Sunday Soup: Mushroom soup for mushroom skeptics

A swirl of cream and a scattering of herbs enhance the earthy flavors of this classic soup

When Kari heard that Sonya’s mushroom soup was a favorite among her clients, she was curious to understand why.

Kari loves mushrooms but knows fungi can be a tough sell with finicky eaters. When introducing mushrooms to her clients and later on to her family, Kari typically chooses recipes that include mushrooms as part of a meal, not as the sole focus. With the mushroom soup recipe in hand, Kari headed into her kitchen and discovered the secret to Sonya’s success: two generous pounds of mixed mushrooms combined with classic aromatics that when pureed deliver a silky, luxurious soup starring the earthy essence of mushrooms. Homemade mushroom broth, while not essential, deepens the mushroom flavor and honors this soup’s vegetarian vibes.

As her family gathered at the table, Kari held her breath, watching James, her soup-and-mushroom-averse partner, take the first bite. And then the second, third, and more, until no soup remained: “Wow, this is so good,” he said before quickly helping himself to another serving. Their eight year-old son, Mac, stirred his sour cream into the soup, watching it vanish into creamy swirls before finally trying a bite, then promptly finished the entire bowl.

What soup are you cooking up this week? We’d love to hear!

This soup is elegant as a first course for a dinner party, and equally welcome on a cold weeknight for a “soup, salad, and something else” meal. A drizzle of sour cream, crème fraîche, or heavy cream and a scattering of herbs enhanced the presentation and flavor. Crusty bread, croutons, or grilled cheese (made of mozzarella, gruyere, or provolone) rounds out this nourishing meal.

RECIPE: MUSHROOM SOUP

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 large yellow onion
1 leek, green part trimmed
2 stalks celery
4 large cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds cremini and/or white button mushrooms
½ pound shitake mushrooms, stems removed (or substitute with any mushroom you like, even more crimini)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
black pepper, to taste
½ cup dry white wine
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
8-10 cups chicken, vegetable, or mushroom broth* (or substitute with water + bouillon cube)
Creme fraiche, sour cream, or heavy cream for garnish (optional)
Freshly chopped chives, parsley, or tarragon, for garnish

Directions:
Prepare your vegetables: Dice the onion. Halve the leek, make sure it’s rinsed very well, then slice thin. Dice the celery, and mince the garlic. Clean the mushrooms, trim the stems, and slice about ¼” thick. You can reserve the stems in the freezer for future mushroom broth.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, leek, celery, and garlic, season with a big pinch of salt and pepper and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and slightly translucent but not browned.

Add the mushrooms to the pot and increase heat to medium. If the mixture looks a little dry, add additional butter or olive oil. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have fully released all of their moisture, but are not quite browning.

Add the white wine wine to the pot and let it simmer until it mostly evaporates, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the thyme sprigs and broth to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and gently simmer on a low heat for 20-25 minutes. Once simmered, remove the thyme stems.

Using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor, puree the soup until silky and smooth. If using a blender or food processor, you will need to blend in batches, so as not to overfill the container.

Add the soup back to the pot, taste and add more salt or pepper as desired.

Serve drizzled with cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

BONUS RECIPE: MUSHROOM BROTH

Mushroom broth is a secret umami weapon for amping up your next bowl of ramen, plant-based gravy, pot of risotto, or for intensifying any mushroom soup. While we’ve listed ingredients below, a mushroom broth can also be made from mushrooms stems you’ve saved in the freezer, or a combination of dried mushrooms plus fresh ones. With the addition of a few simple aromatics you’ll be able to create some fungi magic in the kitchen.

Ingredients:
2 large white or yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 head garlic, outer peel removed, cleaned and halved
1 Tablespoon oil
1 cup (8 oz) fresh whole mushrooms, cremini, button or shiitake*
1 cup dried shitake mushrooms
¼ cup dried porcini (or dried chanterelle)
1 2-3” piece of dried kombu (optional)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8-10 cups water
1 Tablespoon soy or tamari
Salt, to taste

Note: Instead of fresh mushrooms, you can use a cup of reserved mushroom stems

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and once hot add the onions and halved garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, dried mushrooms, kombu, and peppercorns to the pot.

Add the water, bring up to a slow boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 60-90 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce. Taste and season as desired.

Strain the broth and use immediately or reserve in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.