Shiitake mushrooms contain glutamate levels 10x higher than button mushrooms, creating natural MSG without additives.
Mushroom Soup
Warm up with this hearty mushroom soup, packed with earthy flavors and a creamy finish that’s sure to comfort your senses. Featuring sautéed garlic and a splash of fresh thyme to elevate the rich, velvety broth, this soup is not just a meal—it’s a cozy hug in a bowl. Perfect for chilly days or when you need a little pick-me-up!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This humble American mushroom soup is actually a cheeky British-French love child that crossed the Atlantic in the 1920s—Victorian England's cream-of-mushroom met French velouté technique in Depression-era American kitchens, where resourceful cooks discovered that combining shiitake mushrooms with European button mushrooms created an umami powerhouse that could stretch a penny into a proper meal.
Regional Twist
In Oregon's Willamette Valley, they swap the button mushrooms for foraged chanterelles and add a splash of local Pinot Noir instead of white wine, creating an earthier version.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 packs brown button mushrooms
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) cooking cream
- parmesan (to taste)
- 1 pack shiitake mushrooms
- 1 unit white onion
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) white wine
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bread (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- chicken/beef stock (to taste)
- ½ cup (60 g) flour
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- thyme (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by sautéing onions and garlic in butter. Add your mushrooms into the pot and cook down.
- 2
Deglaze with white wine, and add flour. Cook through for 3-5 minutes then add stock. Add thyme before covering and letting simmer for 30 minutes.
- 3
Add Worcestershire sauce, cream, and soy sauce, and season with salt & pepper.
- 4
Slice your bread into squares, and toast with olive oil until crisp. Finish with Parmesan.
- 5
Serve with your croutons, more mushrooms, and cream and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sauté mushrooms in batches without overcrowding the pan - they should cover no more than 50% of the pan surface to prevent steaming and achieve proper Maillard browning at 285-300°F.technique285-300°F, 50% pan coverage
- ✓Cook the flour roux for exactly 3-4 minutes after adding to eliminate raw flour taste and activate the starch's thickening power through gelatinization.timing3-4 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of butter to flour for your roux, and whisk stock in gradually at 160-180°F to prevent lumping as starch granules hydrate uniformly.technique1:1 ratio, 160-180°F
- ✓Reserve 25% of your sautéed mushrooms before adding stock to fold in at the end - this preserves distinct mushroom texture against the pureed base.technique25% reserved
- ✓Add Worcestershire and cream off heat or below 180°F to prevent the dairy proteins from curdling due to acid and high temperature interaction.timingBelow 180°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Shiitake mushrooms contain glutamate levels 10x higher than button mushrooms, creating natural MSG without additives.
Mushroom Soup
Warm up with this hearty mushroom soup, packed with earthy flavors and a creamy finish that’s sure to comfort your senses. Featuring sautéed garlic and a splash of fresh thyme to elevate the rich, velvety broth, this soup is not just a meal—it’s a cozy hug in a bowl. Perfect for chilly days or when you need a little pick-me-up!
The Story
This humble American mushroom soup is actually a cheeky British-French love child that crossed the Atlantic in the 1920s—Victorian England's cream-of-mushroom met French velouté technique in Depression-era American kitchens, where resourceful cooks discovered that combining shiitake mushrooms with European button mushrooms created an umami powerhouse that could stretch a penny into a proper meal.
Regional Twist
In Oregon's Willamette Valley, they swap the button mushrooms for foraged chanterelles and add a splash of local Pinot Noir instead of white wine, creating an earthier version.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 packs brown button mushrooms
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) cooking cream
- parmesan (to taste)
- 1 pack shiitake mushrooms
- 1 unit white onion
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) white wine
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bread (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- chicken/beef stock (to taste)
- ½ cup (60 g) flour
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- thyme (to taste)
- worcestershire sauce (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by sautéing onions and garlic in butter. Add your mushrooms into the pot and cook down.
- 2
Deglaze with white wine, and add flour. Cook through for 3-5 minutes then add stock. Add thyme before covering and letting simmer for 30 minutes.
- 3
Add Worcestershire sauce, cream, and soy sauce, and season with salt & pepper.
- 4
Slice your bread into squares, and toast with olive oil until crisp. Finish with Parmesan.
- 5
Serve with your croutons, more mushrooms, and cream and enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sauté mushrooms in batches without overcrowding the pan - they should cover no more than 50% of the pan surface to prevent steaming and achieve proper Maillard browning at 285-300°F.technique285-300°F, 50% pan coverage
- ✓Cook the flour roux for exactly 3-4 minutes after adding to eliminate raw flour taste and activate the starch's thickening power through gelatinization.timing3-4 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of butter to flour for your roux, and whisk stock in gradually at 160-180°F to prevent lumping as starch granules hydrate uniformly.technique1:1 ratio, 160-180°F
- ✓Reserve 25% of your sautéed mushrooms before adding stock to fold in at the end - this preserves distinct mushroom texture against the pureed base.technique25% reserved
- ✓Add Worcestershire and cream off heat or below 180°F to prevent the dairy proteins from curdling due to acid and high temperature interaction.timingBelow 180°F