple Mushroom Barley Soup

Vegetarian

Mushroom Pasta

Browse all Mediterranean recipes. 

Visit Our Shop.